Islamism vs Theocracy
Islamism is a family of political ideologies seeking to organize government and society according to Islamic principles and law, distinct from Islam as a religion.
- Islam provides principles for politics, law and society, not only personal faith.
- Laws should be based on or consistent with sharia, as interpreted by each movement.
- Muslim societies should reject Western secularism and foreign domination.
Theocracy is a form of government in which rulers claim divine authority or religious officials govern, and religious law is the basis of the state's laws.
- Political authority ultimately comes from God, not from the people.
- Religious law should be the basis of the legal system.
- Religious leaders, or rulers guided by them, should hold final authority.
- Islamism: petals and stars
- Theocracy: dashed outline
★ Where they differ most
- Culture40 points apart
Islamism: National identity (mild). Theocracy: National identity (strong).
- Authority35 points apart
Islamism: Strong leader (moderate). Theocracy: Strong leader (strong).
- Structure25 points apart
Islamism: Central (moderate). Theocracy: Central (strong).
- Welfare20 points apart
Islamism: Shared (mild). Theocracy: Shared (mild).
★ Where they are closest
- Religion · 0 apart
- Markets · 0 apart
- Foreign policy · 5 apart
Axis by axis
Theocracy
Economy
Equality / Markets- OwnershipMild: Private40%60%PublicPrivate
- MarketsMild: Planned60%40%PlannedFree
- WelfareMild: Shared65%35%SharedSelf-reliant
State and liberty
Liberty / Authority- AuthorityModerate: Strong leader20%80%DemocraticStrong leader
- SecurityStrong: Order13%87%LibertyOrder
- StructureModerate: Central25%75%LocalCentral
Society
Progress / Tradition- MoralityStrong: Traditional5%95%ProgressiveTraditional
- ReligionStrong: Religious0%100%SecularReligious
- TechnologyModerate: Caution33%67%EmbraceCaution
- CultureMild: National identity35%65%MulticulturalNational identity
World
Global / Nation- TradeModerate: Protected33%67%GlobalProtected
- Foreign policyModerate: Strength23%77%CooperationStrength
★ 12 Axes Political Test ★
How close are you to Islamism or Theocracy?
Answer plain statements on 12 axes and see your match with Islamism or Theocracy and every other profile on the site, axis by axis.
FAQ
Islamism vs Theocracy
What is the difference between Islamism and Theocracy?
Islamism is a family of political ideologies seeking to organize government and society according to Islamic principles and law, distinct from Islam as a religion. Theocracy is a form of government in which rulers claim divine authority or religious officials govern, and religious law is the basis of the state's laws. On the 12 axes they differ most on culture, authority, structure.
What do Islamism and Theocracy have in common?
Their positions are closest on religion, markets, foreign policy. Overall their profiles are a 90% match on the 12 axes used by the 12 Axes Political Test.
Am I closer to Islamism or Theocracy?
Take the 12 Axes Political Test. Your result shows your match with both, and with every other ideology on the site, axis by axis.