Economic And Political Change In The Middle East Rle Economy Of Middle East

In the early 1960s the Middle East suffered from political instability, inefficiency of government, widespread poverty and inequality, low productivity, and a mounting population pressure on the region’s resources. With the exception of some of the oil-exporting countries, the entire region still suffers from these same burdens. There have been many studies in the economic development and industrialization of the region in recent years. This study is different, motivated by scepticism and a sense of intellectual frustration and apprehension because of the apparent inadequacy of socioeconomic and political development in the Middle East. First published in 1987.

An analysis of the transformation of the political economy of the nations of the Middle East over the past several decades. The authors stress the interrelation of politics and development strategies with regard to class formation and to the definition of powerful new interests.

The crucial importance of the Gulf region today – which may be defined as comprising the states of Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, with Iran as a non-Arab onlooker – has stimulated surprisingly little interest in academic circles. Much of what has been written, moreover, focuses exclusively on those aspects of direct concern to external interests. The focus of this book is on the Gulf region as an area with its own problems of social, economic and political development. It examines the dimensions of the attempts by the governments and peoples of the area to create new social, economic and political structures – stemming mainly, of course, from their new-found oil wealth. First published in 1980.

Although most Arab countries remain authoritarian, many have undergone a restructuring of state-society relations in which lower- and middle-class interest groups have lost ground while big business has benefited in terms of its integration into policy-making and the opening of economic sectors that used to be state-dominated. Arab businesses have also started taking on aspects of public service provision in health, media and education that used to be the domain of the state; they have also become increasingly active in philanthropy. The ‘Arab Spring,’ which is likely to lead to a more pluralistic political order, makes it all the more important to understand business interests in the Middle East, a segment of society that on the one hand has often been close to the ancien regime, but on the other will play a pivotal role in a future social contract. Among the topics addressed by the authors are the role of business in recent regime change; the political outlook of businessmen; the consequences of economic liberalisation on the composition of business elites in the Middle East; the role of the private sector in orienting government policies; lobbying of government by business interests and the mechanisms by which governments seek to keep businesses dependent on them.

Since its independence in 1951, Libya has experienced rapid economic and social change. Many of these developments, though dramatic, have not been comprehensively documented until now. One of the problems that Libya has had to face has been the absorption of burgeoning oil revenues, and here the Libyan experience accords with that of other oil-rich states. The country has embarked on ambitious policies based on oil wealth; this book charts the development of traditional agricultural way of life, and the growth of new industrial projects and transport systems. The effect of Libya’s new wealth on its social and political systems is also considered in detail. In conclusion, the importance of Libya’s frontiers are discussed; although Libyan international interests have been wide-ranging in recent years, its real external interests are to extend its natural resource base, for its future developments will be founded on Libya’s perception of its territorial entitlement. First published in 1982.

This book shows that co-operation between the more open regimes in the Middle East, such as Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Palestine and Turkey, could pave the way to increased stability in the region.

The Middle East is an area of great importance globally, yet misperceptions abound. Events have made it a region of special interest to the West and so the search for understanding gains momentum. This publication is intended to clarify the region’s complex history and issues. In developing this project, the contributors’ set out to explore seven significant themes that are usually not found in other sources. While many books focus on political history and conflicts, this two-volume work deals specifically with culture, religion, women, economics, governance, and media, as well as the role that the region’s modern history has played in shaping its society and worldview.

Jordan is one of the most important countries of the Fertile Crescent. Although it is not richly endowed with material resources its political significance in the region gives it considerable authority. This book focuses on the economic development of Jordan over the last decade. It analyses the structural changes the economy has undergone and examines the experience of the key sectors. It also looks at the contribution of foreign aid and emigrant workers’ remittances to the economy. The book concludes that there is a significant potential for the Jordanian economy but the current political and economic problems facing it are daunting. First published in 1987.