Persistence of Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa
Persistence of Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa

Author: Ralph Myers

Publisher: GRIN Verlag

Published: 2010-12

Total Pages: 33

ISBN-13: 3640773640

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Scientific Essay from the year 2009 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Near East, Near Orient, grade: 75%, Dublin City University, course: International Relations, language: English, abstract: The region of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) appears to be an exception when it comes to the persistence of authoritarianism. Whereas most other regions in the world have embarked upon a path of democratisation, trends in the MENA appear to be adverse. Not only is the MENA's record appalling in terms of electoral democracies, but the region, on average, has not experienced an improvement in civil liberties and political rights for the last thirty years. This paper will look at two aspects concerning the persistence of authoritarianism in the region. The principal aim will be to analyse what the principle cause for the persistence of authoritarianism in the MENA is. A secondary objective will be to establish whether the term MENA exceptionalism is applicable, or whether the persistence of authoritarianism in the region can be explained through general theories on the subject. The paper analyses the reasons why scholars deem the MENA to be exceptional, and which variables they believe contribute to the persistence of authoritarianism in the region. Those arguments are then refuted, arguing instead that rentierism is the principal independent variable with regards to the robustness of authoritarian regimes in the MENA. The focus then shifts to the concept of rentierism in general and more specifically its relation to oil rich countries. Finally the paper looks at how oil poor countries also benefit from rents and how it is possible that levels of authoritarianism in oil rich countries are not hugely affected by oil price fluctuations.

Persistence of Authoritarianism in the Middle East
Persistence of Authoritarianism in the Middle East

Author: Samir Awad

Publisher: LAP Lambert Academic Publishing

Published: 2010-03

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 9783838342696

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In this dissertation I have examined the persistence of authoritarianism in the Arab World. Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, and Yemen all embarked on substantial political reforms in the late 1980s. These political liberalization reforms coincided with a wave of democratization that swept over regimes in Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Africa. However, in the mid-1990s most of the Arab states were able to revoke the bulk of their liberalization reforms, thus frustrating what many observers had viewed as a promising step towards democracy. Unlike other parts of the world, the regimes' return to authoritarianism in the Arab world faced unexpectedly little resistance from domestic civil society or from the international community. How is it that a regime can abandon liberalization political reforms and return to authoritarian rule, yet face negligible internal and external resistance?

The New Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa
The New Authoritarianism in the Middle East and North Africa

Author: Stephen J. King

Publisher: Indiana University Press

Published: 2009-10-28

Total Pages: 289

ISBN-13: 0253004004

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Stephen J. King considers the reasons that international and domestic efforts toward democratization have failed to take hold in the Arab world. Focusing on Egypt, Tunisia, Syria, and Algeria, he suggests that a complex set of variables characterizes authoritarian rule and helps to explain both its dynamism and its persistence. King addresses, but moves beyond, how religion and the strongly patriarchal culture influence state structure, policy configuration, ruling coalitions, and legitimization and privatization strategies. He shows how the transformation of authoritarianism has taken place amid shifting social relations and political institutions and how these changes have affected the lives of millions. Ultimately, King's forward-thinking analysis offers a way to enhance the prospects for democracy in the Middle East and North Africa.

Authoritarianism in the Middle East
Authoritarianism in the Middle East

Author: Michele Penner Angrist

Publisher:

Published: 2022

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781685850852

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Explores the persistence of authoritarian rule in the Middle East, eschewing cultural explanations and focusing on the role of political institutions and strategies.

Modern Middle East Authoritarianism
Modern Middle East Authoritarianism

Author: Noureddine Jebnoun

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-07-31

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 1135007314

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While the Arab uprisings have overturned the idea of Arab "exceptionalism," or the acceptance of authoritarianism, better analysis of authoritarianism’s resilience in pre- and post-uprising scenarios is still needed. Modern Middle East Authoritarianism: Roots, Ramifications, and Crisis undertakes this task by addressing not only the mechanisms that allowed Middle Eastern regimes to survive and adapt for decades, but also the obstacles that certain countries face in their current transition to democracy. This volume analyzes the role of ruling elites, Islamists, and others, as well as variables such as bureaucracy, patronage, the strength of security apparatuses, and ideological legitimacy to ascertain regimes’ life expectancies and these factors’ post-uprisings repercussions. Discussing not only the paradigms through which the region has been analyzed, but also providing in-depth case studies of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Iran, the authors arrive at critical conclusions about dictatorship and possibilities for its transformation. Employing diverse research methods, including interviews, participant observation, and theoretical discussions of authoritarianism and political transition, this book is essential reading for scholars of Middle East Studies, Islamic Studies and those with an interest in the governance and politics of the Middle East.

Authoritarianism in the Middle East
Authoritarianism in the Middle East

Author: J. Karakoç Bakis

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2015-03-17

Total Pages: 214

ISBN-13: 1137445556

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Through a unique collection of essays drawn from rich case studies, Authoritarianism in the Middle East provides important insights into the ongoing instabilities of the Middle East, and the authoritarianism and democratisation processes that have led to dramatic socio-political transformations.

Beyond the Arab Spring
Beyond the Arab Spring

Author: Rex Brynen

Publisher:

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781588268532

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For years the authoritarian regimes of the Arab world displayed remarkable persistence. Then, beginning in December 2010, much of the region underwent rapid and remarkable political change. This volume explores the precursors, nature, and trajectory of the dynamics unleashed by the Arab Spring.