Table of Contents

Figures, Tables, and Charts Acknowledgments A Note on Titles, Names, and Conventions 1. Introduction Explanations for Revolution Dynastic Monarchy Rentier Income The Educated (or New) Middle Class Political Participation and Revolution The Scope of the Study, Theoretic Approach, and the Cases Examined 2. The Emergence of Dynastic Monarchy and the Causes of Its Persistence The Rise of the Arabian Dynasties Norms within the Ruling Families Marriage and Dynastic Monarchism Consultation and the Mediation of Dynastic Rule The Resolution of Disputes within the Dynasties Conclusion 3. Arabian Society and the Emergence of the Petro-State Ascriptive Status in Arabia Elite Clans The Merchants The Rise of the Educated Middle Class The Relative Decline of the Bedouin Foreigners Conclusion 4. The Dynasties: The Al Sabah and the Al Saud The Al Sabah The Al Saud 5. The Dynasties: The Al Thani, Al Khalifa, Al Nahayan, Al Maktum, and Al Said The Al Thani of Qatar The Al Khalifa of Bahrain A Note on the Emirates The Al Nahayan of Abu Dhabi The Al Maktum of Dubai The Al Said of Oman Variations in the Capture of the Petro-States by the Dynasties 6. Strategies of Regime and Opposition in the Dynastic Monarchies Kuwait Saudi Arabia Bahrain Qatar The Emirates Oman Conclusion 7. Libya and Afghanistan Libya Afghanistan Conclusion 8. Five Nondynastic Monarchies Egypt Iraq Iran Morocco Jordan Conclusion 9. Dynastic Monarchism and the Persistence of Hereditary Rule Dynastic Monarchy Other Explanations Education Rentierism, Revolution, and Resilience Opposition The Composition of the Military Tribe and Kin as Inclusionary Political Institutions Foreign Powers Parliaments Statecraft The Lessons of the Dynastic Monarchies 10. The Theory of the Rentier State and Constitutional Monarchy in the Middle East The Theory of the Rentier State When Parliamentary Liberalizations Succeed The Flexibility of Monarchical Institutions in Accommodating Democratic Compromises The Absolutisms and Western Policy Monarchy and Political Development Notes Bibliography Index

About the Author

Michael Herb is Assistant Professor in the Political Science department at Georgia State University.

Reviews

"One of the most insightful and important contributions of the book lies in its well-articulated critique of the (simplistic) 'rentier state' theory, which attributes the resilience of Gulf regimes to their oil wealth and consequent ability to buy off the opposition. Such a critique is long overdue. The author's arguments and evidence to challenge the rentier theory should by themselves ensure that this book will receive much attention."- Guilain Denoeux, Colby College "...provocative and insightful ..." - Middle East Policy "...a well-written, concise analysis of Middle Eastern monarchies ... deserves serious attention from scholars and policy makers interested in the Middle East or the stability of authoritarian states more generally." - Political Science Quarterly