POLI 340 Chapter Notes -Arab Spring, Foregone Conclusion, Major Force
Document Summary
King abdullah since 1999 situation in jordan is tenuous, remains manageable. The monarch"s trade union deep-rootedness of the dynastic principle succession has been an accepted, long-established practice. Eb get jobs and salaries and gov"t largesse. But eb split since 1970 war b. w jordanian forces and plo original eb and their less trusted compatriots of palestinian extraction. Private sector does well under privatization undergone at behest of imf and. Cracks in the loyalist edifice king married a palestinian, speaks so-so arabic, mother is english, spent life abroad rise of new group of locally-based popular youth forces. Mb are largest, best organized opposition component opposition wants reform, not overthrow. Mb and monarchy have never engaged in violent conflict, just aren"t friends. Abdullah"s reform reforms are window-dressing no changes to king"s prerogatives opp wanted: shift of auth. to lower house selection of pm direct election of upper house. Islamists oppressed by election law one-person-one vote system gerrymandering palestinians underrepresented.