Case Study: Democratization and the Rentier State

The research problem to be addressed centers upon the relationship between democratization and the economic system of the so-called rentier state, specifically focusing on those states that depend in large measure upon oil for revenues. According to Rueschemeyer, Stephens and Stephens (1992, 49-50), democratization is a process which represents an increase in political equality; in other words, it is power relations that most importantly determine whether democracy can emerge, stabilize, and then maintain itself even in the face of adverse conditions.

Using a multi-unit comparison (a regional comparison) - comparing and contrasting three rentier states (i.e., Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Iran) - with a fourth rentier state that can be characterized as significantly disparate in terms of several key variables (i.e., geographic location, national and religious culture, and political structure) allows for an analysis of the degree to which the process of democratization (e.g., an elected national assembly, universal suffrage, the right to run for political office, and other measures of participative government) has been implemented. The rentier state used for comparative purposes is Venezuela, which, like the three Middle Eastern States, depends in large measure on oil revenues for national income and the lion's share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The thesis to be explored is that rent

atic interpretation of the scared texts of Islam (notably the Qur'an) and reliance on Islam's own democratic ideals is the most stable path for establishing durable representative institutions. In many instances, traditional Islamic doctrine are being reinterpreted to legitimize pluralistic concepts such as those touted by Dahl (1971, 1-2) as essential to democratization. Sheilah Carapico (2002, 379) nevertheless commented that Western and international democratization projects in the Arab or Islamic world have been controversial since their inception as a Western policy element. Through Western governmental and non-governmental organizational (NGO) activity, efforts to link assistance and economic development to democratization have been met in various countries with mixed responses. In some instances, such as that of Turkey, Carapico (2002, 380) suggests that such efforts have led to the creation and maintenance of some democratic institutions; elsewhere, only partial success has been enjoyed by these projects and their providers. Economic issues are of significance in shaping the current geopolitical situation and process of democratization in the entire Middle East. In discussing the effects of oil wealth on the nation