Hydrocarbon Citizens : How Oil Transformed People and Politics in the Middle East

Many nations that are rich in oil and natural resources are plagued by undemocratic politics, war and civil conflict, corrupt governments, and volatile economies. Scholars have pointed to a "resource curse" as a root of the problem: the notion that valuable natural resources are connected to serious social, political, and economic problems. Entirely missing from the story, however, is an understanding about the role of the public in oil nations--specifically, the attitudes, values, and ideals they hold about important social, political, and economic issues. In Hydrocarbon Citizens , Nimah Mazaheri tells the story of how the discovery of oil dramatically transformed politics and society in the Middle East. He argues that the creation of oil-dependent economies cultivated a new type of citizen in the region: the "hydrocarbon citizen." These citizens hold attitudes, values, and beliefs about their governments and national politics that are very different from what is observed in countries that do not produce oil. Hydrocarbon citizens tend to view their governments as highly effective, generous, helpful, and responsive to the basic needs of society compared to the citizens of countries without oil. Hydrocarbon citizens also tend to be skeptical about the merits of democratization and more likely to believe that democratic governments are ineffective, unstable, and full of problems. Including a rich historical discussion, in-depth analysis of public opinion data, and original surveys conducted among Saudi Arabians and Emiratis, Mazaheri offers a new way of understanding the puzzling "resource curse" that has afflicted mineral-dependent nations around the world. Moreover, he provides a new way of thinking about current politics in the Middle East and explains why some of the region's long-lasting autocracies have been successful in resisting the rise of democracy. "Hydrocarbon Citizens tells the story of how the discovery of oil has transformed politics and societies in the Middle East. It argues that the creation of oil-dependent economies gave birth to a new type of citizen in the region: the "hydrocarbon citizen." These citizens hold attitudes, values, and beliefs about their governments and national politics that are very different from what is observed among citizens in the countries that do not produce oil. Hydrocarbon citizens are more likely to view their governments as highly effective, generous, helpful, and responsive to the needs of society. They also tend to be more sceptical about the merits of democracy and more likely to believe that democratic governments are ineffective, unstable, and full of problems. These arguments and findings are explored through rich histories of Middle Eastern countries, in-depth analysis of public opinion data, and original surveys from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Hydrocarbon Citizens challenges our understanding of the puzzling "resource curse" observation that paradoxically links oil wealth to negative outcomes for nations. It provides a new way of thinking about contemporary politics and society in the Middle East, a region currently defined by upheaval and reinvigorated authoritarianism"-- Provided by publisher In 'Hydrocarbon Citizens', Nimah Mazaheri tells the story of how the discovery of oil dramatically transformed politics and society in the Middle East. Including historical evidence and public opinion surveys, Mazaheri offers a nuanced description of how ordinary people in the region think about their government and evaluate national politics. He concludes that people in oil-rich countries adopt attitudes, beliefs, and values that are very different from those among citizens in oil-poor countries. Mazaheri provides a new way of thinking about current politics in the Middle East and explains why some of the region's long-lasting autocracies have been successful in resisting the rise of democracy Cover 1 Hydrocarbon Citizens 4 Copyright 5 Contents 8 Acknowledgments 10 1. Introduction 12 2. Why Do Hydrocarbon Citizens Think Differently about Their Government? 24 3. Hydrocarbon Citizens and Government Performance in the Middle East 57 4. A Passion in the Desert: How Saudi Arabians View Government Performance 95 5. A Gush of Oil and a Trickle: Loyalty in the UAE and Discontent in Jordan 121 6. Seeds of Doubt: Democratic Attitudes and the Politics of Hydrocarbon Citizens 156 7. Conclusion 195 Appendix: Survey Details and Methodology 202 Notes 210 Bibliography 230 Index 248