Question

Contrary to the expectation of modernization theory, some authoritarian regimes still survive with economic prosperity. For example, the annual GDPs of Middle Eastern countries are much higher than most democracies. Why do Middle Eastern authoritarian regimes persist? What would be an ideal pathway to democratization in those countries?

Answer 1

As per my knowledge, Identifying the social structural bases of alternative regime paths showed what put the Middle East states on their distinctive authoritarian pathways. Institutionalist approaches to state-building helped explain the consolidation of authoritarian regimes in the region while political-economy analysis showed how these regimes adapted to changes in their environment.

*Analyses of the impact of globalization on the United States hegemon suggest the international variable is compatible with the liberalization of authoritarian regimes but not with democratization.

*After passng a decade in which democratization studies were on the cutting edge, the wheel has turned again with growing claims that the ‘third wave’ is exhausted,

1 the transition paradigm misguided.

2 the democratization bandwagon bogged down in the quicksands of so-called hybrid or semi- or pseudo-democratic regimes.

3 Nowhere would the relevance of democratization theory seem more questionable than in the Middle East. ...