Follow the King - an investigation of the relationship between the regime and civil society in Jordan

Abstract

The present project deals with the relationship between the regime and civil society organisations in Jordan, and the influence of this relationship on the stability of the regime.

Through an empirical analysis of different types of civil society organisations, involving charity, human rights, youth, royal, independent and Islamic organisations, the project considers how independent the organisations are of the regime, and to what extent they accept the control of the regime. A theoretical examination of Jordan’s regime type and society structures, results in a characterisation of a neo-patrimonial rentier state, which is governed like a linchpin monarchy and a liberalising autocracy. This characterisation is consequently utilized in an analysis of the relation between the civil society – regime relationship and the stability of the regime.

The conclusion is that the relationship between regime and civil society organisations results in a greater stability for the regime. This is due to the strategy of the regime, when controlling the civil society organisations, mainly being based upon strategies supported by the neo-patrimonial characteristics of Jordan, among others divide-and-rule. The use of wasta – personal connections - by the civil society organisations to increase their scope of influence is inherent in the relationship, and increases the stability since all parties benefit.