The Sociology of the Gulf Rentier Systems: Societies of Intermediaries

Abstract

Theories about the politics and economics of resource-rich or “rentier” states have been around for almost four decades now (Mahdavy 1970; Beblawi 1987; Chaudhry 1997; Humphreys et al. 2007). Political scientists and economists have argued that rents have a negative impact on levels of democracy (Luciani 1987; Ross 2001), on the quality of institutions (Chaudhry 1997; Isham et al. 2005), and on economic growth (Sachs and Warner 2001). Although much debate has been conducted over these macro-correlations, far less attention has been devoted to the causal mechanisms behind them. There is still no unified theory of rentier states, and the micro-foundations of rentier systems in particular have gone largely unexplored.

What Motivates and Engages Students in the Education Process—An Examination of Qatari Students’ Mindset and Attitudes toward Going to School, Learning, and Future Aspirations

“…Political theory postulates that in rentier contexts, such as that in Qatar and the wider Arab Gulf, majority of citizens display low societal capacities, which then translate into low productivity and high expectations from state resources (Hertog, 2010). Although Qatari students are not yet contributing members of society, the future expectations fostered among Qatari students based on the existing societal culture, created by the rentier context, may have influenced these students' attitudes toward and engagement with school and learning from an early age.…”

The Gendered Complexities of Promoting Female Entrepreneurship in the Gulf

“…Some capitalise on connections to become agents of luxury retail brands. Such entrepreneurs balance in the shifting borderline between being entrepreneurial and benefiting from rent recycling, a common mode of income generation among rentier classes (Hertog 2010b). Other highly educated women have launched successful enterprises within the nascent entrepreneurial ecosystems in their country and region, creating training initiatives, incubators, or funding instruments.…”

Gulf Security after 2011: A Threat Analysis

“…41 On the economic front, a dysfunctional political economy on the rentier model has over time blended with this exclusive ideology and contributed to major inequalities and imbalances. 42 While some of these vulnerabilities are largely shared across the six Gulf monarchies, some indicators present key differences from one country to another.…”