Jordan's "new bargain:" - The political economy of regime security

The author argues that the progression and regression of liberalization in Jordan can be explained by the Jordanian monarchy's desire to maintain budget and regime security in an era of economic austerity. He illustrates how the monarchy has manipulated election laws and economic reforms in order to obtain the external financing necessary to keep the state solvent and ensure the political support of two key domestic constituencies: Transjordanians and the business community.