At the beginning of the twenty-first century countries in the Middle East and North Africa contend with the threats and opportunities of economic globalization, the driving force of change in the contemporary world. As the authors confirm in their straightforward and, at times, irreverent analysis of the regions' response to these challenges, it is globalization which is the key to an understanding of economic reform. Through an investigation of the structures of state and civil society, including financial systems, they also demonstrate that there is a direct correlation between economic performance and democratization. In other words, the more liberal the polity, the more effective is its economy in responding to globalization. With its interesting and incisive approach to the politics and economics of the Middle East and North Africa, this will be an essential purchase for students and policy-makers and anyone trying to come to grips with economic globalization generally.

‘This is a very interesting, provocative and thought-provoking book by two of the most experienced political scientists, turned political economists, at work on the Middle East.’

E. Roger Owen - Harvard University

‘… it is an excellent presentation of the opportunities much of the Middle East has missed and the costs of this failure.’

Source: Development Policy Review

'This concise study is a valuable addition to the literature on the political economy of the Middle East.'

Source: Journal of Development Studies