Social Development Trends in the Middle East, 1970–1997: the Search for Modernity

Abstract

The nations of the Middle East have arrived at a historic crossroad.Anchored in centuries-old political and economic systems, bitterethnic rivalries, recurrent intra-regional warfare, and risingfundamentalism, the majority of the region’s countries haveremained largely apart from the transformative processes that areshaping development in other world regions. Indeed, the impressionexists that no development “miracles“ are occurring in theMiddle East and that, to a very great extent, the region isseeking to remain on the “sidelines” of modern history. And,yet, if the countries of the Middle East are to flourish in thenext century they, too, must restructure themselves for dealingwith the complex realities associated with increasing globalizationand internationalization. This paper reports on the socialdevelopment successes and failures of 22 Middle Eastern countriesbetween 1970 and 1997. Also identified are the region’s SocialLeaders (SLs), Socially Least Developing Countries (SLDCs),and Middle Performing Countries (MPCs). The social, political,and economic factors most closely associated with each country’sdevelopment classification are identified.