How oil has impacted political institutions in the Middle East Beyond Revenues: A Historical and Comparative Approach

Most of the empirical work on the relationship between oil and political regimes argues that oil leads to the rise of authoritarian governments. Looking at history, however, the support for authoritarian governments has often preceded the influx of oil revenues. This research aims to examine how securing oil fields, bargaining over rents, transporting oil to markets, and managing revenues have impacted political regimes in the Arab world. It posits as a starting point that oil is a geopolitical commodity which must be secured by world powers to ensure military superiority and economic prosperity. The research will examine from a historical perspective how oil affects political regimes in the Middle East across the various phases of the value chain: Securing oil fields, bargaining over rents, transporting oil to markets, and managing revenues.