Precious oil and export markets, wars in Lebanon and the Persian Gulf, peace talks at the White House, terrorist eruptions: more now than ever, Arab affairs are the West's affair. And yet as we find ourselves increasingly enmeshed in its politics and economics, the Middle East remains a mystery to most of us, a world of dimly understood connections and impenetrable complexities. The Arab world at last becomes accessible in this book. The only study to include developments since the Gulf War and the historic pact between Israel and the PLO, Inside the Arab World gives us a complete and detailed picture of the region as it is today, as well as a clear sense of how Arab affairs have evolved and where they may lead.
Despite its abundance of oil, the Arab world has failed to produce a single successful economy. Michael Field, a recognized expert and longtime reporter on the Arab states, ably explores the cultural, political, and geographic reasons for this failure. Ranging from Algeria to the Gulf states to Egypt and Syria, he considers the fragmentation of society, the people's tolerance of bad government, corruption, and the deadening economic effect of Arab socialism. But he also shows how the region--influenced partly by exposure to Western media, partly by reforms imposed by creditors--is changing now, taking its first cautious steps toward democracy, whose opportunities so far have been most firmly grasped by Islamic fundamentalists.
Timely, thorough, and highly readable, this book offers much-needed insight into the Arab world as its politics and policies increasingly engage our own.
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Book Description Condition: Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Seller Inventory # 781773-6
Book Description Paperback. Condition: Very good. This is a study of the Arab world which takes account of developments since the Gulf War and of the new realism that has led to peace moves between Israel and the PLO. The Arab world has for the last 50 years been a byword for war, political instability and terrorism. It has also failed economically. Even though some Arab countries have received huge sums in oil revenues, no country in the region has developed a successful wealth-producing economy, and several - Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and others also - have recently been on the edge of bankruptcy. Michael Field gives an assessment of the Arab world as it is today, covering not only the Middle East but also North Africa. He discusses the reasons for political and economic failure, the fragmentation of society, the difficulty Arab countries find in working together, people's tolerance of bad government, and the deadening economic effect of Arab socialism. But he goes on to explain how the region is now changing. There is a demand from the intelligentsia and from the mass of the people, influenced partly by access to satellite TV, for good, "legitimate" government. The IMF and other creditors have imposed financial reform and sound economic structures on the countries in trouble. The pain this has caused has increased pressure for political reform and produced the first cautious steps towards democracy. Yet wherever this has happened, the new opportunities have been most firmly grasped by Islamic fundamentalists. The Arab world is important to the West, as a source of oil, a market, an area where increasingly we invest in manufacturing, and a region in whose conflicts we can become involved. Michael Field suggests how our policies - political and commercial - should change as the Arab world changes. 739. Seller Inventory # 41199549153316
Book Description paperback. Condition: Good. All orders are dispatched the following working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we have over 500,000 books in stock. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied. Seller Inventory # mon0006547406
Book Description Soft cover. Condition: Good. Good condition soft cover, some wear to cover and spine, internally clean and tidy, in a good readable condition. Seller Inventory # 84543
Book Description Paper Back. No Jacket. First Edition. Paper covers good. Spine creases. Contents clean. Top edge foxed. Binding tight. Overall good. 439pp. book. Seller Inventory # 107606
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Book Description First Edition. Fine cloth copy in an equally fine dust wrapper, now mylar-sleeved. Particularly well-preserved overall; tight, bright, clean and strong. Physical description: viii, 439 p. Includes bibliographical references and index. Subjects: Arab countries - History - 20th century. Economic conditions. Politics and government. 1 Kg. Seller Inventory # 297229
Book Description Condition: Good. Some light marks and creases to the cover. The textblock edge is a little foxed. The book is clean and readable throughout, a decent enough copy. Seller Inventory # 117317-15
Book Description Softcover/Paperback, Condition: Akzeptabel. 440 Seiten , berieben , bestossen , nachgedunkelt , diverse Anstreichungen im Buch , 21-5 ISBN 9780719550966 Sprache: Englisch Gewicht in Gramm: 736. Seller Inventory # 140084
Book Description Condition: very good. London : John Murray, 1994. Hardcover. Dustjacket. viii,439 pp. Condition : very good copy. ISBN 9780719550966. Keywords : MIDDLE-EAST, Seller Inventory # 245586