ABSTRACT
The interplay of the three dynamics provided the basis for the liberal nationalist movement that emerged within the country during the early, a movement whose limited successes left the regime vulnerable to more radical opponents by the middle of the decade. Bahrain provided an almost paradigmatic case of peaceful political accommodation to profound economic transformation during the decade following the consolidation of the imperial regime on the islands. Foreign firms exploring for oil in the relatively remote areas purchased virtually all of the equipment from agents in Manama. The liberal nationalists' success in forcing the regime to adopt political and social reforms encouraged a variety of less moderate forces within Bahraini society to challenge the established order. The economic arena, Bahrain's commercial oligarchy carved out for itself a predominant position in the years following the suppression of the nationalist movements. The country's nouveaux riches traders abandoned their efforts to promote economic and administrative reforms and turned their attention to business.
