ABSTRACT
The Hashemite monarchy has throughout its existence pointedly emphasized its Arab heritage as well as its Islamic lineage, especially the direct Hash-emite family line descending from the Prophet Muhammad. The modern Jordanian state emerged following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Many Jordanians viewed Rifa'i as a neoliberal technocrat and identified him with some of the regime's most unpopular policies, including economic privatization and liberalization efforts that had undercut the traditional social safety net. One of the reasons that Jordan has been economically vulnerable to political shifts that threaten its supplies is that it has historically been reliant on outside powers for its energy needs, particularly oil and gas. In 1989, in the context of a severe economic crisis, King Hussein initiated a political liberalization and reform process that included national parliamentary elections. Youth activists communicate both directly and virtually and have established an impressive pro-reform and prodemocracy Internet presence, particularly via social media.
