ABSTRACT

Jordan’s experiment in democratization and respect for human rights is often cited as one of the most unique in the Arab Middle East. Indeed, the return of political parties and a more open political climate in the early 1990s has changed the face of Jordanian politics considerably. Jordan’s internal political scene has long reflected both a domestic ‘opposition’ pushing for greater rights and the relentless pressure of external events that have buffeted the country and affected its politics. The Palestinian problem, the Arab-Israeli conflict and the regime’s hostility to a return of the democratic era of the 1950s continued to affect politics in Jordan well into the 1990s. Jordan’s march toward democracy and respect for human rights since the late 1980s has been profound; real change has occurred. Yet the limits on political rights on the eve of the 21st century are illustrated in the government’s response to several serious political issues that faced the country in 1996 and 1997.