When power grows out of the oil barrel
Can the Gulf’s ruling families survive the post-oil era?
The brutal military crackdowns launched as the Arab Spring spread across Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain and Yemen in 2011 contrasts sharply with the response most Gulf countries' leaderships took to the uprisings. Instead of soldiers, civil servants were more quietly deployed, armed with generous counter-revolutionary doles in the shape of cash and energy subsidies. Sweeping subsidies and targeted financial inducements—in some cases to the tune of as much as 4pc of GDP—quickly and bloodlessly placated populaces. But, as Jim Krane argues in Energy Kingdoms, the unspoken social contract on which this relies might not last forever. Having spent years in the region as a journalist, he crafts ins

Also in this section
30 November 2023
The region’s rapidly evolving infrastructure has a lot to be commended for, but some of the capacity may not be ready in time for the 2024 heating season
30 November 2023
Burgeoning middle class and long-term growth from a low base at odds with energy transition efforts
28 November 2023
Countries such as Pakistan will require fossil fuels for a long time to come, requiring a reframing of the narrative around the energy transition
28 November 2023
Rising LNG demand and supply risks are outpacing shipping logistics amid Panama and newbuild challenges