StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

National Assemblies of Kuwait - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The first National Assembly from 1963 to 1967 included a vibrant opposition led Ahmad al-Khatib, an Arab nationalist leader vital in the push for national representation, which was focused on censuring the government…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER95.4% of users find it useful
National Assemblies of Kuwait
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "National Assemblies of Kuwait"

National Assemblies of Kuwait The first National Assembly in Kuwait was elected in 1963. The first National Assemblyfrom 1963 to 1967 included a vibrant opposition led Ahmad al-Khatib, an Arab nationalist leader vital in the push for national representation, which was focused on censuring the government. The political effectiveness of al-Khatib and fellow nationalists in forming a credible opposition to the government necessitated government interference in the 1967 election. The National Assembly of 1967-1971 saw the removal of major opposition nationalists, including al-Khatib, and was marred by widespread alleged fraud, which made it unpopular but compliant with the wishes of the government (p. 97). The subsequent National Assembly election was conduct in 1971, and it also produced an assembly that was deemed compliant with the wishes of the ruling family.

Most of the former nationalist leaders, including al-Khatib, failed to re-enter the assembly. However, the 1971-1975 National Assembly made its voice heard during negotiations with major oil companies. It was during this session of the National Assembly that the opposition to Kuwaiti participation with the KOC began, starting Kuwait’s path towards nationalizing oil resources (p. 97). Nationalization of oil happened under the National Assembly of 1975, which also enthusiastically opposed other policies of the Amir.

Finally, wary of the impact that a vibrant opposition would have on the ruling family, as well as with relations between Kuwait and other Arab states that disapproved of assemblies and the resulting Arab nationalist opposition groups, the Amir dissolved the assembly in 1976 (p.97). Kuwait remained without an assembly until elections were held in 1981. While they were relatively free and fair, the government subtly supported Islamist leaders as a counter-balance to the nationalists the government was still uncomfortable with.

This meant that opposition pioneer al-Khatib was unable to rejoin the assembly again. Islamists formed the opposition core, while pro-administration Bedouins also made gains. The assembly was vocal in its opposition to the government to various government policies, including legislative-executive relations (p. 98). The next assembly elections in 1985 saw the government encourage nationalists and Bedouins to run so as to reduce the Islamist influence. This assembly resulted in the formation of nationalist and Islamist opposition blocks that coordinated to block government bills.

So effective was this assembly in opposing the government that, yet again, it was dissolved in 1985.In my opinion, this last assembly of 1985 was the most interesting, particularly due to the fact that it was deemed so dangerous to the ruling family and the cabinet that it only lasted a few months. Additionally, the ability of the nationalists and Islamists to work in coordination as opposition was un-foreseen by the Amir (p. 99), as it would have been for most political analysts. This National Assembly of 1985 can be analyzed as having been the result of continued government interference.

By trying to pit the Islamists against the Nationalists in 1981 and the nationalists against the Islamists in 1985, the Amir created two forces that felt betrayed and, in turn, worked together to form a formidable opposition. So powerful was this opposition that they begun to probe cabinet ministers loyal to the Amir for financial irregularities, including the Justice Minister, who resigned. In addition, important ministers like those in the ministries of Oil, Communications, and Education were also under attack from the National Assembly of 1985 (p. 99). It is not surprising that the Amir decided to dissolve this assembly after they begun to pursue actively the Ministers for Internal Security and Oil, contending that they resign, despite the fact that these were members of the Amir’s ruling family.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“National Assemblies of Kuwait Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1”, n.d.)
National Assemblies of Kuwait Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/history/1638344-national-assemblies-of-kuwait
(National Assemblies of Kuwait Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words - 1)
National Assemblies of Kuwait Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words - 1. https://studentshare.org/history/1638344-national-assemblies-of-kuwait.
“National Assemblies of Kuwait Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 Words - 1”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/history/1638344-national-assemblies-of-kuwait.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF National Assemblies of Kuwait

National Bank of Kuwait (NBK)

National Bank of kuwait (NBK) Contents Research Objective 3 Research Question 3 Literature Review 4 Conclusion 5 References 7 Introduction The organization selected for the research proposal is the National Bank of kuwait.... hellip; It is the first local bank as well as the first shareholding company in the country of kuwait.... The bank provides retail services related to trade and finance and private as well as corporate banking services (National Bank of kuwait, n....
4 Pages (1000 words) Research Proposal

Middle Eastern Studies Journal

This prompted a UN force led by the United States under the now famous operation “desert storm” to successfully come to the aid of kuwait.... A fundamental aspect of Middle East's military-industrial complex is the tendency to become powerful economic enclaves unaccountable to either auditors or national assemblies (Richards and Waterbury 345).... Soon after, Iraq invaded kuwait in 1990.... The military-industrial sector competes against other private sectors for human and financial resources thereby increasing the aggregate efficiency of the economy People within the region seem to welcome the disproportionate public investment into defense either due to national pride or perhaps in cognizance of the inherent need to survive in an increasingly complex global geo-political atmosphere....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay

The United States Invasion of Iraq

It was a result of Iraq's invasion of kuwait on August 2, 1990; Iraq then annexed Kuwait, which it had long claimed.... Iraqi president Saddam Hussein declared that the invasion was a response to overproduction of oil in kuwait, which had cost Iraq an estimated $14 billion a year when oil prices fell.... Hussein also accused kuwait of illegally pumping oil from Iraq's Rumaila oil field.... During August 1990 Iraq was sending more and more troops streaming into kuwait, by August 6 there were nearly eleven combat divisions....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Major U.S. Historical Events 1980-Present

When Iraq invaded kuwait in 1990, the memory of the failure to secure a victory in Southeast Asia decades earlier still fomented fears of another Vietnam.... Iraq, debt-ridden and weary from years of war with Iran, made a desperate and miscalculated move to invade kuwait.... ush, able to unite America under a new wave of national pride, assembled a military team to plan a strategic operation while diplomacy and UN Sanctions worked behind the scenes in an effort to oust the Iraqis from kuwait....
3 Pages (750 words) Essay

History of Illegal Drugs in America

Touring through the United States Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration's online museum exhibit entitled “Illegal Drugs in America: A Modern History,” one notices several instances in history where drug use has taken its toll on society at large.... Without… oing into specific detail, the article makes these instances known primarily through the reaction of the government in creating new enforcement laws and practices to address the concerns....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Constitutional advance in kuwait

This is a significant step in the social, economic, and political growth and development in Kuwait. In light of kuwait's new Constitutional Advance in Kuwait The last few years have seen significant developments in Kuwait's constitutional progress.... n light of kuwait's new constitution, it is important to highlight key events leading to the dire need for a new constitution.... The history of kuwait shows that Kuwaiti people have always been subject to the influence of Shaikh-based leadership....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Conference Project Planning

The planning team has identified five key speakers to grace the conference, two being foreigners from kuwait and China.... These include the government, private and public electrical and electronic engineering practitioners, aspiring electrical and electronic engineers, most specifically… Like any other engineering profession, the contribution of electrical and electronic engineering to national economies and, by extension, the global economy, cannot be gainsaid....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Gas Release Evacuation Plan

The author of this paper proposes an evacuation plan that should be used in the event of a gas release.... Effective coordination is important to the successful execution of the plan as some aspects require collective responsibility and proper organization.... hellip; In the current world where there has been increased technological advancement in the usage of natural resources such as manufacture and usage of gas and related products, accidents are bound to happen....
9 Pages (2250 words) Term Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us