Stages In The History Of Bahrain

The history of Bahrain is one in which the fight over power, rich resources, and strategic positioning for trade routes has made the government subject to many shifts in power and political maneuvering. Some of these shifts have been in Bahrain’s favor; however, many of them have been at the expense of Bahrain’s self-governance.

Tensions rose during the 2011 Arab Spring which became a catalyst for wide spread instability in the gulf region and is attributed to conflicts in Bahrain. This has created a need to undergo further negotiation with regards to the rights of neighboring countries as well as those abroad to intervene in Bahrain’s political process, both diplomatically and militarily. Critical discussions on the matter are occurring about Bahrain, as conflictual narratives on the issue are rooted in previous assertions of control over the country without final resolution. This has led to an ideological and political impasse that needs resolution. This literature review provides a short introduction of the Arab Spring in order to study the factors that currently influence the politics of Bahrain and the sovereignty laws of the country.

Current Situation

Since 1971, Bahrain has been a sovereign country. It became a kingdom in 2001. The Al-Khalifa royal family has a tremendous amount of control over its citizens. Bahrain is considered a wealthy country, and much of its wealth is connected to the oil reserves that have been tapped into by American and British companies. The country’s wealth is indeed part of the reason for conflict, in the country and outside. In Miriam Joyce’s book, Bahrain from the Twentieth Century to the Arab Spring, civil unrest over differences in political and religious views have roots in Iranian interests to obtain control over the newfound monarchy. The imbalance in which the wealthy ruling class of Bahrain profits from the nation’s oil at the expense of ensuring economic opportunity and equality among its citizens resulted in tensions. This is what led to the uprising in Bahrain during the Arab Spring of 2011. The Arab Spring on the surface has been thought to be a response to income inequality and human rights violations of the ruling family, however Joyce makes at least a partial argument that it was facilitated by the weak rulership of the nation.

Sovereignty and Interdependence

Claims of the weaknesses of the ruling methods in Bahrain are often attributed to the foreign policy of the neighboring countries in the region. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia intervened and assisted in ending the protests that escalated in a matter of weeks. This intervention and subsequent allegations that Iran was behind the protests and acts of violence has led to the present discussion concerning Bahrain’s sovereignty. While Bahrain is an independent nation, it is clear that without the ability to control protests within the country, it may not be as in control of its interests as it appears. It is also worth noting that some countries in the region have a vested interest in maintaining regional order, while others may have an interest in increasing tensions. Because of the substantial financial interests that ensure Bahrain’s oil reserves are protected, the debate becomes complex in that the religious ideology and political differences that are the basis of unrest cannot be seen as independent from the financial interests that the country’s stability depends on. In the article, ‘Understanding of Sovereignty in the Establishment of Social Order and Freedom of the Individual According to Thomas Hobbes,” İkram Bağci, demonstrates why there is an inherent conflict regarding Bahrain’s sovereignty. He argues that according to Hobbes, most people want independence, but rely on the state for ensuring order.

This conflicting desire creates an uncertainty regarding a government’s role that is difficult to satisfy. The people want a state that has enough control in order to protect them but is not controlling to the extent of limiting their freedom. This conflict is at the heart of the current debate concerning Bahrain. The country needs assistance in managing its political and economic interests, however, it cannot simply be stripped of its ability to establish its own laws and manage its own citizens.

Motivations Behind the Uprisings

Some of the values communicated by Hobbes can also be found in the Gilbert Achcar’s book titled ‘The People Want: A Radical Exploration of the Arab Uprising.’ In it, the author outlines the basic motivations behind the Arab Spring and the importance of examining the psychology behind the revolution.[footnoteRef:6] In the book, Achcar explores into the importance of differentiation between revolt and revolution in the instances surrounding the Arab Spring because what has been clear is that from a revolutionary perspective, little has taken place culturally as it pertains to revolutionary goals, but some changes have occurred politically. This is pertinent to the situation in Bahrain because it provides some direction for combatting future uprisings and assisting in promoting its internal sovereignty. By addressing issues of the government and allowing them to remain separate from other cultural conflicts, more effective measures can be taken to maintain peace. This has the added benefit of weakening neighboring countries’ authorities in Bahrain by developing the infrastructure of the country to keep its citizens satisfied with the government’s system. The psychology behind of the Arab Spring as depicted by Achcar is rooted in economic uncertainty and abuse of power, and not in religious or cultural differences as it might seem. Maintaining this understanding may be a valuable part of the current narrative on ways to address Bahrain’s struggles to maintain law and order.

The sovereignty of Bahrain is not in question. However, there are doubts regarding Bahrain's ability to maintain its sovereignty without external intervention. In the article titled ‘Sovereignty and Beyond: The Double Edge of External Constitutionalism,’ Neil Walker argues that reductive constitutionalism is required in such circumstances. Reductive constitutionalism is a term used to describe the relationship between constitutional law and other various interests like international relations to develop a framework for allowing more flexibility within the sovereign space of independent nations. Reductive constitutionalism is Walker’s response to what he argues will be a growing concern in the scope of globalization in which decisions from sovereign nations invariably affect others in a way that may lead to widespread destabilization as was witnessed in the era of the Arab Spring.[footnoteRef:9] While sovereignty is acknowledged from a constitutional perspective, Walker argues that a reductionist perspective on these powers is needed in order to appropriately respond to the economic, social, and political shifts that have come as a result of globalization. [

Conclusion

Bahrain and its recent involvement with the Arab Spring has created the need to establish a new narrative with regards to what it means to be a sovereign nation. Globalization has caused nations to become intertwined, creating the need to develop a new framework for acknowledging both sovereignty and interdependence. Neil Walker’s reductive constitutionalism provides the starting point for such framework despite its imperfect nature. This review consists of the history of Bahrain which serves as a valuable case study to better understand the Arab Spring and the theory of sovereignty in the context of Bahrain’s politics.