Modernization in the Gulf region as a means of legitimacy? An examination from normative perspectives of state studies

For several years, the Arab Gulf states have been undergoing a period of social opening and economic modernization, which are referred to as ‘reforms’. Notably, however, these do not affect the political institutions. One particularly important observation is that the leaderships in the Gulf region are using this new modernization strategy to turn away from traditional sources of legitimacy. Most importantly, Islam is being relegated to the background. This article is dedicated to exploring the question of whether the tendency to modernization on the part of the Arab Gulf states embodies a kind of rationalization of the sociopolitical realm that introduces a new form of legitimacy for the state. The article postulates that this predominant focus on aspects of modernization can have a contrary effect and can even damage the legitimacy of the state in the Gulf region, as long as it does not consider the social values and refrains from introducing political reforms. The analysis is based on three theoretical approaches: those of Karl Mannheim, Hermann Heller and Jürgen Habermas.