The New Gulf States: Where Politics and Religion Meet
For centuries the region now known as the Gulf states has been the scene of almost constant and chaotic warfare, changing boundaries, feuding nomadic groups, and intense rivalries. These unresolvable circumstances created a rather vague and geographically undefined sector of the map which since the nineteenth century was collectively labeled the "Near East". Since the second world war, it is considered part of the Middle East. Conflict ruled the region since Biblical times. That changed slightly during the nineteenth century when European states took an active interest in the Near East sheikdoms. Traditionally the sheikdoms were vital to facilitate European trade with the Far East, but there was actually no attempt at internal political involvement until the 1820s when the British government orchestrated a truce among the Gulf sheikdoms during pearl diving season. Gradually as British influence expanded through the region, the truce was extended to an agreement in perpetuity. For that reason the sheikdoms were known as the "Trucial states", a title they retained until the 1960s.
Although pearl diving remained an important industry for the region well into the twentieth century, another industry which involved probing the sea bed gained prominence. That industry was oil drilling. As Western oil companies vied for drilling rights, pipeline access, and other business ventures, the leaders of the Gulf states gained astounding financial wealth, and their countries were strongly influenced by Western culture. English was recognized as an important language of general use, and that was not simply because of the dominant influence of the US and Britain. Under the leadership of the Shah of Iran, favor was bestowed upon Americans. The children of high-ranking Iranian families were sent to the US for education. The whole style of Iranian culture gained a strong sense of secularism.
Then came the backlash. During the second half of the twentieth century, mainly because of the end of strong imperial ties to the region, Gulf state leaders restored the importance of Islamic religion and laws. Saudi Arabia and Iran are the most devout users of the Islamic Law Codes. In these countries alcohol is strictly prohibited, women are not permitted to work in many occupations, drive automobiles, and in some circumstances a woman must not allow a man to see her uncovered face.
The most vigorous backlash to the oil boom occurred in Iran. In 1953 a radical populist named Musadek seized control of the government from the Shah. Musadek was not in favor of transforming Iran into an Islamic theocracy, but he was interested in restricting what he and his supporters considered the harmful effects of Western culture on the Iranian people. After only six weeks in power, Musadek was ousted and the Shah was restored through a coup which is widely attributed to intervention by the American CIA.
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