Introduction

Almost regardless of the topic of comparison, theJordanian case tends to lie in the middle. On thescale of authoritarianism in the Middle East, Jordanafter the 2011 ‘Arab Spring’ was comparable neitherto Egypt nor to the fragile liberal democracy ofTunisia. The Jordanian case, in fact, suggests theneed to move beyond binaries: it represents neithercomplete authoritarian retrenchment nor genuinedemocratisation.

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has therefore been seenas a case of ‘soft’ authoritarianism, or as a‘hybrid’ regime (Diamond 2002; Ryan and Schwedler2004), or as a ‘liberalizing autocracy’ (Brumberg2002; Brynen 1998; Lucas 2014). I argue, however,that Jordan's hybrid system might even moreaccurately be regarded as a perpetually liberalising autocracy, inwhich the cycles of reform are themselves constant.In this respect, especially, Jordan can be usefullycompared to Morocco, as Mekouar (2013) and Maghraoui(2022) argue. The state-controlled reform process,in short, is itself the point, not thenever-achieved end goal of complete reform orliberalisation. Jordan signals constant movement andmicro-levels of change, in order to essentially staythe same. There is constant movement, but notnecessarily forward movement, nor necessarilymeaningful change (see also, Lindsey 2020).

This chapter examines both continuities and changes inauthoritarian practices in Jordan, and in resistanceto those practices. Long before the Arab Spring,Jordan relied on many traditional approaches tomaintaining the ruling regime: rent distribution,elite co-optation, minimal coercion and, always, aheavy reliance on international allies. But withrenewed social and political mobilisation across thecountry during and long after the era of the Arabuprisings, Jordan has added restrictions to newsmedia, monitored social media, and emphasised bothold and new forms of ‘red lines’ marking the limitsof acceptable political activism. This chapterexamines new and old mechanisms and micro-practicesof authoritarian control, reform and resistance inthe Hashemite Kingdom.

Governmental Change and Reform as AutocraticSurvival Strategies

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a dynastic,monarchical system, and has been since the state wascreated under the British Mandate and later achievedindependence in 1946. The monarchical system hasallowed the palace to maintain some distance betweenitself and the government – that is, the primeminister and cabinet ministers.