The State and the Tribe in Yemen

Reciprocal Relationships and Their Societal Impact

Abstract

This study examines the problematic relationship between the state and the tribe in Yemen, focusing on the year 2010 as a pivotal point for understanding the country's political and social dynamics. The research is based on the core hypothesis that the policies and mechanisms adopted by the ruling authority in its dealings with the tribe not only reproduce the tribe and tribalism but also actively undermine the foundations of the nation-state itself. Using an analytical approach to content published in the "Al-Masdar" and "Al-Wasat" newspapers during that year , the study reveals how ruling elites have integrated the tribe into the political equation since the modern state's inception and utilized historical tribal conflicts as tools for managing political and military rivalries. The findings indicate that a weak judiciary and the submission of state officials to tribal customs  have systematically eroded the rule of law. Furthermore, the state's reliance on tribes in its wars, as in the conflict with the Houthis, not only created new cycles of revenge but also solidified the tribe's status as an independent, armed entity and a rival to the state. The study concludes that these policies have led to a comprehensive tribal dominance, making a democratic transition a distant prospect and necessitating a fundamental reconstruction of the state and its core functions.