The political opposition and the Imam regime in North Yemen 1918-1948

A study of political performance in light of social reality

Abstract

The scientific research provides a comprehensive overview of the social structure in Yemen and the impact of geographical factors on it, as the text reflects the distribution of power and wealth among the different classes. The rule of the imams depends on exploiting the social reality given the weakness of the strong tribes and supporting the weak ones, which maintains the balance within the tribes and stimulates the continuity of the prevailing system. The Imami policy appears to be acceptable to the tribes despite the escalation of tribal conflicts, given the religious character of the Hashemite House and its role in balancing the tribes. The research confirms that the continuity of the ruling regime depends on its ability to respond to the demands of political leaders and tribal sheikhs, which increases taxes on farmers and enhances the state of discontent and disobedience, which often leads to unrest and wars. The research shows that the rule of the House of Hamid al-Din did not differ from the previous regime in directing policy towards maintaining social balance, and links this to the effects of modernization and regional and international interventions, which makes the Yemeni situation dependent on a fragile balance between the interests of internal and external powers.