Author Description

This study explores the emergence of Jordan as an independent state in 1946 and its subsequent fortunes through to 1951. Pundik provides a case-history of Britain as an imperial and colonial power on the wane and analyzes the emerging pattern of international relations. He goes on to examine the politics of Jordan as an exercise in effective management of a state by skilled politicians, most importantly King Abdullah who guided his country through the difficult years of 1945-51, demonstrating a capacity for sophisticated decision-making and manipulation of power unexpected by a patronizing - and perhaps arrogant - British Government. As such, Pundik aims to offer us a basis on which to further reflect about the culture of British foreign-policy makers who, in that period, mistakenly believed that "little countries" in the Middle East served no better purpose than to become pawns in a larger, long-term game of a global post-war settlement to be managed by the "great powers".