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Bangor University DOCTOR of PHILOSOPHY the Obstacles To Bangor University DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY The Obstacles to Political Development in the Kurdistan Region 1992-2014 Khalil, Hiwa Award date: 2016 Awarding institution: Bangor University Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal ? Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim. Download date: 06. Oct. 2021 The Obstacles to Political Development in the Kurdistan Region 1992-2014 HIWA MAJID KHALIL 2016 A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy School of Social Sciences College of Business, Law, Education and Social Sciences Bangor University Abstract This thesis examines the main obstacles to political development in the Kurdistan region (KR) in the period 1992-2014. It is an interdisciplinary study of recent history, culture, economics, politics and regional relations with a focus on political outcomes. Data from documentary sources is supported by semi-structured interviews with political stakeholders. The first part reviews the current historical, geographic, economic and social situation in the KR. The analysis is informed by theories of political development and the dependency school. The second part concentrates on the socio-political organisation of the KR, the performance of government and parliament, the role of the political parties and tribes. The third part evaluates the external relationships between the KR and the neighbouring countries, namely Iran and Turkey, and their impacts, positive or negative on political development. The aim of the study is to explain the interaction between all these aspects in the process of political development. Modern political institutions are considered as a tool for development, manifested in general elections in a multiparty system. However, the finding of this thesis is that the political institutions in the KR themselves obstruct the process of political development. The main political parties have a strongly centralised hierarchical structure without devolution of power or rotation of leaders. The parties cooperate with chieftains and tribes to stay in power. A further finding is that the level of political development in the KR corresponds to its relationships with neighbouring countries and the stability or instability of the region. The existence of Kurdish populations in the neighbouring countries and the standing of the KR as a non-state entity has had a negative impact on the ability of the Kurdistan regional government to follow an independent policy for development. i This Thesis Is Dedicated To My wife Parishan. To Zhia, my little son, who left us one week after he was born in October 2015. ii Acknowlegments Let me begin with a word of thanks to my wife, for her endless support and love. Thank you to my parents. I heartily thank my supervisor Professor Howard Davis for his insightful support and professional advice, which contributed to the successful completion of the study as well as my personal and professional development. I also wish to express my appreciation to my friends notably: Dr. Murad Hakeem, Dr. Izaddin Rasool, Nykola Lee, Sadettin Taşçi, Sartip Khalis, Sherwan Hashm, Zana Dizayee, Kovan Brifki, Wrya Majid, Dldar Sedqi, Aras Abdulkarim, Hardy Mahmood and Muhhamad Waladbagi. I wish to use this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation to this study’s participants who shared their time, knowledge, experience, and cooperation with this study. iii Table of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................. i Acknowlegments ................................................................................................................. iii Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ iv List of Figures .................................................................................................................... vii List of Tables ..................................................................................................................... viii Abbreviations ...................................................................................................................... ix Declaration and Consent ..................................................................................................... x Preface .................................................................................................................................. 1 Chapter One: Identifying the Kurdistan Region .............................................................. 4 Geography and History ...................................................................................................... 4 Demography ..................................................................................................................... 10 Economy .......................................................................................................................... 13 Society ............................................................................................................................. 22 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 26 Chapter Two: Literature, Concepts and Theories ......................................................... 28 Literature Review ............................................................................................................ 28 Key Concepts and Theories ............................................................................................. 35 Formulating the Problem ................................................................................................. 47 Chapter Three: The Concept and Definitions of Political Development ...................... 50 The Political Development School .................................................................................. 51 Elaboration and Critique .................................................................................................. 53 The Dependency School .................................................................................................. 62 Critiques of the Dependency School ............................................................................... 69 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 73 Chapter Four: Design and Methodology of the Study ................................................... 76 Research Design and Strategy ......................................................................................... 77 Research Practice and Fieldwork ..................................................................................... 80 Fieldwork Problems ......................................................................................................... 83 Chapter Five: Foundations of Government and Parliament (1992-2005).................... 86 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 86 Establishing Government and Institutions ....................................................................... 88 The Role of Parliament .................................................................................................... 96 iv Consequences of Division for Political Development ..................................................... 99 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 104 Chapter Six: The Policy Shift Towards Unification and the Rise of Opposition ...... 106 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 106 Government Structure: Broad Unity and Creation of Trust (2006-2009)...................... 106 Parliamentary Structure 2005-2009 ............................................................................... 111 Towards the Rebuilding of Institutions: Government Structure (2009-2014) ............... 113 The Third Term of Parliament: Rising Political Opposition ......................................... 117 Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 123 Chapter Seven: Structure and Function of the Political Parties ................................. 124 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 124 The Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP): Background .................................................. 125 The KDP’s Congresses and the Issue of the Leadership ..............................................
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