As Stable as the Dollar Stretches: The Impact of US Foreign Aid on Social Stability in Jordan

After the fall out of the Arab Spring in 2010, most of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa region suffered from extreme political, social, and economical instability. Usually, the citizens of these counties were revolting against the authoritarian regimes that have held power for decades. Jordan stands as the only obvious exception. How has Jordan maintained relative economic stability where others have failed? I have found that it is hard to judge the economic or social stability of Jordan without recognizing the large amounts of foreign aid Jordan has received from the US. This thesis asks what the relationship exist between developmental US foreign aid and political stability in Jordan The basic argument is that foreign aid affects the economic, social, and governmental structure in a country, which decreases unrest in the population and increases social stability. This thesis looks at the relationship between these factors and their influence on each other