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One hears a lot these days about promoting the spread of democratic institutions in the Arab world. In evaluating these efforts some observers seem to imply that the standard by which they should be judged is the degree to which practices or institutions resemble the American or other Western models. A look at more than three decades of evolution in the political institutions of Oman suggests that the steady growth of participatory government, guided by a farsighted leader, may offer a solidly grounded foundation for establishing the institutions, practices and attitudes needed for representative government, with little if any reference to Western models. Over the last 35 years, while building a modern infrastructure through the judicious use of limited petroleum...
