The Fundamental and Applied Studies of the Islamic World

The development-oriented government and the issue of development in Qatar (with emphasis on Adrian Leftwich's point of view)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mahboobeh Bashiri 1
somaye hamidi 2
moslem khosravy zargaz 3

1 M.A of Political Science, Department University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

2 Associate Professor and Faculty Member, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Birjand University, Birjand, Iran

3 Member of the Faculty of Political Science, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran

10.22034/fasiw.2025.437252.1331
Abstract
The government has a strategic and fundamental role in development. Successful agents of development are only development-oriented and efficient governments that try to bring the country to this goal by using various tools and policies. Qatar has also emerged as an important player in regional and international politics and has been able to achieve remarkable success in the field of economic, social and human development and become one of the richest countries in the world with a high global per capita income level. This research seeks to answer the question of "what role the government has played in the development of Qatar?"
 The assumption of the research is that according to the development-oriented government model, the government has been able to play an effective role in Qatar's progress with various development strategies and programs. Using a descriptive-analytical research method and relying on Adrian Leftwich's theory of the developmental state, we conclude that the government in this country, led by Sheikh Hamad Al-Thani and then Sheikh Tamim, has had the characteristics of a developmental state model in both domestic and foreign policy, and with various economic, monetary, trade, educational, and investment strategies, it has been able to pave the way for economic and human development in this country and achieve significant progress. Reformist measures and the implementation of an ambitious economic development program, along with intelligent investments in international capital markets, have enabled the Qatari government to become one of the leading players in the world economy, while escaping the risk of collapse during the Arab revolutions. Also, the aforementioned government has obtained suitable opportunities for activities in the tourism, agriculture, and trade industries by using the huge revenues from the sale of natural resources and has become one of the developed countries in the world.
Since the adoption of the Qatar National Vision 2030 in 2008, the country has experienced economic prosperity and development in various fields. According to this plan, by 2030, by diversifying the economy, the growth of the non-oil sector will increase, and the government will create a knowledge-based economy that is in harmony with the global economy and in line with strengthening the private sector. Qatar's economic development strategy is based on investing oil revenues and underground resources in development projects, so that the country can create a new structure and model for economic, social and cultural development in accordance with this vision document. The Qatar Investment Authority and the Qatar Foundation, led by Sheikha Muza, help the government increase its political influence in global investment trends and processes, while using the revenues from this trade in its economic, social and cultural development strategy at the level of the Arabian Peninsula, the region, the Arab world and, more importantly, at the international level. As a result, Qatar has achieved a remarkable position in terms of economic indicators and human development.
Therefore, based on Leftwich’s developmental state model, the elites and the governance system of Qatar have been able to be effective in advancing the economic development of their country by intelligently and realistically understanding the dynamics of the global power system, by defining their global position in the national Vision 2030 program, and by appropriate economic, monetary, educational reforms, trade and investment policies. Also, The Qatari government is using the national strategy of artificial intelligence to benefit its economy, and according to the Qatar National Vision 2030, the country is set to become a "Smart Qatar" and develop a digital economy in the country. As a result, the application of artificial intelligence has not only increased the power of the bureaucracy and the Qatari government over citizens, but also increased the government's competitiveness in the international community.
 This country has been able to stand on the world map with bureaucracy and institutional synergy in the Al Thani family and in a society where there is no union, syndicate or civil society organization to confront and oppose Sheikh Hamad's independence of action. In the international arena, Qatar has pursued national interests on a broader scale within the framework of a balanced, active and opportunity-creating foreign policy, and its efforts in the field of peace have been effective. Therefore, by proving the hypothesis of the present research, we conclude that the developmentalist government of Qatar has been able to become a visible regional and global actor with diverse strategies. As stated in the text of the research, the main task of developmentalist governments is to provide conditions for economic growth and development in the domestic and international arenas. The developmentalist government of Qatar, as part of the largest exporters of gas and oil in the world, has acquired enormous wealth, which has resulted in increased income and economic growth, as well as the opportunity to develop infrastructure and human capital. Of course, like most countries on the southern edge of the Persian Gulf, this country is also involved in a structural challenge between rapid economic growth and political underdevelopment.

Keywords

Development, Developmental Government, Qatar, Leftwich
Subjects
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The Fundamental and Applied Studies of the Islamic World
Volume 7, Issue 3 - Serial Number 25
Autumn 2025
Pages 142-167

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