Kuwait stands out as a shining example of a unique democracy in the autocratic Arab Gulf region. However, it has been one of a “halted,” if not relapsing, democracy. The lack of democratic consolidation in Kuwait is the consequence of the vast oil rents and to a lesser extent the negative regional externalities associated with being located in a non-democratic and conflicting neighborhood. The political discourse is dominated by the substantially ‘political’ agenda of the parliamentary opposition and the starkly different “economistic” priorities of the ruling family and the government. Despite this impasse, a steady path to democratic consolidation and a diversified economy, though challenging, is not impossible to achieve. For this to happen, the opposition must embrace a “politics-plus” agenda that espouses gradualism and cooperation with the executive branch for achieving the desired diversified and dynamic economy. In turn, the ruling family and its allies must accept an “economics-plus” agenda that would ultimately entail deeper democratization. This outcome is uncertain, given the enormity of both the historical challenges and the new ones arising
from the Arab Spring.