The Development of Political Thought in Yemen and Its Civilizational Role in the Arabian Peninsula during the Twentieth Century

Abstract

During the first half of the twentieth century, Yemen witnessed major political and intellectual transformations with far-reaching regional consequences. In North Yemen, Imam Yahya Hamid al-Din ruled according to the Zaydi tradition, maintaining a conservative political and social order. These conditions contributed to the emergence of opposition movements, whose ideas developed under the influence of Arab nationalist currents, ultimately leading to the overthrow of the Imamate and the establishment of the republican system.

In South Yemen, British colonial rule pursued policies of educational deprivation and divide-and-rule. Opposition movements, particularly the labor movement, contributed to spreading political awareness and strengthening the intellectual foundations of the national movement. This development eventually evolved into armed resistance against British rule.

The Free Officers Organization in North Yemen played a pivotal role in the 1962 revolution and the establishment of the republic. In the south, the National Front, founded in 1963, led the armed struggle for independence. These developments culminated in the September and October Revolutions.

The impact of Yemen’s intellectual and political transformation extended beyond its borders, influencing resistance movements in Oman, Saudi Arabia, and other Gulf states. It also compelled Britain to reconsider its political arrangements in the region. Thus, Yemen emerged as a revolutionary model that contributed to profound political, social, and economic transformations across the Arabian Peninsula and accelerated the region’s transition toward modernity