A multiregional analysis of the inscrutable institutions determining the stability of world power. Controlling the world's largest hydrocarbon reserves while playing decisive roles in both Middle Eastern and global political outcomes, the six traditional monarchies comprising the Gulf Cooperation Council -- Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) -- are shocking underestimated and misunderstood by today's western powers. Christopher Davidson, author of two bestselling books on the UAE and an expert on the fast-moving politics and economics of the Gulf, teams up with five leading scholars to analyze the behavior, attitudes, and potential evolution of these highly influential and unpredictable states. After a succinct theoretical overview surveying the various achievements, opportunities, and challenges faced by the Gulf monarchies, subsequent chapters discuss individual historical trajectories, political structures, economic diversification efforts, and future prospects for change. Drawing on recent research and statistics and written from a frank, objective perspective, Davidson's collection forms an invaluable resource for political scholars and students of the Middle East, as well as general readers seeking an uncompromising yet accurate analysis of Gulf power.