However, in the Jordanian case, this concept goes beyond being a political title or a government proposal that can be developed, carrying deep historical and national connotations based on the journey of establishing the Jordanian state and a series of national documents and demands that have expressed since the early twentieth century the Jordanians' vision of the form of governance they desire.
In this context, the demands of the Um Qais Conference, held in 1920 between notables from the people of Ajloun and the British political delegate Somerset, stand out as an important foundational milestone in understanding the historical roots of the Jordanian social contract. These demands reflected the aspirations of the people of East Jordan to establish an independent political entity based on the administration of the country's affairs with pure national will, expressing the specificity of the society and its Arab identity.
The demands included a call for an Arab Amir from the (House of the Prophet) to be at the head of the government, and for the country to have a general council representing its unity of territory, responsible for enacting laws, managing internal affairs, and organizing the general budget. These demands clearly expressed a desire to build a national authority capable of managing the country's affairs and safeguarding the interests of its people.
These demands were not just transient political positions, but rather an early expression of the Jordanians' awareness of their political self and their vision of the form of governance. In this context, the establishment of the Emirate of East Jordan in 1921 marked the beginning of a new phase, based on Arab consciousness and the convergence of the aspirations of the country's people with the political project carried by Prince Abdullah bin Al-Hussein, the founding King, may God rest his soul.
The founding King sought to establish Arab administrations capable of overcoming the legacy of Ottoman rule and its administrative and social burdens, and to build institutions that organize people's affairs and respond to their needs, instead of a relationship based on taxation and compliance with orders. The establishment of the state was essentially a political and administrative process, but it was also an attempt to restore the community's will and its right to participate in shaping its future.
The emirate phase and the early years of the kingdom were characterized by a relentless effort to translate these national demands into institutions and legislation. The Basic Law of the Emirate of East Jordan in 1928 served as a constitutional nucleus for organizing authorities and defining their competencies, and this journey culminated in the issuance of a modern constitution in 1952, which laid the solid foundations for the Jordanian social contract in all its dimensions.
The 1952 constitution was not just a legal text, but rather the culmination of a long consensual process, affirming that the nation is the source of authority, that the people are an intrinsic partner in governance through their elected institutions, and that the state is based on the duty of protection and care in exchange for the duty of loyalty and belonging.
Therefore, the social contract in Jordan is not an imported idea that we are searching for today, but rather a well-established contract rooted in the history of its establishment, shaped by the demands of Um Qais, enshrined by the emirate documents, fortified by the constitution, and reinforced by the Hashemite leadership that has preserved its essence.
This contract is based on a solid foundation that reflects the originality and modernity of Jordan. The Jordanian social contract is well-established, and its umbrella extends to everyone.
