Few people associate the Gulf states with democratic representation or popular participation in government.

The Gulf's absolute rulers tend to be the same ones installed by the British at independence in the 1970s, unless they have died or been deposed by their sons.

Conventional wisdom holds that any move towards democratisation in one state is frowned upon by the others.

In Bahrain for example, if there were any willingness among the Al-Khalifa rulers to restore the parliament, which is doubtful, Saudi Arabia would veto it, for fear democracy could cross the causeway linking the tiny island and its giant neighbour.

The aims of Qatar's self-styled democratisation programme, which started with municipal elections on Monday, are therefore out of kilter with what is going on in the rest of the Arab Gulf.

Votes for women mean segregated booths

The participation of women as voters and candidates, unsuccessful ones as it turned out, is a token of Qatar's novel approach to suffrage and representation.

Exceptions proving the rule

Only Kuwait currently has an elected legislative body, established in 1992, despite the apparent reluctance of the ruling Sabah family.

That came about when Western countries insisted on elections after liberating the emirate Kuwait from Iraqi occupation. Without elections it would have been hard to counter the allegation that Desert Storm had merely replaced one autocratic regime with another.

Kuwaiti democracy still falls short of Western ideals. Women do not have the vote, nor do men who have not been naturalised for 30 years or their ancestors resident in Kuwait since 1920. That leaves only 10% of the population.

Bahrain did have a lively parliament for 18 months in the mid-1970s. But it proved to be too lively for the Al-Khalifa and was suspended in 1975.

No votes for Omani fisherman

Since then popular unrest, led mainly by the Shi'a majority, has sporadically broken out. Portraits of jailed pro-parliamentary campaigners and graffiti proclaiming "Parliament is the solution" can still be seen on the walls of Bahrain's Shi'a villages.

Shura councils

Other Gulf states tend to have toothless "shura" councils, consultative bodies of compliant appointees who discuss a limited range of domestic issues of the day.

Proceedings in Saudi Arabia's shura are even kept secret from the public, although nothing controversial could be discussed there.

Oman held elections for its shura council in 1997. The Sultan had the final say about who got in and only 50,000 prominent Omani men (and women) were allowed to vote.

Saudi Arabia still resists elections

In the words of one British commentator, Oman's electoral system is the only one in the world where the government chooses the electorate!

Consultation and silence

In any event, the shuras are held up as a "traditional" solution to international calls for democracy.

A less charitable view is that they are a way of ensuring decisions on important topics - Iraq, rights for women and guest workers (who form a majority of many Gulf populations) - remain the sole preserve of the rulers.

Meanwhile the Gulf states' western allies generally keep quiet about democratic reform and popular participation.

Diplomats say it is better to work behind the scenes. Critics of this approach say western governments just are unwilling to rock this particular boat.

Khatami's revolution

Since 1997 the contrast between the Arab side of the Gulf and Iran could not be more marked.

That year saw a president, Mohammed Khatami, elected on a wave of popular support, who is now implementing a programme of reform on the international and domestic levels.