Not so long ago, Jordan was chained to the shackles of a cruel history and a precarious destiny. The country was embroiled in a state of war and, later on, a war of attrition with its neighbour Israel sapping most of its human and material resources. However, since the peace agreement of Wadi Araba in October 1994 with Israel, Jordan has embarked on a major paradigm shifting process, compatible with the new national and international realities. The Hashemite leadership of the country has instigated a top to bottom approach, laying the foundations of democratic institutions and civil society. The aim is to build more mature forms of political and socioeconomic life in the context of a decentralised government, ordered liberty, equal opportunity and freedom of the individual. Proceeding from the realisation that multi-party democracy and political pluralism are the core functions of the body politic, all shades of political opinion are represented in parliament, the seat of Jordanian democracy. Parliamentarians are elected on the basis of universal suffrage and a majority vote. The liberalisation of the economy has always shown responsiveness to developments in the economic system while maintaining democratic principles.