MONARCHIAL POLITICS OF SAUDI ARABIA
SaudiArabia is an absolute monarchy which was established in 1932 by King Abd-al-Aziz and readopted by the
royal decree in 1992 which states that the king must comply with the Holy
Quran. Hence the rule of Saudi Arabia remains in Muslim hands with King Salman
of Saudi Arabia is the incumbent monarch whoascended the throne after King
Abdullah in January,2015. The monopoly over the political power is held by the Al Saud dynasty which is the richest
family of Saudi Arabia. According to an estimation in 2016, King Salman had a
net worth of US $17 billion.
ECONOMIC FACTS OF SAUDI ARABIA
Saudi
Arabia is a semi-developed country with Arabs have a good standard of services.
2
to 4 million Saudis have a monthly income of about $530 a month which is
considered the poverty line in Saudi Arabia
A number of
excellent schools are available representing a feature of the First world
country but it also has a few features of Third world too
The
country has 266 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, according to OPEC
(Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries)
Saudi oil
reserves will last for 70 years
It has $776 billion GDP
(Gross Domestic Product)
Being a billionaire is a commonplace
in Saudi Arabia having seven billionaires among the top billionaires of the
world
CULTURE OF SAUDI ARABIA
As
all versions of Islam suggest a women to dress modestly, women wear abaya in
most of the areas of the kingdom
Saudi men and boys wear the
traditional dress called thobe
THING ALLOWED / NOT ALLOWED IN
SAUDI ARABIA
The legal system of Saudi Arabia is
based on Shariawith strict interpretation of the Holy Quran
The
sources of Sharia include Quran, Sunnah and Islamic scholarly consensus (Ijma)
This
is applicable on all, even the king must comply with Sharia
All
Muslims are not allowed to eat pork, along with it Suadis also expect from the
non-Muslim teachers to abide by this rule
Only Halal food is
allowed to enter the country
Polygamous marriages are legally
recognized in Saudi Arabia as Islam allows Muslim men to take up to four wives
Saudi
Arabia has a legally imposed dress code according to which women are supposed
to wear a headscarf and an ankle long dresses
It is illegal
to produce, import or consume alcohol in Saudi Arabia having strict punishments
for those who make or drink alcohol
Women travelling alone
are not allowed to enter Saudi Arabia unless they will be met by a male
relative at airport
CURRENT
SCENARIO
The world is observing a paradigm shift
in the Saudi politics that is because of new young crown prince in Saudi Arabia
under whose order women are allowed to drive, in September 2017, which is a
major breakthrough in Saudi law. Saudi Arabia has adopted harsher approach
towards Iran as evident from itsmoves like pressing the Lebanese Prime
Minister, Saad Al Haririto resign in order to weaken National Unity Government
with Iran-backed Hezbollah as its coalition partner in Lebanon. Hariribeing
under pressure resigned on 4th November, 2017 but later on, he took his
resignation back. Saudi Arabia is also holding talks in Cairo with Saudi allies
on confronting Iran and its Lebanese Shi'ite ally Hezbollah. Along with it,
Saudi government has renewed massive bombing campaign in Yemen's capital,
Sana'a, against Iran -backed Houthis.