Saudi Arabia’s very rapid social change

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These photos are not in Hollywood or Cannes, nor Dubai.

They’re in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

https://www.facebook.com/17312073607666 ... RGLhl/?d=n


https://english.alarabiya.net/amp/News/ ... -remember-

Apparently MBS (Mohammad Bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia) has been silently abolishing the compulsory hijab in the kingdom altogether; and no, this (abolishing of mandatory hijab) isn’t being applied on the tourists only but also on the locals. Acquaintances I know who been there recently told me that the social transformation there is unbelievable, non-veiled women in the streets is becoming totally normalized; and awards/concerts/celebrations/events are being held there non-stop.

Apparently, Prince Mohammad Bin Zayed (ruler of Abu Dhabi, and effectively ruler of whole UAE)’s strong influence on MBS (he was like his mentor in politics, some even claimed MBS was an UAE puppet) has ,ironically, backfired on UAE.
MBS wants to make Saudi Arabia the new trade/business/tourism jewel of the region, following the footsteps of UAE; he apparently figured out that the previous ultra-strict religious rule, and its reputation of being too backward, was being a constant hindrance for the Kingdom to prosper in trade, investments and tourism. He understands that the oil won’t last for too long either, to make that happens, Saudi Arabia needs major social reforms.

Almost confirmed-rumors about growing tensions between UAE and Saudi Arabia as the former’s rulers are afraid that the latter will take over its role as a trade/destination hub.
If the Kingdom becomes the new « Dubai », then Dubai (and the whole Emirates) is a total goner.

These big social changes had been happening since 2020

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2OifbBSbNiQ

So...this new crowned prince is...a bastard who murders journalists with hacksaws, but...makes all of these great reforms too?

Can Saudi Arabia become Dubai but without the tacky megaprojects and investment bubbles?

Apparently that it was required to scare off the ultra-religious authority.

Al khashoggi btw, was a Muslim Brotherhood buddy, he wasn't an angel either nor he was progressive. Al Khashoggi believed that Saudi Arabia should embrace alliance with the Muslim Brotherhood and to restore the 'original' political Islam.

Keeping a livable order in the heart of Middle East is something for which I respect Saudis.
Yes, it's not a democracy, it's not human rights the way we understand them, but they keep the heart of Muslim world from becoming another ISIS or other ever-fighting hellhole and that's something that in my opinion deserves respect.

I wonder how these reforms work out in long run.

That is it.

Islamists' reactions: The doom's day is coming!

Meanwhile in Iran, the rival country which many Western governments (and many of their peoples) favor over the Arab countries: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-amini-prot ... 36246.html

Sounds good but no democracy in the horizon

Sounds like China. Back in the cold war they thought if they could flood China with western made goods it would show them the superiority of western democracy and make them want to transition. This turned out to be magical thinking. China took the goods but not the democracy.

NEOM's been wild to read about (The Line sounds like a great place for the red shirts to go to carousel on their 30th birthday).

It makes sense that they've been a huge oil country, realize that oil is going to be both depleting and less relied on, and so they're trying to reposition while the money's still in their favor.

At the same time when you look at Dubai and you look at the building projects Saudi Arabia is doing - I can see where really wild ideas sometimes don't come from drugs unless you're talking hookah, Turkish delight, and Arabic coffee.

It is a Monarchy!

Btw, usually the Saudi King is elected by a committee of princes, usually they go by agnatic seniority.
MBS is the king’s son and this against the usual convention.

To be fair, they are doing far better than the democracy you brought to Iraq and… Afghanistan.
Lebanon is democratic and we’re in the bottom too.

I think democracy requires democratic societes. Closer to myself - Russians keep voting for Putin and Belarussians really supported Lukashenko up to 2020.

The way I understand it (I might be entirely wrong, corrrect me), Middle-Eastern and Central Asian societes have rich internal structure of clan dynamics and customs that instantly brings a phenomenon that is a problem in all democracies:
Instead of asking "would he be a good leader?", we ask "is he one of our folks?"
That's problematic even in old democracies but it renders democracies non-functional if the overwhelming majority chooses only like that.
It might change over time but this would require very deep changes in the very structure of the society.

I'm sure the Saudis have their own tradition, their own social structure and is definitely better than an imposed democracy. Democracy if it has to exist must be a product of internal social dynamics. A republic is the best system in my opinion, since it offers checks and balances and is better protected from demagogues. It is as ugly as it can get but at least it prevents someone from dictating their desires on the rest. In a republic you can be a non binary vegan communist and your rights will be respected, you can be a fundamentalist Christian or Muslim or Jew and your rights will still respected. Is it an uneasy coexistence? Yes, but at least everybody gets a chance to live their lives as they see fit.

You nailed it.