A History of Saudi Arabia chronicles the formation of the Saudi state, challenges to the ruling elite, and political and social changes to the populace in the past century. Al-Rasheed presents an incredibly detailed analysis of the evolution of the country and the major figures who have created and guided public policy.
Al-Rasheed structures the manuscript in a way that outlines the tensions in a state brought together by conquest. The sections that focus on the homogenization of Saudi Arabia by the mutawwa’a (religious specialists), ‘ulama(religious scholars), state organs, and the Wahhabi creed of Islam are of special note. They detail the changes to Bedouin and tribal life imposed by “sedentarization” programs, as well as the spread of Wahhabi beliefs that–at least superficially–unite the disparate groups within Saudi Arabia. Far from being a monolithic culture as Murawiec asserts, the tribes in Saudi Arabia have been forcibly inculcated into a mold that denies their local genealogy and history.
While Saudi Arabia has unified due to the religious and social constraints promoted by state and religious entities, dissidents have surfaced over the years. The manuscript describes protests on the part of an increasingly educated populace and traces its evolution over time. Al-Rasheed contextualizes these struggles within their socio-cultural milieu and offers a reasonable assessment for their emergence. She starts with the ikhwan rebellion in 1927-29, then transitions to Arab nationalism, religious elements, Shi’a oil workers, and women. Dissent within the country springs from many sources; Al-Rasheed ties their political desires into their expressions of frustration and need for a government that serves them–whether as a more accountable or Islamic or representative system.
Al-Rasheed illustrates the canny strategies the founder Ibn Saud used to cement his reign, and the tactics his sons have used to propagate their legitimacy as the government expanded to control and manage the young nation. Later, she focuses on the power struggles between the family members. Their tactics have simultaneously strengthened their position as leaders while exposing them to weakness, as oil revenues provided enough money to satisfy the people, but the economic alliance with the U.S. has revealed the reliance Saudi Arabia has on a Western country for protection and oil purchases.
A History of Saudi Arabia works as an academically-geared account of Saudi Arabia’s history that explains and contextualizes the social, political, economic, and religious conflicts that have arisen since the nation was formed. It is not as accessible to the casual reader as Culture and Customs of Saudi Arabia or Princes of Darkness. However, A History of Saudi Arabia is an edifying text, as it presents alternative positions on major political and cultural issues not advanced in these other texts. As it captures the tactics and motivations behind the rulers’ and populations’ actions while discussing internal tensions, this text also functions well as a font of of further resources concerning the country.
