The genesis of the modern Saudi state:
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was formed recently after their warriors struggled against the Ottoman hegemony. But to took three attempts to actually impose their authority.
The history of the modern Saudi state is based on the theological-political alliance that was concluded in 1744 between two families: the Al Saud with its leader, Mohamed Ibn Saud and the family of the great puritan reformer Muhammad bin Abd al-Wahhab (Ibn al-Wahhab ).The original contract stated that the Al Saud were committed to eradicating all forms of thought other than Wahhabism in their territory. Parallel to this, the Wahhabi establishment guaranteed their faithful obedience to the Saudi power.
Wahhabism itself was inspired by the Hanbali school and is a more strict interpretation of the Koran and the Sunna (the Prophet's tradition). It was a radical movement that sought to purify Islam, to the extent of excommunicating other Muslim infidels.
This historic alliance was symbolized by a flag. This flag is still considered to be the flag of the Kingdom. It represents the alliance between the sword and the Quran.
Thereafter, there were victorious conquests against the Ottoman Empire. The son of Mohamed Ibn Saud, Saud (who was given the title the Great') founded a true State on the Arabian Peninsula around the central city of Diriyah. He reigned over this kingdom from 1803 to 1814. According to the initial alliance, Wahhabism was brutally enforced.
The second state of Arabia was born from the ashes of the first State but continues to face dissension from its descendants. After 1818, the Ottomans left the region in a political vacuum, so in 1823, the cousin of Saud the Great, Turki Ibn Abdullah, succeeded in expelling the Ottoman troops. But he was assassinated soon after. Discord in the family lead to many difficulties and obstacles to the setting up of an organized system that could propagate Wahhabism in this region. Thus, this second state, which had its capital in Riyadh, would be small and fall under the rule of the Ottomans again in 1880.
The implementation of the State of Saudi Arabia
Abd al Aziz ibn Saud is considered to be the founder of the Saudi State as we know it today. The State benefitted from the decline of the Ottoman Empire after which it conducted a political and military conquest. It relied on British aid and a unit of warriors known as the Ikhwan. ( former Bedouins who settled in colonies)
Abd al Aziz ibn managed to control much of the Arabian peninsula. Mecca (1924), Jeddah and Medina in 1925 and proclaimed himself king of Saudi Arabia in 1932. The assistance of Great Britain was crucial since it became the first power to recognize Ibn Saud and provided financial assistance to power a regular army and bought the allegiance of the other tribes. But the Ikhwan will considered this as a tender and openly criticized Ibn Saud. The latter, seeing a dangerous threat, again, used the British to eliminate his problems.
[...] And, secondly, the constant presence of disputes contained in many provinces of Saudi power, including those in the East and South. They maintain intact the potential risk of a popular uprising that would have as its corollary the loss by the royal family of its exercise of power, and therefore the commitment to a potential territorial dismemberment. Worst case scenario, and very exaggerated, you might think. Yes, with the slight difference that is taken very seriously into account by the government, which fears for almost forty years to lose hold of several provinces, including the eastern regions, mainly Shiite, and holding almost exclusive national oil resources. [...]
[...] The internal equilibrium of the country is mainly on the economic and social development. This statement might seem paradoxical because of the oil revenues, but with a per capita GDP of $ 18,000, Saudi Arabia is comparable to Poland and is, for example, well below the $ 30,000 per capita in neighboring Qatar. The difference lies in the demographics. Between 1994 and 2002, the Saudi population has grown from 7 to 17 million people million if you include the foreign population. [...]
[...] Thus, a strict separation of powers and separation between state and religion exists. We now return to the question about the basis for the birth of the Kingdom. The application of the sharia is finally implemented by a religious police Commandery called for the promotion of virtue and eradication of vice. Officially, his power is limited to the extent that it cannot punish itself but must cooperate with the police. The ruling family, relying on divine legitimacy, ensures ongoing support of many religious donations Tribal and oligarchic system The transmission system and the exercise of political power in place is the closest system to the origins of Islam, at the time of Muhammad and the Caliphs from the first centuries of the Muslim era to the Turkish era. [...]
[...] The army consists of 116000 men and 20000 in reserve. To monitor all forms of opposition, the highest positions in the army are occupied by the princes of the Al Saud family. Internal rivalries Within the ruling family there are several clans that do not necessarily agree. The strongest opposition to the established system and within the power is characterized by the movement of "free princes" embodied in particular by Prince Talal bin Abdul Aziz. The latter are at the end of the fifties, advocated the establishment of a parliamentary monarchy. [...]
[...] He created in 1994 the Committee of the Board and of the reform and forfeited and of his Saudi nationality. The majority of the Saudi population does not consider this character as much as a representative of the opposition because it condemns the September 11 attacks and is considered neither as a politician nor as a true Muslim. Radical groups close to al Qaeda cannot translate the actual In all cases, the Saudi authorities are paying more interest in religious criticism; Islam is one of the pillars of the regime. [...]
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