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7. Saudi Arabia.
government, under the King, can be said to
a. Genesis of the Present Political Situation.
consist of: (1) a Privy Council of the King's
close friends and advisers; (2) the Ministries
With the exception of the Yemen, Saudi
of Foreign Affairs, Defense, Finance, Justice,
Arabia is the only Arab state that has never
Interior, and Public Works; (3) the Viceroys of
been subjected by a Western colonial power to
Najd and Hejaz and the Governors of Hasa and
some form of dependent status. Even under
Asir; and (4) the Council of Ulemas, or reli-
the Ottoman Empire, Ibn Saud's allegiance to
gious notables. The latter, as interpreters of
Constantinople was no more than nominal;
the Koran, which is the supreme law of the
and after World War I, in spite of the UK's
land, are theoretically in a position to check
dominant influence around and to the north
the King's authority. The others, however,
of the Arabian Peninsula, Ibn Saud not only
have no independent authority and are di-
preserved his independence but also extended
rectly responsible to the King. The Hejaz, be-
his authority to areas which the UK considered
cause of its different historical background
as falling within its sphere of influence.
and greater commercial development, has a
The disintegration of Turkish power after
somewhat more sophisticated administration
the war left a tense political situation in the
than the other three provinces of Saudi Arabia.
Arabian Peninsula. In 1917 Hussein, Sherif
However, in spite of a constitution, an Advisory
of Mecca under the Turks and nominal leader
Legislative Council, and an Advisory Legisla-
of the Arab Revolt, had, with British blessing,
tive Assembly, the King, through his Viceroy,
been proclaimed King of the Hejaz (roughly
dominates all governmental activities. His
the western portion of the peninsula bordered
authority in the direction of public affairs is
on the north by Transjordan and on the south
further reinforced in that many of his minis-
by Yemen). The centralization of power in
ters and leading advisers are Egyptians, Syri-
the hands of Ibn Saud and Hussein resulted in
ans, and Lebanese. Having no tribal loyalties
constant conflict between them. Ibn Saud
within the country and no particular respect
eliminated his rivals in the interior and girded
for the influential religious leaders, they are
himself for the inevitable struggle. When in
truly "the King's men" in the medieval sense.
1924 Hussein set himself up as the spiritual
Furthermore, since the majority of provincial
leader of the Moslem world by assuming the
administrators, judges, and police come from
Caliphate (left vacant by the deposition of the
the Najd, the King's native province and the
Turkish Sultan), Ibn Saud marched on the
core of the Kingdom, they can be relied upon
Hejaz. Within a few months he was in control
to discourage symptoms of rebellion in the
of the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and
more recently acquired provinces of Hasa,
Hussein and his family were forced to seek ref-
Hejaz, and Asir.
uge abroad. The British, who had found Hus-
C. Current Issues.
sein to be an uncooperative protege, made no
attempt to halt the course of events. Ibn
Saudi Arabia has no political parties, pres-
Saud had long recognized the special interests
sure groups, or significant minorities. Ibn
of the UK in the Persian Gulf Sheikdoms and
Saud's chief aim is the transformation of an
Principalities bordering on Saudi Arabia, and
aggregation of economically backward and
the UK had no wish to antagonize him by sup-
largely nomadic Arab tribes into a united Arab
porting Hussein in the Hejaz. As a result of
nation. In pursuing this aim, the King has
these developments, Ibn Saud became the
prohibited intertribal wars, has encouraged
strongest ruler in the Arabian Peninsula. In
certain nomadic tribes to settle on the land,
1928 he suppressed the last tribal uprising
and through centralized police and communi-
within the country and in 1932 climaxed his
cations systems is maintaining internal secu-
rise to power by uniting his dominions into the
rity. An ever-present problem for Ibn Saud is
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
to obtain the sanction from the religious au-
thorities for the introduction into Saudi Arabia
b. Present Governmental Structure.
of such revolutionary innovations as the tele-
Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy. Its
phone and airplane. Through astute inter-
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"ocrText": "15\n7. Saudi Arabia.\ngovernment, under the King, can be said to\na. Genesis of the Present Political Situation.\nconsist of: (1) a Privy Council of the King's\nclose friends and advisers; (2) the Ministries\nWith the exception of the Yemen, Saudi\nof Foreign Affairs, Defense, Finance, Justice,\nArabia is the only Arab state that has never\nInterior, and Public Works; (3) the Viceroys of\nbeen subjected by a Western colonial power to\nNajd and Hejaz and the Governors of Hasa and\nsome form of dependent status. Even under\nAsir; and (4) the Council of Ulemas, or reli-\nthe Ottoman Empire, Ibn Saud's allegiance to\ngious notables. The latter, as interpreters of\nConstantinople was no more than nominal;\nthe Koran, which is the supreme law of the\nand after World War I, in spite of the UK's\nland, are theoretically in a position to check\ndominant influence around and to the north\nthe King's authority. The others, however,\nof the Arabian Peninsula, Ibn Saud not only\nhave no independent authority and are di-\npreserved his independence but also extended\nrectly responsible to the King. The Hejaz, be-\nhis authority to areas which the UK considered\ncause of its different historical background\nas falling within its sphere of influence.\nand greater commercial development, has a\nThe disintegration of Turkish power after\nsomewhat more sophisticated administration\nthe war left a tense political situation in the\nthan the other three provinces of Saudi Arabia.\nArabian Peninsula. In 1917 Hussein, Sherif\nHowever, in spite of a constitution, an Advisory\nof Mecca under the Turks and nominal leader\nLegislative Council, and an Advisory Legisla-\nof the Arab Revolt, had, with British blessing,\ntive Assembly, the King, through his Viceroy,\nbeen proclaimed King of the Hejaz (roughly\ndominates all governmental activities. His\nthe western portion of the peninsula bordered\nauthority in the direction of public affairs is\non the north by Transjordan and on the south\nfurther reinforced in that many of his minis-\nby Yemen). The centralization of power in\nters and leading advisers are Egyptians, Syri-\nthe hands of Ibn Saud and Hussein resulted in\nans, and Lebanese. Having no tribal loyalties\nconstant conflict between them. Ibn Saud\nwithin the country and no particular respect\neliminated his rivals in the interior and girded\nfor the influential religious leaders, they are\nhimself for the inevitable struggle. When in\ntruly \"the King's men\" in the medieval sense.\n1924 Hussein set himself up as the spiritual\nFurthermore, since the majority of provincial\nleader of the Moslem world by assuming the\nadministrators, judges, and police come from\nCaliphate (left vacant by the deposition of the\nthe Najd, the King's native province and the\nTurkish Sultan), Ibn Saud marched on the\ncore of the Kingdom, they can be relied upon\nHejaz. Within a few months he was in control\nto discourage symptoms of rebellion in the\nof the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, and\nmore recently acquired provinces of Hasa,\nHussein and his family were forced to seek ref-\nHejaz, and Asir.\nuge abroad. The British, who had found Hus-\nC. Current Issues.\nsein to be an uncooperative protege, made no\nattempt to halt the course of events. Ibn\nSaudi Arabia has no political parties, pres-\nSaud had long recognized the special interests\nsure groups, or significant minorities. Ibn\nof the UK in the Persian Gulf Sheikdoms and\nSaud's chief aim is the transformation of an\nPrincipalities bordering on Saudi Arabia, and\naggregation of economically backward and\nthe UK had no wish to antagonize him by sup-\nlargely nomadic Arab tribes into a united Arab\nporting Hussein in the Hejaz. As a result of\nnation. In pursuing this aim, the King has\nthese developments, Ibn Saud became the\nprohibited intertribal wars, has encouraged\nstrongest ruler in the Arabian Peninsula. In\ncertain nomadic tribes to settle on the land,\n1928 he suppressed the last tribal uprising\nand through centralized police and communi-\nwithin the country and in 1932 climaxed his\ncations systems is maintaining internal secu-\nrise to power by uniting his dominions into the\nrity. An ever-present problem for Ibn Saud is\nKingdom of Saudi Arabia.\nto obtain the sanction from the religious au-\nthorities for the introduction into Saudi Arabia\nb. Present Governmental Structure.\nof such revolutionary innovations as the tele-\nSaudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy. Its\nphone and airplane. Through astute inter-"
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