ABSTRACT
IMPACT Since the mid-twentieth century, Middle Eastern oil states have experienced drastic social changes as a result of an enormous influx of foreign capital. Some countries, such as Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates, have adjusted easily to this newfound wealth, investing in education, agricultural development, defense, and infrastructure. Others, such as Saudi Arabia, have experienced it as a source of ongoing tension, as the wealth brings with it foreign workers and customs denounced by the Islamic fundamentalists who form the majority of the Saudi population.
