ABSTRACT
During the three decades from 1953 to 1983, the Kingdom of Sa'udl Arabia broke out of its traditional isolation, seeking to import the conveniences of modernity while preserving its social customs and institutions. The Sa'udi people encountered foreigners and the trappings of technology at an accelerating pace, affecting their lives and lifestyles as never before. Pondering the consequences of rapid modernization superimposed on a traditional milieu, outside observers predicted social turbulence and political conflict, especially after the Ayatullah Khomeini ousted the Shah of Iran and Muslim extremists occupied the Holy Mosque in Mecca. The history of the Arabian peninsula provides the context for understanding the political culture and the ways in which Sa'udi leaders and institutions have emerged in the twentieth century. Two approaches in comparative politics are useful in examining the nature and origins of the Sa'udi leadership, their values and traditions, and the ways in which they are meeting the challenge of rapid environmental change.
