ABSTRACT
To understand fully the Council of Ministers it is necessary to reflect upon the changes in the Sa'udi social structure which have resulted from sudden wealth and rapid modernization, and to assess those traditional elements which endure. High-rise buildings, modern highway networks, glistening new airports and large-scale electrification projects and industrial cities dotted a landscape once barren and uninhabitable. For the time being, the growing middle class remains supportive of the ruling family, which has brought prosperity and stability to a once divided and impoverished land. Sa'udi Arabia thus remains a land of striking contrasts, its people adhering to values and traditions amidst a technological revolution. How long this can persist is the subject of endless speculation, hinging on the younger generation's willingness to uphold the social values of the past. Most expatriates are brought in for a specific contract and are provided housing, or a housing subsidy, by their employer.
