ABSTRACT
The governing institutions of modern Sa'udi Arabia grew out of the political and social contexts of the separate regions, converging only after 'Abd al-'Aziz conquered the Hijaz in late 1925. This chapter examines the earlier institutions from which the Council of Ministers evolved, and the administrative developments from 1926 to 1953 which shaped them to meet the changing requirements of the Sa'udi state. Leadership in the Najd was necessarily mobile and informal, and the only institution of any importance was the majlis, which provided the forum for all important debates on decisions affecting the welfare of the tribe, legal disputes, and social contracts. When 'Abd al-'Aziz conquered the Hijaz in 1926 he inherited Husayn's modified administrative system and the complexities of governing a more sophisticated polity. In the Hijaz, Faysal acted not only as viceroy, but, as Chairman of the Council of Deputies and President of the Consultative Council, he functioned as a quasi prime minister.
