Saudi Arabia was a loose group of territories with little unity until the late Abd al-Aziz Ibn Abd ar-Rahman al-Faisal Al Saud created Saudi Arabia. Under Ibn Saud, an Arab state under Arab monarchical rule was created. Oil revenues and subsidies from world powers wanting to influence the political nature of the new state helped Saudi Arabia survive and in a relatively short period use its oil resources to gain international power and influence. Saudi Arabia is now ruled by King Fahd bin Abd Al-Aziz Al Saud, one of the sons of the late King. With a population of over 22 million, the oil industry has witnessed a transformation of the country “from a pastoral, agricultural, and trading society to a rapidly urbanizing one, characterized by large-scale infrastructure projects, an extensive social welfare system, and a labor market comprised largely of foreign workers,” (Country Reports 2002, 1).
What has resulted in Saudi Arabia in a short period of time is nothing less than the dramatic modernization and increasing contact and interaction with the Western world. This international influence has set off a process of change at the deepest levels of society and culture. Saudi Arabia uses the Islamic holy book the Koran and the Sunna of the Prophet Muhammad as its Constitution. As Saudi Arabia hopes to gain more power and influence in the region and international community, its rigid adherence to the precepts of this “rigorously conservative form of Islam” often results in what many argue are serious human rights abuses. There has been progress and change in measures designed to improve and protect human rights in Saudi Arabia over the past decade. However, by most international organization accounts, human rights violations continue to routinely occur in Saudi Arabia and more progress is needed. Such rights as freedom of expression and association, independent political parties and media, and anti-government protests...