COLUMNS

As the Economy Undermines the Saudi Social Contract, Riyadh Finds Other Ways to Keep Order

undefined and Senior Middle East and North Africa Analyst at RANE

Ryan Bohl

Senior Middle East and North Africa Analyst at RANE, Stratfor

May 22, 2020 | 11:00 GMT

Saudi currency.

(Shutterstock)

Highlights

Saudi Arabia's social contract hinges upon a welfare-for-loyalty tradeoff, but low energy prices are forcing cuts to welfare benefits; fortunately for Riyadh, nationalism will increasingly hold together the Saudi social contract in 2020.
Where nationalism fails, the Saudi state can turn to its economic and security tools to tamp down dissent.
But while nationalism, economic control and the security forces will work for the government for a while, the longer austerity persists, the less effective they will prove.

While nationalism, economic control and the security forces will work for the government for a while, the longer austerity persists, the less effective they will prove....

Keep Reading

Proceed to sign up

Already have an account?