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> With any luck, economics-driven policy will lead to social change as well. don't count on it. the regime isn't interested in social change. they're intereste
by metaphorm 10y ago
> With any luck, economics-driven policy will lead to social change as well.
don't count on it. the regime isn't interested in social change. they're interested in retaining wealth and power for another 100 years and trying to adapt for the fact that their oil wealth only has another 30(ish) years left.
the priorities of the Saudi regime are very clear. they haven't been secretive. they promote Wahabism/Salafism and are waging a cold-war with Iran and every other Shia majority country in the world. They are religious fanatics driven by theological concerns.
- toyg 10y agoNah, they are pragmatic rulers who use religion and war (and religious war) as an extension of politics. Their legitimacy is entirely based on being the custodians of Mecca, so they make sure Mecca remains at the forefront of people's minds. The Wahabi royals are not unlike certain politicians who brand themselves "defenders of traditional family values" and then whip up hysteria about "war on Christmas": they manufacture conflict to strengthen their own legitimacy. Without conflict they become irrelevant, so they'll make sure conflicts never end. It's such an old game, but it's incredible how well it still works all over the world.
- jlewis7272 10y ago</sarcasm>