Paper outline and abstract

Saudi Arabia is located in the southwestern corner of Asia covering about a quarter of the United States. The official language spoken in Saudi Arabia is Arabic; although the English language is commonly expressed in the business community. Notably, the official religion in Saudi Arabia is Islam which has partly influenced the modernization of this country. The government in Saudi Arabia is made up of King, the Crown Prince, and the King's Council of Ministers. Additionally, the primary source of the economic development in this country has remained to be oil which was discovered in 1932 by King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud[footnoteRef:1]. Similar oil, agriculture is the other largest no non-petroleum sector that has helped this country to improve its development intensities. [1: A. Hamdan, "Women and education in Saudi Arabia," Challenges and achievements 1, no. 6 (University of Western Ontario, Canada2015), 42-43]

The issue of modernization has been a topic of discussion in Saudi Arabia for decades. The history of modernization in Saudi Arabia started as a single kingdom at around 1932 with unification. According to Ajju (2018), modernization is a concept by which a country undergoes through industrialization, urbanization, and other social changes that completely transform the lives of the citizens within a state[footnoteRef:2]. Modernization includes improving the lifestyle of peoples through opting new improved technologies as well as changing the way of living. Consequently, modernization is key to the development of any country. [2: Ajju, "What is the Meaning of Modernization? (Quora, 2018) 2. Ajju, "Definition of modernization."]

In Saudi Arabia, various aspects ban to bar the country from modernization. For instance, the opening of theaters or cinemas hasbeen consistently barred this country. Additionally, Saudi Arabia hasbarred women from acquiring a drivinglicense, driving, and making an essentialdecision in the country. Therefore, the main question that arises in this country is whether there should be modernization to lifting the bans that are barred and having a modern society in Saudi Arabia.

Therefore, Saudi Arabia should embark on an ambitious plan of reforming and modernizing as part of its “Vision 2030” by lifting many bans that barred it from modernizing and having a more modern society.

Arguments on Modernization in Saudi Arabia

In recent years, the issue of modernization has brought forth various conflicting cases in many countries. For instance, the reforms that have been operating within Saudi Arabia and US policymakers have been urging for decades over ranging areas[footnoteRef:3]. These arguments have delayed the level of development that hasbeen awaited in this country. With these arguments, there is a need for Saudi Arabia to establish a local assembly and an elected parliament that could bring Saudi Arabia to a new modernized state. For these reasons, Saudi Arabia is in need of modernization.Basically, the major arguments that have been facing and witnessed in Saudi Arabia include banning of female drivers, cinema ban barring modernization, an unprecedented government crackdown on activists, and contradictory kingdom as follows: - [3: Ray Takeyh, "Saudi Arabia's Shaky Experiment in Modernization," (Council on Foreign Relations 2017) ]

Going by the country’s ban on female drivers, it can be noted that Saudi Arabia’s women have been profoundly influenced by the social status and prohibitions that have been a raid in this country. Women in Saudi Arabia have been overshadowed by some rules which female activists in Saudi Arabia are struggling to be freedfrom. Saudi Arabia is the only country that women are not allowed to drive. Any woman who violates this law is held accountable for breaking the provided rules.

Consequently, females are forced to hire male chauffeurs whenever they need to travel. Additionally, women have also been barred from acquiring driving licenses[footnoteRef:4]. Prince Mohammed bin Salman has lifted the driving ban in an attempt to modernize some aspects of Saudi society. For instance, women activists such as Loujain al-Hathloul were arrested and detained while campaigning for woman’s right to drive within Saudi Arabia. This challenge affects the place of a woman within this country. [4: Martin Hvidt, "The Real Reason Saudi Arabia Lifted Its Ban on Women Driving: Economic Necessity," (The Conversation, 2018)]

Moreover, there has been a cinema ban in Saudi Arabia barring modernization. Undeniably, banning of cinema within Saudi Arabia has been another significant back-draw in this country. For instance, Saudi Arabia has banned cinemas for over 35 years[footnoteRef:5]. Notably, the state does not have a vibrant filmmaker, and the audiences available in the country are not exposed to the film industry, and, thus, making the nation to ban cinemas. Moreover, Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure to establish cinemas was unavailable making it difficult for the film industry to grow[footnoteRef:6]. Consequently, the two factors made the country to have fewer interests in cinemas leading to their banning. [5: Yasmin Helal, "So, Why Were Cinemas in Saudi Arabia Banned for 35 Years?" (Culture Trip, 2018,) ] [6: K Clarke, A modernization paradox: Saudi Arabia's divided society. (Harvard international review, 2007), 30.]

Additionally., there have been an unprecedented government crackdowns on activists. The international human rights groups have slummed Saudi Arabia’s hypocrisy in its unprecedented crackdown on activists. This country has highly argued on the place of women in providing main decisions within Saudi Arabia. For instance, the state has barred women from making an important decision as the male chauvinistic country. Therefore, the voice of a woman has no place in making the government’s plans and decisions. For instance, Aziza al-Yusuf was arrested for bizarre changes such as transgressing national and religious principles and working with foreign entities[footnoteRef:7]. [7: Wilson and Graham, The Coming Storm (Routledge 2018). 40]

There has not been a clear picture of what this country is. It has remained to be a contradictory Kingdom. Imperatively, Saudi Arabia is one of the most conservative countries in the world for the past few decades. It has been profoundly affected by the suppression of speech, communication, socialization, and inequity when it comes to government rules and activities, for example, corporate censorship. The Despite the Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, trying to modernize the country, there has emerged various arguments restricting his aims[footnoteRef:8]. [8: Billy Perrigo, "Saudi Arabia Says It Wants to Modernize ‘But Criticism Still Strikes a Nerve," (Time,2018) ]

Notably, Saudi Arabia is known to be a different kingdom based on the government’s operations. For these, many countries including Germany and Canada have veiled criticisms on Saudi Arabian interventions on modernization. The rules that Saudi Arabia is imposing are contradicting from other local kingdoms within the United States.

Moreover, the culture of Saudi Arabia makes it a different kingdom. Culture affects how citizens live, think, and behave, thus impacting their modernization. Remarkably, the culture between Saudi Arabia and the United States are contradicting. The two pose differences in ranging aspects including family, religion, education, social life, as well as individual status portrayed by citizens living in the two countries. For instance, the family is the priority when it comes to Saudi Arabia. They take care of their parents till oldlife; their children live in their parent's houses till they get married among other behaviors which are different from United States cultures. The variance of culture in the two countries impacts their level of modernization. From the cultural difference portrayed by Saudi Arabia, it indicates how this country is a different kingdom.

On the international sphere, foreign policies of different countries have criticized Saudi Arabia for continued crackdown on activists and bloggers. Sweden is one of them going by the way Saudi Arabia has blocked business visas for Swedish nationals. Recent News reveal that Saudi Arabia has found itself in arguments with Russia, Canada, Europe, and the US among other countries on foreign policy fallout. Saudi Arabia has been rejected by other international communities based on the bans that the country has continued to hold for them. For instance, Saudi Arabia has blocked business visas for Swedish nationals. Further, Saudi Arabia hasmet varying critics for having a crackdown on activists and bloggers. The country has seen bloggers and human rights activists being banned from commenting on the state of affairs in the country. Here, Saudi Arabia has been trying to consolidate a resistance. As a result, exiled activists and bloggers advocates work to keep the issues of political repression in the eye of the international community[footnoteRef:9]. [9: Sarah Aziza, "Saudi Women Who Fought for the Right to Drive Are Disappearing and Going into Exile," (The Intercept, 2018) ]

Saudi Arabia recalled its Swedish ambassador in 2015 over the heated criticism on its handling of things. Notably, in 2015, Saudi Arabia recalled its ambassador from Stockholm. They accused the ambassador of criticizing the kingdoms human rights records and democracy rolls between the two countries, Sweden and Saudi Arabia[footnoteRef:10]. Later, Saudi Arabia confirmed the ambassadors report by saying that it interfered with the internal affairs. The criticswere a violation of covenant and diplomatic convention that was between these two countries. [10: John R Bradley, Saudi Arabia Exposed: Inside a Kingdom in Crisis (New York: St. Martin's Press, 2015), 312. ]

Moreover, the country blacklisted some German companies owing to criticism on its military intervention in Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen has been added by the United Nations (UN) to the list of shame due to killing hundreds of children in 2016[footnoteRef:11]. Here, there emerged a great misunderstanding as several countries took Saudi Arabia to have committed an illegal and inhuman activity. However, in recent times, there have been tremendous efforts by the country’s leadership lift the bans and also maintain excellent foreign relations with the other countries [11: S. Maisel, In the Government and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa, ( Routledge, 2018), 307.]

Going by the numerous hindrances that have barred the country from modernization, there however some areas it is doing its best to reform and modernize. There has been a modernization drive. Although there have been a lot of bans, Saudi Arabia has shown efforts tomodernize the country. For months now, Saudi Arabia has been enjoying a public-relations windfall. Prince Mohammed bin Salman has caught the world’s attention through his vision for a new and modern nation.

Female driver have been allowed on the roads. After the reformation of Saudi Arabia, the country has allowed female drivers to be on the roads[footnoteRef:12]. The initial ban that was present was lifted, and, women were allowed to own driving license; which has shown an increased level of modernization in Saudi Arabia. This lifting has also raised the position of a woman in the community. [12: Mervat F. Hatem, Modernization, the State, and the Family in Middle East Women’s Studies, (Routledge 1999), 63. ]

Moreover, movie theaters have been allowed to re-open after 35 years and lifting cinema bans. On the move towards modernization, Saudi Arabia has enacted new policies that have allowed movie theaters to resume after 35 years. The new conditions that have been set have laid a good background for the development of movie theaters. According to The Economic Times (2018), the government hopes that by the year 2030, Saudi Arabia will already have achieved more than 300 theatres with over 2000 movie screens[footnoteRef:13]. [13: PTI, "Saudi Arabia Set for First Public Film Screening at Cinema," (The Economic Times, 2018)]

The lifted cinema ban has created new eye opportunities for filmmakers. For example, AMC cinema in Riyadh has hosted the first film, Black Panther, screening in Saudi Arabia acting as another move towards modernization[footnoteRef:14]. More peoples have gained interest in watching cinemas and attending theaters thus indicating modernization growth in Saudi Arabia. These facts mean that Saudi Arabia is now ready to accommodate new modernized technologies and industrialization among others. [14: PTI ]

There have also been negative impacts and repercussions of modernization in Saudi Arabia that have made it change tact. Generally, the introduction of modernization has brought about various global consequences in Saudi Arabia. For instance, the US President, Trump, has been far less vocal about human rights in Saudi Arabia which have made it difficult for less powerful countries, including Saudi Arabia, unable to speak out[footnoteRef:15]. The human rights are denied especially when lucrative trade deals are at risk within the superior states. From these, the less powerful countries are forced to try modernizing efforts to fit in the global trades. By these, these countries can adapt to new modernization including industrialization, technological change, urbanization, and other social changes that completely transform the lives of the citizens within the state. [15: Sam Meredith, "The US is Fueling Saudi Arabia’s Deepening Diplomatic Rift with Canada, Expert Says," (CNBC, 2018) ]

Medieval bans have also been lifted despite it being an absolute monarchy. Although Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy, it is headed towards protecting human rights and lifting some of the medieval bans. Human rights in Saudi Arabia are based on Wahhabi religious law. The country has reformed, and women are now given chances in areas such as politics. For example, in 2013 women occupied thirty seats in the consultative assembly of Saudi Arabia. In the same year, Arwa al-Hujailiwas registered as the first female trainee lawyer in Saudi Arabia[footnoteRef:16]. Moreover, various policies gave women the right to own a driving license and an ability to drive within the country. The ban that was initially present in Saudi Arabia was revised giving women a clear chance to drive themselves to the job places. These reforms indicate that Saudi Arabia is now in a position to modernization. [16: Bethan McKernan, "Social Change is Coming to Saudi Arabia, but Ordinary Citizens Worry It Comes at a High Cost," (The Independent, 2018) ]

In conclusion, it is undeniable that the trend in Saudi Arabia is towards a modernized society devoid of bans and restrictions. The ‘old Saudi Arabia’ had banned female from driving, banned cinemas, had major crackdowns on activists as well as had rivals with international communities. These bans acted as a significant restriction towards modernization. However, the government of Saudi Arabia, through Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is ready to embrace change no matter the cost. Women now do not have to seek permission from a male guardian before doing their things such as driving, studying, or opening a bank.

Additionally, the ban on cinemas have alsobeen dropped,and filmmakers such as AMC cinemas started the first screening in Riyadh. The environment that is created in Saudi Arabia, including improved infrastructure and level of technology, favors the development of theaters and cinemas. Further, Saudi Arabia has been able to develop a good working environment with international countries, unlike their fundamental nature which was full of disagreements and quarrels. The reforms have remarkably shown a demanding need for Saudi Arabia to be a modernized country.

Bibliography

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Perrigo, Billy. "Saudi Arabia Says It Wants to Modernize'But Criticism Still Strikes a Nerve." (Time. 2018)

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