On the influence of Islam
Religion defines the Saudi way of life, it is present in all acts of everyday life and governs the relationship between men and women. If the 5 daily prayers are not compulsory, the country stops turning during them. The stores close if the traders wish, the administrations stop and the men settle on the street or go to the mosque. The men traditionally wear the thobe, a long white dress under which they wear short pants. They wear a red and white checked shemagh, held in place with an agal. The women cover themselves with an abaya and wear the hijab, the Islamic veil. The niqab, the veil that covers the face, is not mandatory. The consumption of alcohol, pork or pornographic items is strictly forbidden. In fact, the whole society is governed by a simple rule, but which opens the door to all interpretations: modesty.
The place of women
Crown Prince Mohammed Ben Salman, in power since 2017, is multiplying gestures in favor of women's rights. They now have the right to drive, can work and even choose to live alone. In recent years, there have been businesswomen, bank managers, waitresses and even policewomen. Although the feminization of the working world is still in its infancy, it does exist, and it is now estimated that 35% of women living in Saudi Arabia work. This liberalization is accompanied by moderate feminist activism.
The influence of urbanization
Saudi Arabia began its revolution in the 1950s. The kingdom became considerably richer with the sale of its oil and modernized. The oases were transformed into cities and the traditionally semi-nomadic population became sedentary. Today, nearly 85% of the Saudi population lives in cities. This rapid transformation has considerably altered social relations. The car has replaced the dromedary, tents or adobe houses have given way to concrete buildings, and television has entered the home. Men occupy most of the public space, running businesses, working in offices, building the future of the country. Children grow up in front of the small screen, watching Arab cartoons and watered-down American films. The few leisure activities allowed are cafes (without alcohol), shopping malls, children's playgrounds, and a few men-only sports events. Crown Prince Ben Salman, in his "Vision 2030" project to open up and modernize the country, is working to give young Saudis more leisure time. He has authorized the opening of movie theaters and made it possible to have mixed gender in concerts. He is pushing for the development of domestic tourism and is even considering developing a ski resort in the mountains of Hijaz.
A fragmented society
Until the 2000s, poverty was thought to affect only people from immigrant backgrounds, and the subject was taboo. A visit by King Abdullah to Riyadh's slums in 2002 changed all that. He was shocked by the number of Saudis he came across sleeping rough. He ordered a strategy to combat poverty by increasing the social security budget and the number of social housing units. But without any real effect. Two-thirds of workers in the private sector earn less than the minimum needed for a family with 4 children. The tense situation in the Arab world led the government to redirect its budgetary efforts towards armaments in the 2010s. The absence of figures makes it difficult to assess the situation, but the high level of indebtedness (75% of Saudis have taken out a long-term consumer loan) means that not all Saudis are rolling in money.
