crimination and suppression of individual freedom has been deeply imbedded in its lifestyle and tradition change in the near future. It would take a major upheaval in the political structure of the nation.The prognosis for the development of democratic institution in Saudi Arabia observing basic human rights as covered by many aspects of the United Nations Charter is exceedingly poor.Saudi Arabia is a basically feudal state where the power rests in the Royal Family and its delegates, the oil sheiks.It is a dictatorship similar to the former government of Iran but with one basic difference. The Shah of Iran did provide education and health services but antagonised the religious leaders. The rulers of Saudi Arabia have drawn the Sunni Islamic Religious into its daily operations so that the rulers are also the heads of the religion. Therefore there is no religion opposition to them as there was to the Shah of Iran. The Royal Family of Saudi Arabia is synonymous with ‘religious correctness’. To oppose the Royal Family is to oppose the state religion and vice versa.There would not appear to be any popular movement for change. The western nations including the United States of America and the European Union would not move to insist on the democratisation of Saudi Arabia. The reason for this is bound up in the politics of oil. Any move that threatens the West with oil problems would not be countenanced. The apologist would say ‘don’t rock the boat – we want our oil’.Education is the only solution to ensure the development of Saudi Arabia into a modern and potentially tolerant society. Education begets knowledge and hopefully wisdom. Wisdom begets tolerance and fulfills basic human ideals.Lack of education begets continued ignorance, which begets intolerance, injustice and inhumanity....
