The economic prosperity Saudi Arabia enjoyed in the 1970s and early 1980s had a considerable influence on Saudi society. The oil revenues allowed the government to establish an advanced infrastructure; this sudden “economic leap” also had negative effects on society. It is evident that Saudi society suffers from cultural instability. The huge difference between generational thinking is a good example of this phenomenon. To have a better understanding of the Saudi social situation at present, it is important to analyze the social changes that have taken place over the last few decades.
If one part of a system grows but others do not grow at the same rate, there is a problem. It can be compared to an individual at puberty when dramatic biological changes take place. These changes do not, however, necessarily go hand in hand with mental development. Probably this helps to explain the strange behavior of teenagers.
It is undoubtedly true that Saudi Arabia has developed very rapidly. It was almost built from scratch. At the same time, it is important to note that this development was confined to certain areas — infrastructure and money growth. Many other aspects of modernism were undeveloped and the result is that Saudi culture and intellectual life still lag behind.
In those years, there was a constant supply of large amounts of money. People did not have the required economic knowledge to take full advantage of this money and plan for the future. In addition, highly advanced technology was introduced regardless of the fact that technology is not only “machines” but also represents a social change and thus influences culture. An individual can learn how to drive a car, for example, but he needs a “cultural awareness” in order to respect and follow traffic regulations.
A change in one aspect of culture may require adjustments in others and the delay in adjustment is termed “cultural lag.” Saudi society has been suffering from cultural lag which can negatively affect both the economy and its development in the long term. Technology and other material aspects of so-called progress appeared here, brought from societies with different cultural backgrounds and experience. Their appearance and use here has caused a dislocation in our social values and thinking. What made it worse was that introducing this technology was done very rapidly in Saudi Arabia and society had a problem adjusting to this unexpected newcomer. This is what distinguishes Saudi and Gulf societies from those in the rest of the Third World. Countries with fewer economic resources, such as Indonesia and Egypt, excelled the Gulf in respect of adopting modernism. All Third World countries, however, are struggling to cope with the new technology, not only technically but also culturally and socially.
Another problem is the huge gap between generations and the way they perceive modern life. Mai Yamani, a respected Saudi writer, has shed some light on this gap in her book “Change Identities”. She has identified three generations within the present Saudi society. The first is the generation which contributed to establishing today’s Saudi state, experienced poverty first-hand and so grew up in a completely different cultural environment from later generations. The main characteristic of this generation is that it is totally unfamiliar with technology. The second generation, born in the 1950s, has been completely submerged in modern technology and has suffered most in absorbing the new technology. The third generation, born in the 1970s, is more familiar with modern technology. The essence of the younger generation’s problem is not to simply adapt themselves to technology but to accept the viewpoint of the other generations with regard to technology in the broadest sense.
As in the rest of the Third World, Saudi Arabia has detailed plans for development. These plans have often failed to achieve their targets as we failed to take into account “cultural equilibrium.” When Saudi Arabia embarked upon its First Five-Year Plan in 1970, the objective of development plans was to modernize our lives by providing an advanced infrastructure and health care while maintaining Saudi social traditions and values. We cannot overlook what has accompanied these changes; successful development cannot occur without changing some social norms and traditions.
Now we are able to determine exactly what Saudi Arabia needs in order to enter the advanced world. We are not in need of more skyscrapers as much as more cultural awareness. To achieve this, it is necessary that we focus upon improving our educational system. The idea of education is widely misunderstood here and does not mean only impressive facilities and school buildings. Education is rather a philosophy and ideology. We must increase our social autonomy and establish our own social institutions to face today’s rapidly changing world.
