While the DRC has a range of natural resources, the wealth of Saudi Arabia comes entirely from oil. Oil was discovered in 1938, and today Saudi Arabia is the largest producer of oil in the world. One-fifth of the world’s oil reserves are in Saudi territory, in the largest oil field on Earth. The consequences have been tremendous and have transformed the average quality of life in Saudi Arabia. For example, almost all Saudi citizens have access to good health care and schooling. Saudi Arabia has an adult literacy rate of 98 percent. In comparison, the U.S.’ adult literacy rate is 80 percent. Although Saudi Arabia is 95 percent desert, the vast majority of people there have access to clean, cheap water. The government helps pay for electricity, gas, and water. The government also employs 70 percent of Saudis. But Saudi Arabia has not escaped the resource curse completely. Firstly, up to 90 percent of the country’s economy is dependent on oil. As the world moves toward renewable energy, this could become a serious problem. Secondly, the wealth of oil has allowed a very conservative autocratic government to maintain control. And finally, while the quality of life for Saudi citizens is high, this is in part achieved by having a huge migrant workforce with a far lower quality of life. Saudi Arabia is ruled by the House of Saud, a royal family that has been in charge for centuries. Since taking over the main oil company in Saudi Arabia in 1980, the family has made incredible profits. In 2021, the wealth of the 15,000-member family was valued at $1.4 trillion. The House of Saud rules the nation as a complete autocracy. There are no elected national representatives. Speaking out against the government is a crime. Restrictions and Oppression in Saudi Arabia The Saudi royal family follows a strict, fundamentalist form of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism. All Saudis are required to be Muslim. The majority of Saudis are Sunni, and non-Sunni Muslims face restrictions when trying to practice their own form of Islam. Using the wealth of oil, Saudis have also opened Wahhabi schools in majority-Muslim countries all over the world. This has fueled the rise of Islamic extremism in nations such as Pakistan. While the practice of Wahhabism has consequences for all Saudis, the heaviest restrictions fall on women. Women are not allowed to go out in public without wearing a full covering called an abaya, which exposes only the eyes and hands. While Saudi women are well-educated, schools are segregated by gender. In addition, women are permanently considered legal minors in the eyes of the law. A woman is born with her father as her guardian. When she marries, her husband becomes that guardian. Women are also not legal guardians of their children. Until recently, women were not able to travel or get legal documents without their guardian’s permission. The situation of women in Saudi Arabia has improved in recent years, including changes in laws that allow them to legally drive and go to movie theaters. The employment rate of Saudi women is also 70 percent. Nonetheless, legal restrictions on Saudi women remain extreme, and they are supported by a state that controls all the wealth of its natural resources. Finally, the comfortable material lifestyle of many Saudi citizens relies in part on migrant labor. As of 2019, Saudi Arabia had 35 million noncitizens living in its country, the third-largest migrant population in the world. More than half of the jobs in Saudi Arabia are held by migrant workers. The non-government workforce is 90 percent non-Saudi. These migrants often come from developing countries in Asia and Africa. They are willing to work for low wages in poor conditions. Abusive labor practices such as employers taking passports, stealing wages, and restricting workers’ movements are common. While there have been recent efforts at reform, for decades migrant workers have been a key part of building Saudi identity and pride. Certain jobs were seen as “beneath” native Saudis. The gap in quality of life was seen as proof of how much the government benefited its own citizens.

Question

While the DRC has a range of natural resources, the wealth of Saudi Arabia comes entirely from oil. Oil was discovered in 1938, and today Saudi Arabia is the largest producer of oil in the world. One-fifth of the world’s oil reserves are in Saudi territory, in the largest oil field on Earth. The consequences have been tremendous and have transformed the average quality of life in Saudi Arabia. For example, almost all Saudi citizens have access to good health care and schooling. Saudi Arabia has an adult literacy rate of 98 percent. In comparison, the U.S.’ adult literacy rate is 80 percent. Although Saudi Arabia is 95 percent desert, the vast majority of people there have access to clean, cheap water. The government helps pay for electricity, gas, and water. The government also employs 70 percent of Saudis. But Saudi Arabia has not escaped the resource curse completely. Firstly, up to 90 percent of the country’s economy is dependent on oil. As the world moves toward renewable energy, this could become a serious problem. Secondly, the wealth of oil has allowed a very conservative autocratic government to maintain control. And finally, while the quality of life for Saudi citizens is high, this is in part achieved by having a huge migrant workforce with a far lower quality of life. Saudi Arabia is ruled by the House of Saud, a royal family that has been in charge for centuries. Since taking over the main oil company in Saudi Arabia in 1980, the family has made incredible profits. In 2021, the wealth of the 15,000-member family was valued at $1.4 trillion. The House of Saud rules the nation as a complete autocracy. There are no elected national representatives. Speaking out against the government is a crime. Restrictions and Oppression in Saudi Arabia The Saudi royal family follows a strict, fundamentalist form of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism. All Saudis are required to be Muslim. The majority of Saudis are Sunni, and non-Sunni Muslims face restrictions when trying to practice their own form of Islam. Using the wealth of oil, Saudis have also opened Wahhabi schools in majority-Muslim countries all over the world. This has fueled the rise of Islamic extremism in nations such as Pakistan. While the practice of Wahhabism has consequences for all Saudis, the heaviest restrictions fall on women. Women are not allowed to go out in public without wearing a full covering called an abaya, which exposes only the eyes and hands. While Saudi women are well-educated, schools are segregated by gender. In addition, women are permanently considered legal minors in the eyes of the law. A woman is born with her father as her guardian. When she marries, her husband becomes that guardian. Women are also not legal guardians of their children. Until recently, women were not able to travel or get legal documents without their guardian’s permission. The situation of women in Saudi Arabia has improved in recent years, including changes in laws that allow them to legally drive and go to movie theaters. The employment rate of Saudi women is also 70 percent. Nonetheless, legal restrictions on Saudi women remain extreme, and they are supported by a state that controls all the wealth of its natural resources. Finally, the comfortable material lifestyle of many Saudi citizens relies in part on migrant labor. As of 2019, Saudi Arabia had 35 million noncitizens living in its country, the third-largest migrant population in the world. More than half of the jobs in Saudi Arabia are held by migrant workers. The non-government workforce is 90 percent non-Saudi. These migrants often come from developing countries in Asia and Africa. They are willing to work for low wages in poor conditions. Abusive labor practices such as employers taking passports, stealing wages, and restricting workers’ movements are common. While there have been recent efforts at reform, for decades migrant workers have been a key part of building Saudi identity and pride. Certain jobs were seen as “beneath” native Saudis. The gap in quality of life was seen as proof of how much the government benefited its own citizens.

Summariz in this in short paragraph

Answer 1

The wealth of Saudi Arabia comes entirely from oil, making it the largest producer in the world. This has led to significant improvements in health care, education, and access to resources for Saudi citizens. However, the economy is heavily dependent on oil, and the autocratic government maintains control with strict restrictions on freedom of speech and expression. The practice of Wahhabism and restrictions on women's rights are also significant issues. The reliance on migrant labor, with over half of the workforce being non-Saudi, has led to abusive labor practices and exploitation. Despite recent reforms, the country's wealth and lifestyle are sustained by the exploitation of natural resources and cheap labor.