On Saudi Arabia : Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines - and Future

图书标准信息

• 作者 Karen Elliott House 著
• 出版社 Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
• 出版时间 2012-09
• ISBN 9780307272164
• 定价 323.90元
• 装帧 精装
• 开本 其他
• 纸张 其他
• 页数 320页
• 正文语种 英语

【内容简介】

FromthePulitzerPrize–winningreporterwhohasspentthelastthirtyyearswritingaboutSaudiArabia—asdiplomaticcorrespondent,foreigneditor,andthenpublisherofTheWallStreetJournal—animportantandtimelybookthatexploresallfacetsoflifeinthisshroudedKingdom:itstribalpast,itscomplicatedpresent,itsprecariousfuture.

Throughobservation,anecdote,extensiveinterviews,andanalysisKarenElliotHousenavigatesthemazeinwhichSaudicitizensfindthemselvestrappedandrevealsthemysteriousnationthatistheworld’slargestexporterofoil,criticaltoglobalstability,andasourceofIslamicterrorists.

Inherprobingandsharp-eyedportrait,weseeSaudiArabia,oneofthelastabsolutemonarchiesintheworld,consideredtobethefinalbulwarkagainstrevolutionintheregion,asthreatenedbymultiplefissuresandforces,itsleversofpowercontrolledbyahandfulofelderlyAlSaudprinceswithanaverageageof77yearsandanextendedfamilyofsome7,000princes.Yetatleast60percentoftheincreasinglyrestivepopulationtheyruleisundertheageof20.

Theauthorwritesthatoil-richSaudiArabiahasbecomearundownwelfarestate.Thepublicpaysnotaxes;getsfreeeducationandhealthcare;andreceivessubsidizedwater,electricity,andenergy(agallonofgasolineischeaperintheKingdomthanabottleofwater),withitspetrodollarsbuyinglessandlessloyalty.HousemakesclearthattheroyalfamilyalsousesIslam’srequirementofobediencetoAllah—andbyextensiontoearthlyrulers—toperpetuateAlSaudrule.

BehindtheSaudifacadeoforderandobedience,today’sSaudiyouth,frustratedbysocialconformity,arereachingouttooneanotherandtoawiderworldbeyondtheircloisteredcountry.Some50percentofSaudiyouthisontheInternet;5.1millionSaudisareonFacebook.

Towritethisbook,theauthorinterviewedmostofthekeymembersoftheveryprivateroyalfamily.ShewritesaboutKingAbdullah’smodesteffortstorelaxsomeofthekingdom’smostoppressivesocialrestrictions;womenarenowallowedtoacquirephotoIDcards,finallygivingthemanidentityindependentfromtheirmaleguardians,andarenewlyabletoregistertheirownbusinessesbutarestillforbiddentodriveandarebarredfrommostjobs.

WithextraordinaryaccesstoSaudis—fromkeyreligiousleadersanddissidentimamstowomenatuniversityandimpoverishedwidows,fromgovernmentofficialsandpoliticaldissidentstoyoungsuccessfulSaudisandthosewhochosethepathofterrorism—HousearguesthatmostSaudisdonotwantdemocracybutseekchangenevertheless;theywantagovernmentthatprovidesbasicserviceswithoutsubjectingcitizenstotheindignityofbeggingprincesforhandouts;agovernmentlesscorruptandmoretransparentinhowitspendshundredsofbillionsofannualoilrevenue;akingdomruledbylaw,notroyalwhim.

InHouse’sassessmentofSaudiArabia’sfuture,shecomparesthecountrytodaytotheSovietUnionbeforeMikhailGorbachevarrivedwithreformpoliciesthatprovedtoolittletoolateafterdecadesofstagnationunderoneagedandinfirmSovietleaderafteranother.Shediscusseswhatthenextgenerationofroyalprincesmightbringandthechoicesthekingdomfaces:continuedeconomicandsocialstultificationwithgrowingriskofinstability,oranopeningofsocietytoindividualinitiativeandenterprisewiththeriskthatthis,too,underminestheAlSaudholdonpower.

Arivetingbook—informed,authoritative,illuminating—aboutacountrythatcouldwellbeonthebrink,andanin-depthexaminationofwhatallthisportendsforSaudiArabia’sfuture,andforourown.

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【作者简介】

KARENELLIOTHOUSEisagraduateoftheUniversityofTexasatAustin.ShestudiedandtaughtatHarvardUniversity’sInstituteofPoliticsandwasaseniorfellowattheJohnF.KennedySchoolofGovernmentatHarvardUniversity.

HouselivesinPrinceton,NewJersey,withherhusband,PeterR.Kann,andtheirchildren.

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