Summary Of The Politics Of Water In The Making Of Saudi Arabia

State of Nature: The Politics of Water in the Making of Saudi Arabia by Toby Jones As in the last several articles, Toby Jones touches upon the power behind energy and the environment, with his focus being Saudi Arabia instead of all the Middle East. Especially in the last several decades, the massive oil reserves located in this region has been an incredible force behind the nation’s economic strength. Jones is quick to point out the added benefits of a Saudi Arabia-United States union, with the U.S. offering protection for “freedom and the war on terrorism” (Jones, p. 231), in reality it is to protect America’s largest source of oil. Saudi Arabia had created a political authority and social structure that was all based around those who

But the real power behind these foreign manipulations were the Saudis themselves, as they worked tirelessly to learn and master technologies and knowledge that would allow them to integrate the natural environment of their nation with power and energy. Taking offerings of assistance and technologies, ranging from oil drilling equipment to advantages of being open to the U.S. agricultural mission, Saudi Arabia and her people used technology, sciences, and more to properly build themselves up to the powerful nation and location of the largest oil reserves in the

Though mostly on oil, the importance of water to build economic strength and agricultural stability in the early years of the nation was addressed. It is an arid environment, and having sources of fresh water for man, plant, and beast helps a nation expand. It also allowed the royal family not only strengthen its political hold over the Saudis, it also reinforced their social standing. Each source of water was a wondrous oasis of plant and animal life, and a basis for survival in this region was to hold the land of at least one. Controlling one or more allowed the political power behind the refreshing jewels to be reigned in by the royal family, and as the kingdom worked to build control over the environment to increase political, economic, and institutional variables, it built up