Is Saudi Arabia Considered a Hegemon Over Gulf Countries - Case Study Example

Is Saudi Arabia Considered a Hegemon Over Gulf countries

Introduction

The Gulf region is one of the most significant part in the world in that it is comprised of nations which contribute substantially to the global socio-economic status. It is a region that has among the highest amounts of natural resources in the form of oil and gases. On that basis, there has been a situation where there has been intense rivalry among some of the states here, where some Gulf states have sought to assert their superiority over the others. Among the most prominent include Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, with the last two particularly keen over the years to outsmart each other socio-economically, as well as diplomatically politically. The idea is to seek to assert dominance and therefore benefit from the advantages such a position offers such as political might and economic influence over the rest. The question has therefore been whether Saudi Arabia, on account of various factors, is the undisputed hegemon over the rest of the Gulf countries, or whether a state such as Iran is still reigning supreme.

Hypothesis: Is Saudi Arabia the Undisputed Gulf Region Hegemon?

In every geographic region, there are different countries that exist and each has diverse components that make them uniquely different from each other. While there are factors that connect these nations such as ethnic background, weather patterns, religion and language that will make these countries connected, there are distinct differences that will inevitably exist among them. In effect, one of the most significant features of the dynamics between nations in a given region is the fact that there are rivalries that form among some of them (Dorsey, 2016). Among the factors that fuel this acrimony include the need to protect national interests, once there has been the attainment of sovereignty. Each state has its personal national agenda to attain socio-economic and political reasons, and it will take advantage of any strengths it feels it possesses to advance its cause for the benefit of its people (Dorsey, 2016). The fact that there are significant areas of convergence in interests, will not necessarily mean that it has translated into cordial relations among countries in a region. The sought of most of the tension in a region will emanate from factors that include the contention by another nation that there is unnecessarily intense aggression by another one. There will be some of the superiority contest that will ensue, where the strength capacity of each will be tested.

Religious reasons

In this context, the situation in the Gulf region, where there has been a long-standing question regarding the hegemony of Saudi Arabia, there are a number of factors that have led to the contention among a number of pundits that indeed that is the position. The first is the aspect of Saudi Arabia being the country that plays host to Mecca, the most important city among the Muslim faithful (Ende, 2008). Together with the fact that the city of Medina is found within its jurisdiction is another significant aspect since it is the place where the Prophet Mohammed was born. On the strength of these two factors, Muslim faithful from all corners of the world has made the trip to the country for spiritual reasons to pay homage to the Holy City of Mecca in what is a spiritual pilgrimage taking place every year. The situation is one that according to the scholar Dorsey, serves to place Saudi Arabia on a pedestal, where it acquires a form of symbolic status in the region as well as internationally (Dorsey, 2016). Considering that Islam is one of the most prominent religions around the world, the fact that its believers make the annual trip to the cities of Mecca and Medina places the host country on a level that is above the rest of the Gulf nations.

Strategic Reasons

According to Dorsey, the fact that Saudi Arabia constitutes a vast geographic area that makes it among the largest in the region, it is the most significant (Dorsey, 2016). Moreover, there is the contention that its location where it borders all the important states such as Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates as well as Yemen, serves to make it a strategically situated country. This factor is touted when consideration is made of the importance such a location when it comes to the facilitation of trade regionally (Ende, 2008). This is augmented by the fact that the whole of the Gulf is predominantly a dry geographic area most of the year, where the terrain majorly comprises of rough and dry mountains together with vast sand dunes. Through the aspect of critical natural occurrences that include the presence of both the Red Sea and Persian Gulf coasts, the argument has been made that these place Saudi Arabia in a place of prominence at a regional level (Karoui, 2010). Among the key reasons is that Saudi Arabia manages to produce agricultural products as well as drive commerce such as tourism in a way that the rest of the nations without access to the water bodies cannot.

Natural Resources

Among commentators such as Ende, one of the features that have been touted the most as being the factor behind the dominance of Saudi Arabia in the Gulf is natural resources in the form of oil that the country contains in abundance (Ende, 2008). The current estimates reveal that the nation has the largest oil repository in the world, making it one of the global heavyweights with regard to the volumes of crude oil it churns out on an annual basis. Since 1938 when the first discovery of oil was made in the country, the production volumes have been increasing on an exponential basis over the years, making it the top oil producer globally. At the same time, it has vast reserves of gas that it produces and exports yearly. On account of these naturally occurring resources, the country has been in a position to consolidate its economic might as it exports most of the products for commercial gain (Ende, 2008). At the same time, the resources play a significant role as it enables its population to be self-reliant, in a situation where the weather pattern does not make it conducive to engage in many other commercially viable activities.

The fact that the country’s population is not as vast in comparison with its counterparts, means that the administration is able to manage the country’s socio-economic needs without excessive financial pressure (Solomon, 2017). The effect is that it has been in a position to increase its capacity economically, to an extent where it has been able to enter into the high-income category. This economic status is one that is not shared by any other Arab nation and according to some scholars, it remains one of the strongest signals of the prominence of the Saudi Arabia in the Gulf (Solomon, 2017). The Arabic nation is able to flex its financial muscle when it needs to on account to its economic standing at the regional and international level, where its oil reserves and exports have given it an advantage.

International support

Over the years, Saudi Arabia has been cultivating its diplomatic ties with strategic international nations. The perception it has as being a country where there has been a sustained period of economic stability, has been instrumental in aiding it to align with global heavyweights that include the United States (Yamada, 2011). Part of the reason is that it is a leader in the oil production and export industry and this provides it with leverage to engage on diplomatic terms with the western nations. The United States has particularly been keen to develop and enhance ties with Saudi Arabia, that it considers a strong and dependable ally in the advancement of its geopolitical and socio-economic interest (Solomon, 2017)s. One of the critical areas has been the protection of the dominance of the oil market, which is a concern of both nations. As a finite product, it is in the interest of both that there is a continued status quo regarding the production and sale of the product (Koelbl, Shafy and Zand, 2017). On this basis, the USA has subsequently sought to work closely with Saudi Arabia to thwart any efforts by any other major oil producer in the Gulf, to gain superiority in the market. The situation, therefore, has led to the Western nations regarding Saudi Arabia with favor, effectively elevating it to the focal-point status within the Gulf.

Foreign policy

The economic transformation and prosperity that Saudi Arabia has been able to experience over the years have made it attain socio-economic influence. The fact that the country lies in a region that is volatile on matters of religious and philosophical doctrine, it stands to lose the most if there is an infiltration of terrorist attacks (Muzykina, 2016). On this account, it has taken efforts to bolster its military might by expanding its armed forces and modernizing the same through the acquisition of arms. In this way, Saudi Arabia, according to the scholar Bleie, is one of the most influential in the Gulf, head, and shoulders above any other (Bleie, 2016). It is able to not only defend itself against any external aggression but influence the overall geopolitical direction of the region through forming alliances with others (Muzykina, 2016). In this way, it has been in a position to implement a foreign policy that works through the leveraging of its economic and diplomatic might.

The Conflict with Iran

The status of Saudi Arabia as the undisputed hegemon in the Gulf on account of these factors has not been entirely successful. The revelation of the lack of a complete and assured dominance has come out of the events that have taken place between Riyadh and Iran (Bleie, 2016). The background is that both of the countries consider themselves as being the rightful leaders among the Muslim faithful for different reasons. The case of Tehran’s problems with Riyadh is one that has many facets, with one of the most prominent being the policy each has when it comes to the issue of oil and natural resources management (Coates-Ulrichsen, 2016). To begin with, both are major producers and exporters of fossil fuel and natural gases over the decades. At the same time, their economies suffer from large-scale lack of diversification, where there is a reliance on the extraction of the natural resources industry, to drive socio-economic growth. The difference in their approach to the energy policy is what leads to the tension between the two nations.

Saudi Arabia has a much better-managed population which it has consistently managed to keep at a relatively small scale. Combined with the fact that it has enjoyed years of relative calm, the result has been a healthy and robust financial position (Bleie, 2016). The approach takes when it comes to the energy policy, therefore, is one that is informed by sustainability, such that a long-term view guides factors such as the prices of the oil and flow of the product in the market. Iran, on the other hand, has had a period of sustained skirmishes and political instability that has led to the stagnation in its socio-economic progress. It takes a short-term view in its resource management where it seeks to have higher product prices for higher cash-flow. This has set the two nations on a collision course, with the hegemony of Saudi Arabia under scrutiny in the process.

The influence of Saudi Arabia has similarly been undermined by the presence of tensions between Qatar and other nations in the region such as the UAE and Egypt (Muzykina, 2016). This is because despite its economic status regionally, Riyadh has been unable to assert its diplomatic weight and resolve the escalating tensions. The fact that it has failed to effectively offer leadership at a time when it is most needed, is an indicator of the lack of depth of its perceived influence in the Gulf. The approach that Riyadh has taken on the issue has reduced the sway it had among the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) (Lee et al., 2015). The reason is that it has taken sides with nations such as Egypt, alienating Qatar and making a tense situation potentially fatal. The interpretation among some commentators is that this amounts to a failure on Saudi Arabia to assert its diplomatic credentials indicating its lack of dominance in leadership within the Gulf (Lee et al., 2015). While it has maintained its status as an ally of choice among the international nations of the West seeking to make inroads into the Gulf, the same status is not replicated among its neighbors.

Significance of study

These findings are critical in that they have been able to facilitate insight into the elements that reveal the lack an assured hegemony by Saudi Arabia in the Gulf region. The hypothesis has been answered revealing that it is now possible to state with certainty that there is no such claim that can be made regarding the regional position of the country (Karoui, 2010). The extent of information that has been in existence on this matter has been fragmented and in a disjointed manner. This study, therefore, plays an instrumental role in combining the religious, strategic, and geopolitical factors that are used in arguing for the supremacy of Saudi Arabia and tying the same with the fact that there are substantial reasons indicating they are not enough. Furthermore, this study brings together the reflections and research of different influential scholars in the field of Saudi Arabia’s hegemony in a systematic manner, which is a gap that had been existing.

Limitations

The lack of a wider variety of sources in the course of the study will have the effect of narrowing the overall research, as it leads to the lack of sufficient depth. Through the inclusion of a more comprehensive variety of sources beyond texts such as reports from relevant state departments, would have led to an increase in the credibility of the data.

Principal Implications and Recommendations

As a result of the findings, it will become significantly easier for there to be a systematic review of the state of socio-economic, political and diplomatic strength of Saudi Arabia in relation to the other Gulf nations. This will be a direct and synthesized account of this status, away from the overall position adopted by commentators on its position that does not have strict scientific backing. The study enriches jurisprudence on the overall understanding of the relations between Saudi Arabia and its neighbors geo-politically. Among the key recommendations going forward is the need to have a direct analysis of the impact of Western nations in increasing or reducing the hegemony status of Saudi Arabia, within the context of its tensions with Iran.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the most important countries in the Gulf region. The fact that it has a dominant control of the natural resource of oil globally, a robust economy, religious significance and a foreign policy that sees it assert its dominance makes it have influence among the other states. The status as the undisputed hegemony in the Gulf, however, remains shaky, as the presence of Iran’s counter energy policy undermines its power. More importantly, by its failure to control the diplomatic tensions sparked off by Qatar’s relations with the rest of the GCC member states, indicates the lack of depth of Saudi Arabia’s influence.

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On the strength of these two factors, Muslim faithful from all corners of the world has made the trip to the country for spiritual reasons to pay homage to the Holy City of Mecca in what is a spiritual pilgrimage taking place every year. The situation is one that according to the scholar Dorsey, serves to place Saudi Arabia on a pedestal, where it acquires a form of symbolic status in the region as well as internationally (Dorsey, 2016). Considering that Islam is one of the most prominent religions around the world, the fact that its believers make the annual trip to the cities of Mecca and Medina places the host country on a level that is above the rest of the Gulf nations.

Strategic Reasons

According to Dorsey, the fact that Saudi Arabia constitutes a vast geographic area that makes it among the largest in the region, it is the most significant (Dorsey, 2016). Moreover, there is the contention that its location where it borders all the important states such as Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates as well as Yemen, serves to make it a strategically situated country. This factor is touted when consideration is made of the importance such a location when it comes to the facilitation of trade regionally (Ende, 2008). This is augmented by the fact that the whole of the Gulf is predominantly a dry geographic area most of the year, where the terrain majorly comprises of rough and dry mountains together with vast sand dunes. Through the aspect of critical natural occurrences that include the presence of both the Red Sea and Persian Gulf coasts, the argument has been made that these place Saudi Arabia in a place of prominence at a regional level (Karoui, 2010). Among the key reasons is that Saudi Arabia manages to produce agricultural products as well as drive commerce such as tourism in a way that the rest of the nations without access to the water bodies cannot.

Natural Resources

Among commentators such as Ende, one of the features that have been touted the most as being the factor behind the dominance of Saudi Arabia in the Gulf is natural resources in the form of oil that the country contains in abundance (Ende, 2008). The current estimates reveal that the nation has the largest oil repository in the world, making it one of the global heavyweights with regard to the volumes of crude oil it churns out on an annual basis. Since 1938 when the first discovery of oil was made in the country, the production volumes have been increasing on an exponential basis over the years, making it the top oil producer globally. At the same time, it has vast reserves of gas that it produces and exports yearly. On account of these naturally occurring resources, the country has been in a position to consolidate its economic might as it exports most of the products for commercial gain (Ende, 2008). At the same time, the resources play a significant role as it enables its population to be self-reliant, in a situation where the weather pattern does not make it conducive to engage in many other commercially viable activities.

The fact that the country’s population is not as vast in comparison with its counterparts, means that the administration is able to manage the country’s socio-economic needs without excessive financial pressure (Solomon, 2017). The effect is that it has been in a position to increase its capacity economically, to an extent where it has been able to enter into the high-income category. This economic status is one that is not shared by any other Arab nation and according to some scholars, it remains one of the strongest signals of the prominence of the Saudi Arabia in the Gulf (Solomon, 2017). The Arabic nation is able to flex its financial muscle when it needs to on account to its economic standing at the regional and international level, where its oil reserves and exports have given it an advantage.

International support

Over the years, Saudi Arabia has been cultivating its diplomatic ties with strategic international nations. Read More