The Impact of Oil Factor on Sunni-Shia Cleavage

This Book investigates the impact of oil on the possibility of containing the Sunni-Shia Conflict in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Oil as a natural resource is the economic backbone of the Saudi economy. Moreover, the significant importance of oil is not only limited to its economic role, rather it has a political role to preserve the balance of power between various actors at the internal and regional level. It argues that Saudi dependency on oil as a Rentier state intends to dismantle any other power that may confront the state and the ruling elite. The Rentier economy provides the population with their social and economic needs without taxation and deprives them of their political rights. Thus, the revenues of oil are sometimes implemented to appease the whole community and Shias in particular. The dilemma for Saudis is the possibility of oil depletion that endangers the ability of the kingdom to exist. Additionally, shortage of oil revenues will weaken the ability of the Kingdom to confront Iranian intervention in the Middle East and will obstruct the continuous suppression of Shia minorities.