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Silicon from Sand: Essential Background on the GCC 113

beliefs, while the people of the Hijaz are better known for their hos-
pitality and warmth.
To understand the complexities of Saudi Arabia, it is crucial to
grasp the roles of the country’s three central sociopolitical groups,
whose interactions and interdependencies shape the KSA’s political
and economic life. The three legs of the Kingdom’s “delicate tri-
pod,” are the monarchy, the religious establishment, and the private
business sector, as depicted in Figure 4.2.

Figure 4.2 Saudi Arabia’s “delicate tripod”

The Monarchy
Since King Abdul Aziz’s death in 1953, the monarchy has rotated
within a single generation: from one to another of the sons of Abdul
Aziz. His first successor, Saud, reigned for 11 years but was then
replaced during his lifetime by his half brother Faisal. Faisal, sup-
ported by the royal family and the religious authorities, was seen as
more capable of handling state affairs and brought a more institu-
tional approach to the government. Prior to the accession of King
Faisal, for example, government salaries were paid directly from
the king’s personal accounts instead of from the state treasury.
King Faisal, who ruled from 1964 to 1975, steered the Kingdom
through the first oil boom and was seen as down-to-earth, upright,
and firm. He was assassinated by a relative (who was executed after
an investigation) and then succeeded peacefully by his half brother