Democracy is an illusion! It’s become a political system fostered by the élite, for the élite, in order to fool the people that they have a stake in the system. In actual fact, they have virtually none. The whole political system in the modern era, despite having noble beginnings, is now used to benefit the few at the expense of the many. – Mark Alexander, June 29, 2018
Showing posts with label Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Show all posts
Jan 1, 2026 | Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, is the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. For almost a decade, he has been radically transforming the country — at a breath-taking pace.
Where is the modernizer and despot steering the kingdom?
Saudi Arabia is the world's leading exporter of crude oil. But Crown Prince MBS wants to prepare the country for the post-oil era.
Two-thirds of the country's population is under 30 years old, and the crown prince is taking radical measures to turn the previously strictly conservative society on its head.
The documentary shows how contradictory Mohammed bin Salman's ambitions for his "Vision 2030" are, as it takes a look behind the scenes of the transformation.
On the one hand, there is the "Neom" project, which aims to create a futuristic new megacity in the desert. Tourism is to be expanded, major music and sporting events are to be brought to the country, and an extravagant lifestyle is being promoted.
At the same time, an authoritarian style of government continues to prevail, dissidents are sometimes brutally suppressed, and women's rights are still not fully granted - even if the influence of the ultra-conservative religious leaders of Wahhabism is no longer as strong as it once was.
Jan 1, 2026 | Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS, is the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia. For almost a decade, he has been radically transforming the country — at a breathtaking pace. Where is the modernizer and despot steering the kingdom?
Saudi Arabia is the world's leading exporter of crude oil. But Crown Prince MBS wants to prepare the country for the post-oil era. Two-thirds of the country's population is under 30 years old, and the crown prince is taking radical measures to turn the previously strictly conservative society on its head.
The documentary shows how contradictory Mohammed bin Salman's ambitions for his "Vision 2030" are, as it takes a look behind the scenes of the transformation.
On the one hand, there is the "Neom" project, which aims to create a futuristic new megacity in the desert. Tourism is to be expanded, major music and sporting events are to be brought to the country, and an extravagant lifestyle is being promoted.
At the same time, an authoritarian style of government continues to prevail, dissidents are sometimes brutally suppressed, and women's rights are still not fully granted - even if the influence of the ultra-conservative religious leaders of Wahhabism is no longer as strong as it once was.