Saudi Arabia’s material power and immaterial power

the Kingdom’s positioning in the Middle East

Abstract

This paper deals with the centrality of the concept of power, an extremely complex concept and of various interpretations. By establishing as a central objective the analysis of Saudi Arabia's power bases, which provide the country with a relevant status in the Middle East, it is necessary to deal with the concept of power in its entirety, opening up the dialogue between two theoretical approaches that adapt to this dichotomous division of power: realism and liberalism. Thus, the interrelated questions that guide the research are: how are the material and immaterial powers of Saudi Arabia organized, providing a position of relevance in the region? Is any of these powers predominant in the Saudi kingdom? To answer the questions, the methodology includes bibliographic research and documentary research of statistical sources, to achieve the objective outlined in the Saudi Arabia case study. In material terms, the analysis is made operational through the absolute population, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), military expenditures and the size of the armed forces as palpable and measurable variables. As for immaterial power, it refers to more subjective variables, operationalized through the assessment of the government's legitimacy and credibility. The use of both facets of power, as support for each other, gave Saudi Arabia the status of a power in the region. In this sense, it is clear that there is no preponderance of any form of power; the sum and complementarity of both is fundamental to its position in the Middle East.