AHC: Make Saudi a constitutional monarchy

As it says in the tin. What would it take for Saudi Arabia to become a constitutional monarchy? Is it ASB or not?

Also, about the other Arab countries with conservative monarchies, how would they democratize?
 

jahenders

Banned
In a weird sense, Saudi could be considered a constitutional monarch where the Qur'an / Sharia are the constitutions of the country. As applied, those don't really protect rights as most constitutions do.

In order for Saudi to become a traditional constitutional monarchy, it would probably have to flow like most other such -- from a revolution/uprising that forced concessions (think Magna Carta) but didn't fully overthrow things.

Other conservative monarchies COULD become constitutional monarchies the same way. However, there are some things that lower the probability:
1) In many cases, such an uprising would completely overthrow the monarchy and would go to a democracy of some sort (Arab Spring -- Egypt, Libya, etc)

2) In some cases, uprisings in that area might essentially become radical Islamic dictatorships (like ISIS) that could eventually become monarchies where the Qur'an / Sharia are essentially considered the constitutions of the country

As it says in the tin. What would it take for Saudi Arabia to become a constitutional monarchy? Is it ASB or not?

Also, about the other Arab countries with conservative monarchies, how would they democratize?
 
Find some way, which is going to be tricky, for the Free Princes Movement to be more successful? That's the only incident that I know of from our timeline. The other option I can think of is for Nasser to foment a coup within the country but keep an Arabian face on things by operating via proxies. Then to bring it more under his direct control Arabia joins the United Arab Republic, but when that falls apart they declare independence and put Ameera al-Taweel or one of the liberal princes on the re-created throne as a constitutional monarch as a way of fully breaking with/distinguishing themselves from Nasser's Egypt.
 

LordKalvert

Banned
As mentioned, the Koran serves as Saudi's constitution. It does protects rights as far as the culture is concerned. We might value free speech and a free press but the Saudis don't at least to the degree we do

There was some talk about making King Saud a figurehead but he pleaded with his brothers that he wasn't "Queen Elizabeth". His brothers saw the point and deposed him instead, replacing him with King Faisal.
 
Well its only Saudi that's a conservative Monarchy honestly. But if the GCC completely became democratic. That would be nice.
 

jahenders

Banned
I guess one other possibility for several of those countries would be for the British to mandate a traditional constitution when they supported, or imposed, kings at the end of WW I.

In Saudi, in particular, they could have given some support to Sharif Hussein bin Ali against Saud (or vice versa) if they would agree to constitutional limitations.
 
I guess one other possibility for several of those countries would be for the British to mandate a traditional constitution when they supported, or imposed, kings at the end of WW I.

In Saudi, in particular, they could have given some support to Sharif Hussein bin Ali against Saud (or vice versa) if they would agree to constitutional limitations.

That and the Uqair Protocal never happened, so they wouldn't take Kuwaiti lands which contained almost All of today's Saudi Oil.
 
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