Fundamentals of Power, Exceptionalism and the Issue of Succession in Saudi Arabia

The foundations of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reside in a far more complex scheme than that suggested by the mere feedback between religion and state. In the construction of that framework play an important role not only the well-known areas of domestic support, but also the external backing provided by the U.S. For this reason, it is logical to wonder about the current state of their bilateral relations, taking into account that there have been frictions of a considerable magnitude. After that, the text addresses the strategy and concrete tools with which the Saudi State has succeeded to contain the tide caused by the Arab uprisings. The analysis concludes with the exploration of trends regarding the succession of the Saudi leadership in the medium/long term.