In order to understand how the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has achieved in three decades what many thought would take far longer, it is necessary to appreciate the contribution that long-term strategic planning has made to the developmental process.
The Kingdom's Development Plans have considered every aspect of the economy, identifying its infrastructural, agricultural, industrial and commercial needs and formulating strategies, all compatible with each other, to achieve clearly defined national goals. Oil revenues have made the government the driving force behind the economy and, out of those oil revenues, the government has provided the essential infrastructure without which the economy could not mature.
At the same time, it should be understood that Saudi Arabia operates a market economy in which free enterprise can flourish. Indeed, as the country's agricultural and industrial base expands, the part played by the private sector in the economy will grow in importance, reducing the role played by government.
