Kuwait and the dynamics of socio-economic change

Because of Kuwait's rapid economic development in the past four decades, new social strata have emerged with new demands and aspirations. Education and expanded employment opportunities, government subsidies and assistance, travel, immigration, and television have all changed society and increased social mobility. These transformations, in turn, have polarized Kuwaiti society along certain traditional divides: city versus desert, Shi'a versus Sunni, old money versus new money, men versus women. This article examines the dynamic interactions and developments among various sectors of Kuwaiti society, including students, merchants, Shi'a, bedouins, women, and naturalized Kuwaitis. These have emerged, since the 1950s, as socio-economic groupings with distinct interests in the political composition and policies of the Kuwaiti government.