Saudi: The Family in Crisis Thursday, 15 July, 2004 2100 BST on BBC Two (UK)

But this will be difficult to implement in a nation already divided between liberal and traditional viewpoints.

Liberal reformists are demanding the vote for women, democratic elections and economic reform, while reluctant hardline traditionalists are suspicious of the changes afoot and stress the importance of maintaining life under strict Islamic principles.

The royal family say they can fight extremists AND balance the demands of both liberals and reactionaries.

But how quickly would ordinary Saudis accept reform? What price might Saudi Arabia pay for modernisation? And should the West get involved?

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The comments published on this page reflect the balance of views we have received.

I was so pleased to see the programme did not use the usual stereotype of weak, compliant Arab women Judith Brown, Bristol

I found your programme on Saudi Arabia to be one of the most balanced and thoughtful television reports on the kingdom for some time. Your interviews with Saudi women were a particularly good piece of reporting. One of the most interesting issues it touched on is that of education. Despite broad enrolment in eduction across the country, school children and students come across as having a very narrow understanding of world history, religions and economics, which makes it difficult for the population at large to discuss and understand the challenges the country is facing.
David Roxby, London

Visiting Saudi Arabia, one cannot help being struck that those who are not consumed by hatred are paralysed by sheer boredom and frustration in a country with very few legitimate outlets for expression whether political, cultural, or personal. There is a wonderful strain of humour, humanity and astute realism in Saudi society too. If only that could be tapped into and fostered as an alternative to all the dreary platitudes of religion. Then the future might look brighter for them and the rest of us. I wish them well.
Roger Webster, Exeter

Thank you very much for showing the interesting report on Saudi Arabia tonight. My best friend is gynaecologist from Saudi Arabia (although she currently lives in Yemen) and through her I have met many Saudi Arabian women. Like the interviewees on your film, they feel that although things are not perfect, when the time is right they will press for the reforms they want, and even with the restrictions in their everyday lives they still feel that some aspects of their lives are better than ours in the West.

I was thoroughly impressed by the objective nature with which the documentary was handled Gareth Thomas, UK

I was so pleased to see the programme did not use the usual stereotype of weak, compliant Arab women, but showed them as intelligent, articulate and independent. The Kingdom does have serious problems which were well explained on the programme, and creating a prosperous future will be challenging. But I was pleased that the programme looked for Arab solutions, rather than imposing views of Western "experts". A very good programme. Can we have more programmes about the Middle EAst like this?
Judith Brown, Bristol

The programme was brilliant. I was surprised and delighted to see women speaking very well with outstanding logic and conviction. The Saudis, unlike us, are moving forward.
Paul, London

I would like to open by saying that I was thoroughly impressed by the objective nature with which the documentary was handled. It appears there is a conflict of ideologies within Saudi society, stemming from the dialectic natures of their economy and their strict religious beliefs. The only way I can see out of it is to act less hypocritically (no offence intended) and reject corporate nature and American imports and focus on a more beneficial, unique and spiritual community.
Gareth Thomas, UK

Too many people in the West want to make societies like this change to Western ways Leslie Lowes, Scotland

The programme doesn't mention the several million foreign workers in the kingdom - more than there are Saudi citizens - most of whom are severely oppressed. The Saudis have not removed extremist Imams - only those that openly promote violence within Saudi. Saudi Arabia is one of the most oppressive countries in the world, with very little real freedom.
Guy, UK

Congratulations, not a minute of airtime wasted. All power to you for a greater understanding of this wonderful country and its people, caught between faith and modernism.
Andrew Robinson, France

Saudi society is extremely complex and seriously misunderstood in the West. The veil is completely misunderstood. It merely conforms to the Saudi adherence to absolute family privacy. Men go out from the home to do business. Women look after the home. If they do go out, they wear veils to remain private, like being behind a net curtain. I once asked a Saudi woman I worked with out there,why she wore a veil. Was it to please her father? She replied that she wore it to please herself, because she felt safe behind it and no one knew who she was.

Too many people in the West want to make societies like this change to Western ways, forgetting they have their own norms and values which are important to them.
Leslie Lowes, Scotland

Saudi Arabia is faced with a dilemma of balancing the rapid pace of economic development with that of establishing political institutions. Furthermore, the ruling elite has to adjust the informal tribal institutions with those structures that conform with the requirements of modern times. Combatting terrorism has to be seen in this context, at least in Saudi Arabia.

This programme summed up the real situation and the general feeling of people there May Jones, UK

If Saudi Arabia wants to change slowly how is this possible with oil revenues set to decrease every year and with hydrogen fuel cells coming in the next 20 years. I wonder if this terrorism is the last cry of a civilisation doomed to extinction because of the slow speed at which it can change. What can it do without oil?
Jason Stark, UK

I lived in Saudi Arabia for some time, and the programme truly stated the real situation there. It summed up the general feeling of the people there. It also gave an insight into Saudi life for foreigners living there, which I'm glad people had the chance to see.
May Jones, UK

This was a brilliant programme, it showed both sides of the story of the state of Saudi Arabia. Very good programme, well done BBC for great programming, especially the interviews with the Saudi people.
Tony Montana, UK