Professor El Mallakh's book, an analysis of Saudi Arabia's economy during the first two five-year plans (1970-80) and of prospects for the third (1980-85), using all the available statistics, is the best and most comprehensive yet published. Although he does not dwell much on political conditions and may take too rosy a view of Saudi Arabia's prospects, he is not unaware of the pitfalls in the unprecedented economic and social transition that is taking place. By contrast, the volume of Fouad Al-Farsy, a Saudi official, though presented as a case study in development, merely describes the administrative system without delving deeply into either politics or economics.
