Wealth and the Persistence of Authoritarianism in Singapore and Gulf States

Introduction

In the early 1990s, a beckon of democratisation turned the world, leading in the crumple of various governments, particularly in Eastern part of the Europe and Latin America, and their substitute by self-governing authoritieses. The Gulf States was unaffected, nevertheless, establishing an “autocratic exclusion,” which produced to an ample illuminated on the argues for this opposition(Benjamin & Huang 2010, pp. 523-543). Various elements were suggested to explicate the firm resiliency of dictatorship and the obstructions to the emersion of democratic state in the neighborhood.

Following decolonization, Gulf states have been seen as a transformative force, whose mission is to promote social change and economic development and respond to their promise of greater social justice and political and economic independence. Opposition movements and political opportunities for protest and pluralism reduced or excluded from the basis that they were incompatible with the struggle against imperialism and the need for economic development. Traditional structures of mediation between state and society is distorted and patronage networks for the distribution of services, which allowed states to consolidate their power. The Arab-Israeli conflict, and allowed many regimes to suppress the slightest trace of opposition, brandishing the threat of "foreign conspiracy" and adherence to the "Zionist enemy". The use of repression and violence strengthens state authority against the Arab society . All safety valves should have made it possible to regulate people's demands and claims have been closed, creating a situation of frustration and despair, which periodically escalated into violent protests (bread riots, assassination attempts of political leaders, etc). Protesters in Tunis and Cairo also criticized the regimes toppled by his inability to give a moral example and its corrupting influence. The collapse of the regime because of corruptness and moral decadency in the centers of his people remember the work of the Arab historian Ibn Khaldun (Lago, 43-51). Observation of the dynasty in power, Ibn Khaldun says that these states were driven initially Assabiya, tribal or religious esprit de corps, which allowed the leader to climb their way to power (Lee, 8-14). But it's the same spirit animates the authoritarian excesses, which, in turn, requires Khisal, that is, personal dignity and moral example of the governor to reverse the injustice and corruption. The cycle starts decline, supports Khaldun, when Khisal disappears and people start to believe their leadership are virtuously bankrupt autocrats (Garry, Gordon & Uri 1997,pp. 87-93).

Singapore Economy

The city-state displays an insolent economic health with a growth rate in 2010 of nearly 15%, probably the highest in the world.

Singapore has definitely turned his back on the crisis that continues to weigh on Western economies. After a 2009 marked by a black drop of 2.1% of GDP, the government of the city-state has announced that growth would be between 13 and 15% this year, well above its Initial estimates which projected an increase of 7 to 9% of GDP. The higher forecast is largely explained by the strong economy in the first half, with ...