Petrodollars have the potential to expedite democracy in Arab world « Thread Started on Aug 2, 2007, 6:38am » --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Oil and democracy Petrodollars have the potential to expedite democracy in Arab world Published: 08.02.07, 07:56 / Israel Opinion read at source> http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340 ... .htmlLet's take a look at the Arab Muslim arena: The three fragile democracies – in Lebanon, Palestine and Iraq – are somehow surviving. The elected Lebanese government has succeeded in warding off a coup by Hizbullah; Mahmoud Abbas and his cronies managed to confine the Advertisement Hamas fire to the Gaza Strip, and under the leadership of a reliable prime minister they are making an effort at renewal; in Iraq there are growing indications of normalization - normalization under the auspices of the American army, but also under the auspices of the fatigue of murderous Iraqi terror perpetrated by marginal organizations. This is not yet the democratic Middle East that George Bush doesn't tire of addressing in his speeches, yet in the summer of 2007 there is room for cautious optimism. The hundreds of billions of petrodollars are also, as of now, strengthening democratic trends. The wealth of oil has crisscrossing influences. Dark and tyrannical regimes can use it to bribe the people, quell opponents, and establish their rule for a few more years. More open and enlightened regimes can use it to open up to globalization, exploit its advantages, invite foreign investors, and along with it foreign cultures – and in so doing raise the population's standard of living. Ostensibly, there is no way of knowing in advance which influence would take precedence. Economic research that examined the relationship between oil wealth and democratization found a negative statistical correlation between additional oil fields and the implementation of democratic institutions. I would like to propose a reverse argument here (also contrary to my own theories in the past): Petrodollars could expedite democratization of the Muslim world; they are already making a change. The billions of petrodollars have turned the countries of the Persian Gulf – with the exception of Iran – into a paradise for their people. The young generation is preoccupied with planning investments and in shopping sprees, not in organizing terror. The internal risk to their stability has waned and the not-quite democratic regimes can allow themselves a significant democratic boost.