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Real reform or a Chicom-style safety valve?

Reader comment on item: Music and Islamists

Submitted by Dave (United States), Dec 24, 2021 at 21:40

The Chicoms were clever to add a dollop of capitalism to their dreary economy. That eliminated enough poverty and misery to help ensure adequate popular acquiescence to their continued totalitarian control.

I just wonder if the Saudis are undertaking a similar step towards ensuring their rule by allowing some measure of social liberalization, just enough to satisfy the desire of the people for enjoyment and personal freedom to prevent a social explosion or rebellion, but not so much as to bring about a fundamental political transformation.

Of course, the Soviet experience of perestroika shows that these things can get out of hand and actually bring about major change. Of course, only the Saudi rulers know their real aims; the rest of us can only guess. At least things are headed in the right direction.

Submitting....

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Daniel Pipes replies:

There's no doubt that MbS sees change as necessary to remain in power.

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Reader comments (10) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1Real reform or a Chicom-style safety valve? [134 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
DaveDec 24, 2021 21:40277495
Bob Marley not Haraam in the Gulf [21 words]PezDispenserDec 1, 2017 01:54241431
1Now feminists follow in Islamist footsteps once more [48 words]AnonMay 2, 2017 10:09238940
1Nothing can be better than Islamists hating Music [40 words]PrashantSep 7, 2016 23:12232417
2Keep an eye on the Islamic Organization of The Southern Tier [109 words]dhimmi no moreSep 7, 2016 17:24232409
5Palestinian Life [211 words]ElenaAug 9, 2014 01:14216999
1MUSIC: What a great example! [235 words]SvetJun 6, 2010 03:31173913
1The crevices within Islam [222 words]Kurt BaskingFeb 12, 2010 23:22168842
2hey the saudis allowed a mixed gender concert with western music ?, may be they are ready to crawl into the 17 th. century ? ..Feb 2010 [212 words]Phil GreendFeb 5, 2010 15:13168509
Mohammed Abdu mosque [69 words]Kevin MJul 24, 2009 13:12159241

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