Free and Fair elections-democratization, are not a panacea for a developing country's economic woes. Democratically elected governments do not necessarily produce competent leaderships. The levels of education and literacy in a country and the strenghts and stability of the institutions of governance are key for a developing country to benefit from its natural resources.

An intelligent and benign dictator can develope his country by providing the leadership required for a defined national development gaol through education and capacity development of the citizenry and governance institutional strenghtening while twisting arms to maintain national stabilty thereby averting the overnight disastrous regime changes that have led to economic deterioration in developing countries. 

Eng. Ahmed Finoh

Durham, North Carolina

USA