The oil that the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf have in abundance also works against democracy, for it creates an incentive for the rulers to retain power indefinitely. Oil revenues enable them to bribe the population to remain politically passive, while discouraging the creation of the kind of free-market system that breeds democracy.
波斯湾阿拉伯国家手中丰富的石油也经常成为民主的障碍，因为它会诱使统治者无限期地维护自己的权力。石油收入使他们可以收买本国的人民，让他们在政治上保持消极。幸运的是埃及的石油和天然气储备不甚丰富，也有助于其民主前景。