The trick in these despotic countries is to give as little as possible over a long a time as possible as critical mass and the fear of revolution increases. Then hopefully they can once again crack down in the face of some common enemy, (real or imaginary).

The Communists in China and the Mullahs in Iran acquired their power in the same way but the Chinese have many more enemies to rouse fear over plus they have a Chinese tradition of peasants and rulers that goes back for thousands of years.

The Mullahs are one note Johnnys and the people in Iran have little to fear from "The Great Satan", since they live in a hell on earth already!

Critical mass is being reached.

Warren