Although I am more than willing to take credit for it, it was Wojtek who began listing examples, not me.
Really, I'm trying to imagine a possible mechanism by means of which the wealthy would always control the state that does not involve telepathic control of the police force and not getting anywhere.
The wealthy (more specifically, propertu-owners) have a large amount of influence on the state due to being wealthy. It doesn't come at their beck and call. They are not the only influence.
--- On Sat, 9/26/09, Somebody Somebody <philos_case at yahoo.com> wrote:
And if Hugo
> Chavez is an exceptional figure in this regard, what do we
> make of the whole array of similar national liberation
> regimes in the post-colonial period, some of which Chris
> Doss already mentioned?