Democracy and a middle-class are related and both exist on the base of industrial exports.
Where do we have democracies? It is always where we have an
established middle-class or a growing new middle-class. We have a
middle-class only in countries who's names are on the products we buy.
If it says "Made in..." we either have a nation with an established
middle-class or the middle-class is growing: Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Mexico, Vietnam, Chile, India, Ireland, Singapore,Thailand and Brazil.
Only industrial production is capable of creating the conditions of
middle-class life: meritocracy, high output per worker, efficient use
of resources and constant cost reduction. No other human form of organization
is comparable to industrial commerce in its productive capacity. Shining examples are always
Singapore and Israel, two countries with virtually no natural
resources, extensive industrial bases and export driven output. Both countries are in
the top ranks of education and income and along with Holland, these are the
countries with greatest per capita income per square mile in the world.
All three countries also produce a few extremely wealthy people. Extreme wealth, generated by commerce, is probably a necessary part of creating a viable middle-class.