"You read the book he didn't write (because you said, he clarified the above point personally to you- lucky you!), I read the book that he DID write," What's your point? Don't pretend you know everything. I don't even believe you read that book, frankly. The way you wrote seems like you are just writing the excerpt that you saw somewhere. Frankly, I was just pointing out one grave error in your reason: that being rich is necessary to have functioning democracy. If you read logic, "Rich democracies function properly" doesn't imply "you need to be rich to have functioning democracy", ok? What about countries like Sri Lanka and Costa Rica who have functioning democracy? Anybody with a working knowledge of econometric induction can see easily what to infer from the result he cited. And what the hell your book sale data imply? I mean you are kidding with me? What kind of comparision is that? Two different books, that's all. There are more selling liberal books, there are other less selling conservative books. You simply don't know the art of statistical inference, do you? Be rigorous when you think you are trying to prove something. Frankly, I don't have time for nonsenses like yours. I was just giving you advice on one point which I just happened to see and found to be grossly erroneous, but is repeated so many times by pro-autocracies that even Farid had repeatedly disowned it. And, yea, I don't think talking with Farid means being so 'lucky', it might be for you.