Protests rage in Bangkok, Thailand.
Thailand and Iran, two countries that had revolutions in the 1970s, are back in the news again regarding political protests. Thailand is the big story nowadays because there are violent protests in the streets led by a group called the Red Shirts that represent the urban and rural poor. There are less stories about Iran but there are still protests about the disputed elections that occurred last summer. Both Iran and Thailand's original revolutions must have failed because 30 years later they're still in turmoil.
So why exactly are these two countries still struggling for stability 3 decades after they revolted?
In Iran the economy was the root of their instability. Rasfanjani strengthened the theocratic republic but the country's economy faltered. With an economy so heavily centered around oil and a less than perfect government there was a lot of corruption and the wealth was not spread around. Nowadays the United States is also imposing economic sanctions on Iran which further deepens their economic problems.
In Thailand I don't understand the underlying problem with their government but it seems like the couldn't figure out what type of government worked best for them. After a coup in 1932 the government became a constitutional monarchy then it became a democracy briefly before quickly becoming ruled by the military. In 1992 Thailand held democratic elections once again and now the government has violent protesters attacking them. All the political flip-flopping makes the people anxious and revolution much more tangible because protests are in their blood.
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