Word: riches
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...coup de grâce, not a coup d'état. The military did not tear up our constitution and harm our democracy, since we had already materially lost them during the past five years under Thaksin's regime. Suwimon Issararaksa Bangkok In an immature democracy, an ultra-rich and clever person could manipulate elections by buying votes from poor people, then take advantage of loopholes in the constitution; and with complicated, time-consuming government procedures helping him, he could stay in power. He could use his position to fill senior government posts in the civil service, law enforcement...
Once a haven for hippies, Marrakech has outgrown that phase along with its visitors. Today, it's a showcase of high design, mixing Euro cool with the medina's rich colors. The "new Marrakech" look is keeping local craftsmen busy: if you spy a piece[an error occurred while processing this directive] of furniture you like during your stay, most places will sell it to you and ship it back home...
...Other schemes have been more controversial: Last August, Caracas Mayor Juan Barreto declared that he planned to seize the city's two main golf courses, which he said were the preserve of the rich, and use the land to build homes for as many as 50,000 people. "This is a first step towards the democratization of land," Barreto told state television. "It's to give a new social sense to the city, so it can be enjoyed by everyone and not be a privatized city under a neo-liberal concept...
...There is certainly a sharp contrast between the Congested Caracas barrios where the poor fight for the basics, and the leafy, mansion-lined streets where the rich enjoy first-world luxury. And it is the wealthy elite that maintain the Caracas Country Club on nearly 200 acres, which includes an 18-hole golf course, horse stables and grounds, and tennis courts...
...Duran and her fellow protesters say the housing plight is so dire in Caracas that the Mayor needs to find land where he can - even if it means expropriating golf courses. "If we have to go to that extreme, we have to do it," she said. "I imagine the rich are angry right now, but there's nothing else we can do. It's better if they help us to find houses for our children...