Surrounded by an aura of stability and legitimacy, Juan Carlos provided the deft guidance that enabled Spain to make the treacherous transition from an authoritarian state to a vibrant, deep-rooted democracy.

FORBES: Fact and Comment

Even a well-functioning state, be it democratic or authoritarian, will fail to conserve monuments unless local people see an interest in maintaining their heritage and using it rationally, says Vincent Michael, new chairman of the Global Heritage Fund (GHF), based in California.

ECONOMIST: UNESCO is better at naming enemies than finding friends

Many Arabs with liberal leanings, for instance, quietly prefer authoritarian rule to the unknown quality of a supposedly democratic Islamic state, something which Mr Diamond, in a recent essay, reckons that some 40-45% of the people in four Arab countries seem to wish for.

ECONOMIST: Arab democracy