But it would have needed a radical move away from the old autocratic system of government.

He then began to carefully design an autocratic system, with heavy reliance on family and clan members, oil revenues and patronage.

He was absent for weeks at a time for treatment, with no one to assume command, especially problematic for a centralized, autocratic system.

Yet since 1945 and 1989, it has been autocratic systems of government which have been in retreat.

Throughout much of human history societies have been governed under dictatorial or autocratic systems, resulting in a wide variety of thrones that have been used by given heads of state.