Imagine two Middle Eastern countries. The first is very unlike the rest of the region. It is economically highly productive, with a GDP per capita of $80,000—the highest in the Middle East. It has excellent universities and a highly developed technology sector. Its people do not agree on everything, but they are broadly supportive of liberal democracy. The second is far more like its neighbors. A significant share of its population is not employed, and what jobs its people do have are often low-