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Fair enough, although that has the unintended side-effect of very slightly enriching people without your scruples.

Slight tangent - this is a variant of the Trolley Problem. I think it is sometimes morally good to do something slightly morally bad in order to acquire significant resources which can be used in a much more impactful way. For example, I don't think it's hard to argue that it is net morally good to make millions in slightly sleazy mid-2000s affiliate advertising and then give away most of the money to the Against Malaria Foundation.




I agree that it is always difficult to know where to draw the moral line in cases like this, but if the Saud’s decide to sell Aramco then it will be because they are desperate for money. Anyone buying shares will only increase the price and hence the amount of money going towards propping up what is a totally corrupt theocracy. The sooner the House of Saud is forced by lack of cash to join the 21st century the better.


The sad thing might be that lack of cash forces them to join the 14th century, not the 21st.


I doubt very much that this transition is going to be smooth, but I don’t think it will be made any easier by delaying change.




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