Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein, while not technically a 'king', still ruled like one. He was Iraq's 5th president, running from 1979 to 2003. He is widely hated for his cruel dictatorship, and it is known that he suppressed multiple organisations, especially Shi'a movements - Over half of the population of Iraq are Shia muslims to date - attempting to overthrow the government and gain independent power.
He had thousands of portraits and paintings erected 'in his honor', as well as multiple statues, which were toppled by Iraqi citizens after his fall from government. This shows his personality - not at all humble - and how much many of his citizens despised him.
This shows a similarity between the ancient Mesopotamian society, and the modern day of Iraq, because of the place of the ruler (King/President) - and autocratic leadership - in the social hierarchy.
The UN Embargo of 1990
In August 1990, the United Nations Security Council created an embargo on Iraq, blocking all international trade and commercial activity with Iraq, which left long-lasting economic consequences for the country to sort out. This left the middle class either in poverty or leaving the country, with thousands of middle and lower class children dying from malnutrition and poor health care, whilst the upper class and leaders of the regime remained seemingly unaffected.
This is another example of how higher-ups are left in such overwhelming wealth, where they are untouched by something that so drastically affected even the middle class. This shows that there is still a significant hierarchy in Iraq, at least economically, if not socially.
Saddam Hussein, while not technically a 'king', still ruled like one. He was Iraq's 5th president, running from 1979 to 2003. He is widely hated for his cruel dictatorship, and it is known that he suppressed multiple organisations, especially Shi'a movements - Over half of the population of Iraq are Shia muslims to date - attempting to overthrow the government and gain independent power.
He had thousands of portraits and paintings erected 'in his honor', as well as multiple statues, which were toppled by Iraqi citizens after his fall from government. This shows his personality - not at all humble - and how much many of his citizens despised him.
This shows a similarity between the ancient Mesopotamian society, and the modern day of Iraq, because of the place of the ruler (King/President) - and autocratic leadership - in the social hierarchy.
The UN Embargo of 1990
In August 1990, the United Nations Security Council created an embargo on Iraq, blocking all international trade and commercial activity with Iraq, which left long-lasting economic consequences for the country to sort out. This left the middle class either in poverty or leaving the country, with thousands of middle and lower class children dying from malnutrition and poor health care, whilst the upper class and leaders of the regime remained seemingly unaffected.
This is another example of how higher-ups are left in such overwhelming wealth, where they are untouched by something that so drastically affected even the middle class. This shows that there is still a significant hierarchy in Iraq, at least economically, if not socially.