I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Democracy follows economic development, of the other way around. America and European countries all became more democratic after they became rich. Some autocratic governments can hinder economic development. Others, like in China and now Bangladesh, can be pretty competent about it.
Yep, we all can see how democratic Saudi has become.
Democracy _may_ follow economic development. Economic development (as in move past developing country phase) has essentially never followed early democratic development. Poor autocrats has a chance of becoming rich autocratic or rich democratic societies. Poor democratic societies largely stays poor, with historic consistency bordering on certainty. Best thing developing countries can wish for is competent autocrat and favourable geopolitical conditions.
Does it? By economic development do you mean relative to other countries or in absolute terms? The US was pretty democratic way before we were anywhere close to rich my 2023 standards.
Good point. The same can be said of the Roman Republic and classical Athens.