I'm reminded of a YouTube video, The Rules for Rulers, that touched on this. It makes the point that in a country with oil-based wealth, the keys to power are held by a few small elite, in contrast to a country with a 'service economy', in which case the masses are vital to the country's wealth.

[0] https://youtu.be/rStL7niR7gs?t=733 (Relevant segment is about 60 seconds)