I wouldn't suggest making that a habit, but since my opinion is involved in this case I'll say it's a good move .
This is nothing new... Governments tend to be more concerned with instability in urban populations. A rebellion in the countryside is seen as a long term problem that you may be able to squash without anyone noticing, while an urban insurrection can throw you out tomorrow. Governments in many of these countries are not, alas, always concerned with long-term planning and addressing root causes.
Sometimes measures taken to pacify an urban population can exacerbate problems in the countryside... more than one short-sighted ruler has put price controls on food to please the urban consumer, not anticipating (or not caring about) the impact on rural producers.
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