Libyan television viewers were treated this week to a rare scene – Colonel Muammer Gaddafi, their ruler, was debating with disapproving senior government officials his grand plan to distribute the proceeds of oil wealth directly to the people and abolish government ministries.

In a country where no dissent is tolerated, viewers heard Farhat Omar Bin Guidara, central bank governor, telling the leader that doling out large sums of money to the masses would fuel inflation, cause the value of the dinar to drop and create a balance of payments deficit.