The country was a dictatorship, and the dictator ruled over everything and everyone.
However, when the press came, he had a Potemkin village set up to fool them into thinking the people had food, decent homes, electricity, and freedom.
The press and foreign diplomats liked it so much, more of them came, and the dictator assigned more citizens to the village.
It grew into a city… then several cities… and eventually it spread across the entire country.
The place was prosperous, enlightened, peaceful, and free.
The dictator gladly relinquished power, put on some casual clothes, and enjoyed a stress-free life.