[novok]

More accurately is the ruling class wants to stay rich, and if they can stay rich without needing an educated and non-poor populace, all the better, because the hungry, disconnected and illiterate do not start effective revolutions. You see this in many resource dictatorships, since you don't need your populace to create your wealth.

In dictatorships where they need the populace, then they are in a tough spot, because the only way you get rich is having a developed population productive enough to tax, which you see in Singapore, China, Dubai and Iran somewhat.

It is this kind of authoritarian regime that needs the internet, but also wishes they didn't need the internet in the case of Iran and China.

CGP gray has a great youtube video summary explaining this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rStL7niR7gs