"George W. Bush tarnished the idea of democracy promotion, but that doesn't mean it's not a worthy goal..."
Sorry, this is a dangerous and stupid idea, and it wasn’t just Bush who has made a hash of things since WWII. Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Bush pere, and sleazy Clinton all interfered in other people’s affairs, killing many and helping few.
We need to make our own democracies as admirable as possible, so that people admire them.
But the history of the modern era just could not be clearer about the way democracy comes about.
Economic growth produces a middle class of size and substance. Once this group is large enough, it does not want its decisions made by autocrats or aristocrats.
Democracy blooms naturally from a healthy economy over time. It is as inevitable as mushrooms on the lawn after spring rain. It causes old customs to drop away and promotes human rights through the wider enjoyment of society's blessings.
So we should be ready to assist others in making their societies grow and offering technical assistance.
Anything more is Bushism.
Joseph Nye is an American, and he cannot resist the evangelical urge to change others: it is as American as cherry pie, and it is stupid and destructive.
A POSTAGE STAMP TO THE GLORY OF AMERICA'S PROMOTION OF DEMOCRACY
