Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Is The Mideast Susceptible To Democracy? (Thomas Sowell)
IBD ^ | February 28, 2011 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 02/28/2011 6:43:53 PM PST by jazusamo

Those who see hope in the Middle East uprisings seem to assume that they will lead in the direction of freedom or democracy. There is already talk about the "liberation" of Egypt, even though the biggest change there has been that a one-man dictatorship has been replaced by a military dictatorship that has suspended the constitution.

Perhaps the military dictatorship will be temporary, as its leaders say, but we have heard that song before. What we have also heard, too many times before, is the assumption that getting rid of an undemocratic government means that it will be replaced by a freer and better government.

History says otherwise. After Russia's czars were replaced by the Communists, the government executed more people in a day than the czars had executed in half a century. It was much the same story in Cuba, when the Batista regime was replaced by Castro and in Iran when the Shah was replaced by the Ayatollahs.

It is not inevitable that bad regimes are replaced by worse regimes. But it has happened too often for us to blithely assume that overthrowing a dictator means a movement toward freedom and democracy.

The fact that Egyptians or others in the Middle East and elsewhere want freedom does not mean that they are ready for freedom. Everyone wants freedom for himself. Even the Nazis wanted to be free to be Nazis. They just didn't want anybody else to be free.

There is very little sign of tolerance in the Middle East, even among fellow Muslims with different political or religious views, and all too many signs of gross intolerance toward people who are not Muslims.

Freedom and democracy cannot be simply conferred on anyone. Both have preconditions, and even nations that are free and democratic today took centuries to...

(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: obama; sowell; thomassowell
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-28 last
To: jazusamo
Without a sense of responsible citizenship, voters can elect leaders who are not merely incompetent or corrupt, but even leaders with contempt for the Constitutional limitations on government power that preserve the people's freedom. Hmmm. This sounds vaguely familiar!!/s
21 posted on 02/28/2011 9:05:40 PM PST by SoldierDad (Proud dad of an Army Soldier preparing to deploy to Afghanistan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo

Recall when Libs complained that GWB didn’t have a cohesive post-Iraq invasion plan (expected 7th century humans would just welcome democracy with open arms)?

Well, Libs are making the same mistake they howled about just a few years ago in assuming the same thing will happen in Egypt, Libya, etc. (people will embrace democracy).

Oh the irony...


22 posted on 02/28/2011 9:08:25 PM PST by AlanGreenSpam (Obama: The First 'American IDOL' President - sponsored by Chicago NeoCom Thugs)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo

Great Post ! Sowell is a great American !


23 posted on 02/28/2011 9:20:46 PM PST by Edgewood Pilot ( "Trust but verify")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AlanGreenSpam

Except W did have a comprehensive plan. He even warned us it would be a long fight. The LSM chose to ignore that, and your average libdum is too wilfully ignorant, delusional, or both to have actually understood it (see “cognitive dissonance”). That also means the libdums are blind to what they are doing now...


24 posted on 02/28/2011 9:41:21 PM PST by piytar (Obastard is a use of the term "bastard" in the literal sense -- Obama is hiding his daddy's identity)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo
Bare literacy is just one of the things needed to make democracy viable. Without a sense of responsible citizenship, voters can elect leaders who are not merely incompetent or corrupt, but even leaders with contempt for the Constitutional limitations on government power that preserve the people's freedom. We already have such a leader in the White House — and a succession of such leaders may demonstrate that the viability of freedom and democracy can by no means be taken for granted here.

thank God we inherited a Constitutional Republic...but can we regain it ???

25 posted on 03/01/2011 5:18:04 AM PST by Gilbo_3 (Gov is not reason; not eloquent; its force.Like fire,a dangerous servant & master. George Washington)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo

This article brought tears to my heart. I fear we are a nation that lacks “bare literacy” needed to preserve our republic and I see no hope for improvement. I’ll will never stop fight though. Great post.


26 posted on 03/01/2011 5:42:32 AM PST by LuvFreeRepublic (Support our military or leave. I will help you pack BO!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jazusamo

Another home run by TS!


27 posted on 03/01/2011 7:27:01 AM PST by bayouranger (The 1st victim of islam is the person who practices the lie.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: bayouranger

>> The fact that Egyptians or others in the Middle East and elsewhere want freedom does not mean that they are ready for freedom.

Rather than drooling over Sowell’s fine article, I submit two comments:

1/ I’m old enough to remember Bill Murray (with a mask covering his face) on Saturday Night Live gleefully shouting “Down weeth de Shah! Down weeth de Shah!” Yeah, right.

2/ When the first of the Russian immigrants showed up in New York City, many of them ended up as cab drivers. One gave me a lecture: “You know the problem with America? You have TOO MUCH freedom!”


28 posted on 03/01/2011 10:56:44 PM PST by QBFimi (When gunpowder speaks, beasts listen.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-28 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson