by Robert Kagan| Submit your comments on this article |
| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| History returns |
| 2008-08-17 |
| by Robert Kagan |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #5 Once again I'd like to point out that the ideas of freedom and liberty are not only relative, but that the biggest and most powerful selling points of democracy are not freedom and liberty, but efficiency. Freedom and liberty come along just as side effects of efficiency, something that is completely over the heads of socialist-collectivists. They think that collectivism, as is found in animal groups, is more efficient, but they are mistaken. In truth, the only real value of collectivism is found in situations of near-starvation shortage and extremely harsh conditions. Astronauts on a Moon base would have to share and ration everything, because nothing they have to have to survive is in excess. However, when anything is in abundance, collectivism is an obstacle to efficiency. At that point, economics is dictated by "opportunity costs" and marginality, using the abstract of currency to streamline trade. The free market wins hands down. As does the freedom and liberty needed to run the free market. This is why Americans are often so befuddled by democracy in other countries. They both assume that other people want the same freedoms and liberties that Americans *currently* hold as the definition of freedom and liberty, and that they also hold the same national aspirations that Americans do. Historically, we might even be grateful for the horrific inefficiency, brutality, and bloodshed of the communists in ruling Russia for 75 years. This is because of what the other alternative to Russian history might have been. When the Menshevik democrats overthrew the Czar, for the short time they existed, government in Russia went insane. Their democratic government made the Moonbats of San Francisco look like conservatives. The vast majority of Russians were uneducated and primitive peasants of the lowest order. Intensely xenophobic and violent, they themselves wanted an oppressive and violent government that would give them control and order. Were such a group to be given the efficiency of democracy, not only chaos but vicious war would have been the result. Imagine the Soviet Union, but not bogged down with the stupid and murderous philosophy of communism. It might have very well conquered the world. Communism was so incredibly bad as a system of government that it was perhaps the only thing that could have stopped Russia. Lenin and Stalin took Russia from the Stone Age and moved them into the Iron Age, but at such a cost that Russia has used itself up. The rest of the world can now defend itself against the bear. So Russia finally has at least a not insane version of democracy. But they still use its greater efficiency to their ends, which have little or nothing to do with American goals. Russians are still intensely xenophobic, and afraid of chaos. So they still want a strong central government and to menace their potential enemies. But this is only a pale shadow of what Russia used to want. So the power of democracy can be theirs. And perhaps they will someday use it better, seeing freedom and liberty, Russian style, as helping them instead of as a threat. Yet America isn't free. We cannot drive on our freeways with little or no speed limit, like the Germans. And the Germans love and cherish that freedom. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-08-17 12:41 |
| #4 I wonder how the left is interpreting this last week's worth of events in the east. They have had a few days to think about it, but I don't have the stomach to cruise around the leftosphere. Prolly thinking of new ways to surrender in digital format if I know them. But for all their bluster about freedom of this or that they never DO anything. |
| Posted by: bigjim-ky 2008-08-17 10:47 |
| #3 Unless you wont to join the Athenian Empire. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-08-17 09:40 |
| #2 Above my pay grade. |
| Posted by: Obamessiah 2008-08-17 09:22 |
| #1 History bites the [not so] intellectual class. The death of Archimedes holds no warning for those who believe themselves above the real discourse of human affairs. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2008-08-17 08:38 |