Reply #119: People worldwide do care about democracy

[malaise]

But we also have eyes and ears and we can see what happens after the Western version is imposed on their societies. Those that haven't been attacked covertly or overtly have been battered by policies that have destroyed their industries, forced cut backs in basic human services that were provided by the state after we did our part and paid our taxes. That was the arrangement they told us.

Our governments (who must be acceptable to yours or know that we can all expect chaos a la Venezeula, Argentina - pick a country)are telling us that their hands are tied to the neoliberal and globalization model imposed by mulilateral lending agencies, GATT and WTO - Jeffrey Sach's model.

Well after 20 plus years of IMF and World Bank policies, check the value of our currencies - pick a country. Watch the way in which education, health, transportation, security etc have all deteriorated in our countries. We have watched as our own industries have been destroyed; we have watched as transnational companies squeeze out our own who have been farmers for hundreds of years. We watched a lot of things and we have all the data that we need. The model being imposed on us by people chatting rubbish about democracy non stop, while grabbing our resources, and devaluing our lives, has made our lives harder in every sphere.

Then of course we've all been bombarded by cable so we have a good idea about what's going on in your republic in terms of democracy.

Many of us just laugh at the illusion because across our part of the hemisphere every one else votes for their leader except you.

Yes we all want democracy but as defined by us, not anyone else with their own interests superceding ours. Yes we want democracy but nothing that I have read in academic texts coming from those who are still thinking in the US, suggests that there is anything there but a plutocracy with millions of alienated people facing the same policies and problems as the rest of us.

Sadly the US and UKs version of democracy no longer fools most people in developing countries.

Like many of you, we came to terms with the reality that all this apple pie rubbish about democracy is an illusion. We have all the data we need.
When multinationals are willing to grab water from poor developing countries for profit while many of our citizens don't have water, just who do they think they are fooling when they shout democracy.
The good news is that this is merely a moment in history and there will be another 'post-Vietnam' moment that will give us decade to deliver some humanity to our populations.

I remember when Jeffrey Sachs was the neo-liberal/structural adjustment guru. Today he agrees with me. He saw in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union that he had created unbelievable suffering to the people in that part of the world - and he walked away from it.

The world won't put up with this for much longer. You can turn people back economically but they wake up - they have no choice.
This too will pass. The edges are badly frayed.