In 2001, in the wake of the September 11th attacks, Jonah Goldberg wrote that terror attacks in the name of Islamic fundamentalism were not a true challenge to the spread of liberal democracy, but the last-gasp death throes of those who opposed democracy's inevitable advance.
Now, with election fraud reversed in Ukraine, fair elections completed in Afghanistan and the Palestinian territories, and another election on the way in Iraq, Goldberg argues persuasively that we are finally witnessing what Francis Fukuyama famously called "the end of history": Mankind's universal recognition of liberal democracy as the best way to organize society.
The expansive, decent version of democracy will come to the Middle East and the rest of the world — eventually. If the Iraqi elections fail, even their failure will reinforce the desire for successful elections. Many complain that in Iraq the process is too bloody or too expensive, but these critics are determined to make the perfect the enemy of the good. At the end of the tunnel we, or our children, will look back on America's role as the catalyst for democracy, and we'll be proud that we were on the right side of history and its end.Fukuyama coined his phrase back in 1990, so the end of history is taking almost as long to play out as the end of The Return of the King.
But we're getting there.
2 comments:
well it is fancier, but the color, black and tan? hmmmm.
honestly hope he's right, I think it's the modern Algiers, we are the French. I hope it's not the new viet nam. so you think 10 years of violence will be worth it? Maybe. five but no success, all the people die in a vain war? I guess I'm rooting that Bush can pull it off. I don't believe he can, but what choice do we have? What gets me is the arrogance to suggest, everything is peachy keen, even now, you quoting some guy saying it's inevitable. Good will triumph. Well history is full of triumphs, and failures. And this one, all the rosy glasses on, wishing, may not make it true. Nothing, and I mean nothing the administration has said has come true, why should that change suddenly?
It's about democracy, really? I think it's about large modern nation-states with giant economy's needing access to cheap energy. You really think we would be remaking the Mid East if it wasn't for oil? Honestly Africa has plenty of countries that could use democracy. Yep the dark continent could use a litte military muscule to prevent real atrocities, but we aren't running down there to save the day. Nope, unt uh, we're not.
So back to Iraq, God I hope I'm wrong.
Posted by fasteddie
It's supposed to be black and yellow like my motorcycle at the top of the home page. The tan is just because too much bright yellow hurts the eyes.
Posted by GaijinBiker
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