Demo....cracy, Demo....crazy and World System Theory (???)

On John Walsh posting:

>The implications that list members have taken from this question seem to
>disregard the effects of bombing on countries like South Korea, Taiwan,
>The Philippines, and India. These countries were not themselves bombed
>but they were the beneficiaries of bombing. Today they have vibrant
>democracies.


Add the state of Israel - but what's India got to do with it ? In my modest
opinion India was an ally of the USSR and Pakistan - which is not a
particularly vibrant democracy - of the USA.  Maybe Walsh is talking here
of the supposed British nuclear umbrella for Indian democracy - principally
against China - which British politicians were vaunting themselves on, until
1968 - but I don't think anybody in India would even have accepted the
existence of that umbrella. Though I suspect India developing nuclear
weapons after 1967 has a lot to do with the factual disappearence of that
`umbrella'.

However, the two states which have been most forcefully protected - and most
helped -by the USA were certainly not shining examples of democracy: namely
the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iran under the shah. Nor would I class the
great anti-communist military bastion in Africa, Apartheid South Africa, as
a shining example of democratic majority rule. And - lest we forget -
generals Stroessner and Pinochet were also great friends and pupils of the
USA. Very, very long ago - some people were very angry at the US helping
Pinochet and South Africa, can't recall any names.

The US is willing to help democracy - if and as long as democracy does not
conflict with US vital national interests, meaning first and foremost, those
of US transnational companies. - For the US is the hegemonic power of the
CAPITALIST world-system ... sounds vaguely familiar somehow  ...

And as for the US-allies, France in particular, I'm not even so sure about
that. I have the feeling - but I never researched it - that in its African
and Pacific `sphere of interest' the Foreign Legion and the French secret
service are more in favour of  a kind of presidential authoritarian rule
assisted by experts - kind of a global Gaulisme - than of Westminster or
Washington type democracy.

You can't be a sovereign democracy if most of your economy is controled by
foreign companies - ask the people of Jamaica -  or if your budget has to
confirm to World Bank diktats - ask the people of Ghana - or if another
country constantly interfers in your internal affairs - ask the people of
Suriname -. That is if your country is at the periphery of the capitalist
world-system, if you have a 'lumpen' development, you have a 'lumpen'
democracy - where did I hear that before??? ....

And ... as to the NIC democracies being an example  I don't think courageous
people need any foreign example trying to revolt against an inapt, military,
cleptocracy (a government of highway-robbers) the like of Mobutu's Zaire,
Duvaliers Haiti or the Nigerian generals, most of whom are stooges of the US
or US-transnational companies and of a `lumpen bourgeoisie' - am I just
inventing this now or ... did n't I I hear that somewhere before (???) ...

Let me relate some further very ancient history. Once upon a time - not even
so long ago - ... the State Department, World Bank and the IMF were strongly
in favour of authoritarian rule to `jumpstart the economy' (democracy not
being fitted to the Third World) ... as had been shown in Taiwan and South
Korea ... And people who were crying out for more popular participation in
governments in the Third World were then ridiculed as hopeless defenders of
utopian ideas ... for, as South Korea, Singapore or Taiwan had shown ...
democracy would only come after `economic modernisation'.

SOME people - to relate more ancient history - objected to this that
modernisation in a capitalist world-system did not necessarily mean more
popular participation ... for example, you can't have a meaningful democracy
if the revenues of the state are entirely  dependent on a single export-crop
or product the price of which is fixed 6.000 km from your country (ask the
people of forementioned countries again.) That is if your country is at the
periphery of the capitalist world-system - now, didn't I hear that before,
somewhere ...

But what was that World-system theory again ??? - World System Network
readers?  Twenty-five - odd years is a long time is n't it ?

R.J. Barendse
International Institute Asian Studies
r.barendse@worldonline.nl