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Lots of high minded British people want democracy in Belarus but spent two years trying to prevent the Brexit referendum result being implemented.
They like democracy but not the demos, not hoi polloi, now referred to as the white working class. They prefer foreigners who think like them, which is fine if you are organising a dinner party but not as a way to run a country.
A lot of Americans want democracy in Belarus but hate it that ordinary, un-bookish people defied the bipartisan political establishment and brought Donald Trump to power. They then draw parallels between President Trump and President Lukashenko. Many of these people are very clever, very silly academics.
They like democracy but not the demos, not hoi polloi, now referred to as the white working class. They prefer foreigners who think like them, which is fine if you are organising a dinner party but not as a way to run a country.
A lot of Americans want democracy in Belarus but hate it that ordinary, un-bookish people defied the bipartisan political establishment and brought Donald Trump to power. They then draw parallels between President Trump and President Lukashenko. Many of these people are very clever, very silly academics.
One can dislike or even protest some democratic outcomes and still think democracy a good if flawed form or government. And understand why other people would want it.
ReplyDeleteThe people of Belarus have been in no position to choose any policy or leader. If they get democracy they will be in a position to make mistakes and experience social division like the rest of us.
Perhaps I should not have mentioned Trump and stuck to the point about Brexit.
DeleteThe Americans (and Britons) who claim to want democracy in Belarus want no such thing. What they want is an anti-Russian government in Belarus.
ReplyDeleteJust as Americans (and Britons) who claim that they support democracy in Hong Kong do not really want democracy. What they want is an anti-China government in Hong Kong.
That is not really true - certainly not true of the public - but when populists do well opinion-formers and academics write about how it is a grave threat to democracy that people vote for politicians who have the same views as the public.
DeleteYup. Well said. Many very clever and very silly academics about ... one favourite is A C Grayling... but I guess he is not that clever.
ReplyDeleteNobody actually wants democracy. Lots of people claim that they do, but in fact they only want democracy as long as their side is guaranteed to win. In the US Democrats want democracy as long as Democrat victories can be guaranteed, and Republicans want democracy as long as Republican victories can be guaranteed. It's the same with Labour and the Tories in the UK.
ReplyDeleteSocial liberals want democracy as long as they can be sure that socially liberal candidates will win. Social conservatives want democracy as long as they can be sure that socially conservatives candidates will win. Neocons want democracy as long as they can be sure that candidates who espouse neocon values will win.
To some extent this has always been the case. For as long as party politics has existed political parties have used dirty tricks and they have manipulated electoral systems. But the problem is certainly getting worse. There’s very little, if any, real belief in democracy left.
For most people democracy means “everyone should be free to vote the way I do.”