—“Why does the US government insist on making other countries be democratic?”—
THE COMPLETE ANSWER
The world wars dramatically changed western civilization to which we said ‘never again’. This has driven American policy since world war one. American treats Europe as a set of petulant client states that are incapable of self-rule. This is not new. Americans have believed this of Europeans since the founding of the country.
THE POSTWAR POLICY
1) We cannot allow countries to attempt to use border expansion to increase wealth.
2) We will force all countries to focus on internal development of consumer capitalism, human rights, because this will eliminate any need for inter-state conflict, and it will generate economic ties that will make conflict undesirable and expensive.
3) All people will rationally choose consumer capitalism if given the ability to choose their own government, because everyone wants to consume, and all people wish to be free.
4) Therefore we will support the will of all people to establish a democratic, consumer,capitalist society.
AND THE BIG, UNSTATED, “HOWEVER”
5) if people choose poorly and institute a government that violates these ambitions we will punish that government and those people until they make the correct, peaceful choice.
SO WHAT’S THE PROBLEM
1) is a good idea
2) is a good idea
3) is absolutely false, and incomprehensibly ignorant. consumer capitalism and democracy are very, very, limited goods, after which both are destructive to family, culture, and civilization.
4) is what the states does because it is wrong about 3.
5) is the consequence of doing 4, while still under the illusion of 3.
THE USA IS A GOOD INSURER. BUT A BAD DIRECTOR.
