Harsh measures have often been used to haul a barbarian society into the 21st century.

To make a long story a lot shorter, sometimes to get the mule's attention you have to hit it with a 2 x 4.

Peter the Great DID modernize Russia--but not politically. Ataturk DID modernize and secularize Turkey, but it is currently being kept that way at the price of fierce suppression of fundamentalist movements there. Japan was brought into a more democratic age by having democracy hammered down their throat after WWII.

Of course, the trick is then to get rid of the guy with the 2 x 4 once the mule is paying attention. This is where the concept needs work. We gave Japan their country back, and they did all right. Russia, brought up under oppression, slid smoothly into totalitarianism, as did China. The Shah of Iran decided that he should stick around a few more decades. Jury is still out on Turkey...a lot of people there want the society loosened up. Others point out that if they let Islamic fundamentalism up off the mat, they'll take over.

There are many more examples of free societies decaying into totalitarianism than there are the other way around.

A bit depressing, and there are no easy answers.