Off Topic — HabitableZone

Off Topic » in reply to World Government

re: World Government
Robert — (archived)

I find myself agreeing with you and Raoul both. He's right, the UN worked because it was an evolutionary successor to the League of Nations. Any attempt at a revolutionary democratic UN would have been stillborn. The UN we got was the best deal we could cut under the circumstances. We often don't get our way, but it's hard to doubt that the second half of the 20th would have been much worse without it.

But as long as we're playing with hypotheticals, I can look at a democratic UN and agree: To anyone who can see beyond parochial nationalism, such a UN would be a triumph and a validation. Imitation like that is a profound form of flattery.

Raoul's point is a timeless principle, I think: You can't force democracy on people. That only causes a backlash. Apropos today, that's one consideration for those of us who think Bush's war with Iraq was a grave mistake. A westernized Middle East would be a wonderful thing, we're just afraid that trying to force it at gunpoint will make things worse and set back the natural process by centuries.

I'm glad you're playing the game. If you have more ideas about the development of history, keep going.

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