The evolvement of elective representative government has been a long and arduous process stretching over several hundred years yet its still an experiment in progress. No, matter it began somewhere but not in isolation as we would like to believe. In America people believe that the constitution is uniquely an American idea but the Levellers were the first political movement to advocate for popular sovereignty, suffrage, equality before the law, and religious tolerance all of which are taken for granted not only in America but throughout the world.
Who doesn't recognize the phrase Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness but what of the phrase Life, Liberty and Property? John Locke who helped inspired the American wrote that the former while Thomas Jefferson wrote the later yet they are uniquely similar in construction.
Throughout the 19th and most of the 20 century western nations set upon a course of colonization believing like the kings before them that it was their right to subjugate people who they saw as lesser beings. Africa and the Middle East bore the brunt of these abuses. Creating territories and borders which bound disparate peoples together who had previously lived independently of each other thus creating ethnic conflict. All done in the pursuit of wealth not for those who were colonized but for the colonizer.
World War II ended with a country, one country more economically, militarily and politically powerful than all others. The United States was that power. Yet, they like the powers before them couldn't or wouldn't stop interfering in the internal affairs of weaker nation states. One force drove this Communism and the need to contain it.
The Domino Theory would provide the impetus for America's policy of thwarting the advance of communism. Southeast Asia then known as IndoChina would be the laboratory where the theory would be put to the test. In simplistic terms it was postulated that if one country in the region fell to communism they would all fall to communism. Of the countries that were to be enveloped by communism if one fell only Vietnam and Laos fit into that particular category.
America's war in Vietnam didn't lead to democracy breaking out all over it did lead to the Khmer Rouge seizing control of Cambodia for 5 years and the deaths of more than a million people and Vietnam and Laos remain communist states. None of the other countries leaders seem to embrace democracy either. Burma, Indonesia and the Philippines were ruled by dictators but today they have achieved some form of representative elected government . Malaysia and Singapore are democratic in name only as they are single party states.
In Central and South America after more than one hundred years of interference from the U.S. those countries have finally be allowed to embrace whatever form of democracy the choose. What they chose were governments with socialist leanings. Even today there is an adversarial between nations like Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia because they still view the American government with a wary eye.
No democracy doesn't breakout all over because you fervently wished for representative government can only come from the people of a nation that are willing to embrace it. It cannot be forced upon them just because it makes you feel good.
Who doesn't recognize the phrase Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness but what of the phrase Life, Liberty and Property? John Locke who helped inspired the American wrote that the former while Thomas Jefferson wrote the later yet they are uniquely similar in construction.
He expressed the radical view that government is morally obliged to serve people, namely by protecting life, liberty, and property. He explained the principle of checks and balances to limit government power. He favored representative government and a rule of law. He denounced tyranny. He insisted that when government violates individual rights, people may legitimately rebel.Government which represented the people struggled to take hold first in Europe where families believed it was their divine right to occupy the throne and rule a nation as they saw fit without interference from the masses. Slowly very slowly that began to change beginning in the late 18 century and continuing today people are still fighting for the rights espoused by men who viewed a future where equality existed between the government and the governed.
Throughout the 19th and most of the 20 century western nations set upon a course of colonization believing like the kings before them that it was their right to subjugate people who they saw as lesser beings. Africa and the Middle East bore the brunt of these abuses. Creating territories and borders which bound disparate peoples together who had previously lived independently of each other thus creating ethnic conflict. All done in the pursuit of wealth not for those who were colonized but for the colonizer.
World War II ended with a country, one country more economically, militarily and politically powerful than all others. The United States was that power. Yet, they like the powers before them couldn't or wouldn't stop interfering in the internal affairs of weaker nation states. One force drove this Communism and the need to contain it.
The Domino Theory would provide the impetus for America's policy of thwarting the advance of communism. Southeast Asia then known as IndoChina would be the laboratory where the theory would be put to the test. In simplistic terms it was postulated that if one country in the region fell to communism they would all fall to communism. Of the countries that were to be enveloped by communism if one fell only Vietnam and Laos fit into that particular category.
America's war in Vietnam didn't lead to democracy breaking out all over it did lead to the Khmer Rouge seizing control of Cambodia for 5 years and the deaths of more than a million people and Vietnam and Laos remain communist states. None of the other countries leaders seem to embrace democracy either. Burma, Indonesia and the Philippines were ruled by dictators but today they have achieved some form of representative elected government . Malaysia and Singapore are democratic in name only as they are single party states.
In Central and South America after more than one hundred years of interference from the U.S. those countries have finally be allowed to embrace whatever form of democracy the choose. What they chose were governments with socialist leanings. Even today there is an adversarial between nations like Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia because they still view the American government with a wary eye.
No democracy doesn't breakout all over because you fervently wished for representative government can only come from the people of a nation that are willing to embrace it. It cannot be forced upon them just because it makes you feel good.
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