Has the human race missed the opportunity to create world-wide liberal and secular democracy?

Question

In my opinion, the post-cold war world of the mid-to-late 1990s promised much in the way of creating a global, liberal, democratic consensus: left-leaning leaders in the White House and Downing Street, impending monetary union in most of the EU, increasing talk of free trade and debt relief, as well as a willingness to deal with human impact on the environment. However, it seems that the political mainstream has been highjacked by neo-conservative, corporate Christian fundamentalists, epitomised by Bush and Blair, whilst the increase in religious fundamentalism and terrorism has blunted the leftist-principles of the Democrats and New Labour such that they let the neo-cons ride all over them. This has resulted in electorates dominated by fear, increasing power for large multi-national corporations, the mess of Iraq, the ignorance of genocides in Africa and the destruction of the Middle East peace process. Can we still create the post-war dream of liberal, secular, global government?

Answer 1

The human race has not quite yet reached the point where it is unsalvageable. Not yet...

Answer 2

I'm not sure. The two major problems I see are:

1. The protectionism in the global economy. If we are to have a global democracy we must have a democratic economy first. At the moment we have ostensible democracies in a political sense (though only Sweden has anything that resembles a true democracy) and what is effectively a dictatorial economy. It's controlled by central banks who are beyond the control of the electorate. We don't have free markets of trade restrictions and because money as a unit of value is not democratically controlled, hence the market is on the side of the rich and not the poor.

2. The recent rise in superstition and 'end times' fever means that a great deal of people believe things like 'the UN is the vehicle of the antichrist' etc. People don't think straight about it. There's an interesting piece I read recently about the human brain being hardwired for religion and superstition. Not sure if it's true, but interesting none the less. I'll put the link below.

To be honest, I don't think any government or state should be global. I have a great belief in anarchy and the ability of humans to spontaneously order themselves. Executive power should be as local as possible. Centralisation is bad for everyone. It numbs and perverts the powerful and it disenfranchises the people. Instead of a world government why don't we just find a way, with our new information and communication technology, to dissolve government and just live together as humans? I wouldn't trust a world government to do a good job, and I wouldn't trust it not to become some sort of tyranny. Any totalising worldview, such as the Islamist and Neo-Con worldviews that are doing battle at the moment, are essentially manichaen - you're with us or against us. I don't see why a liberal, secular democracy would be different. I'm more interested in the richness and ability of individuals and what they think, say and do and how they make their way in the world than in government. I've never met a secular liberal democracy, and I never will - but people I meet. People I can deal with.

Whatever happens, I hope that we figure it out.

Answer 3

Liberal, secular and global government? What is that in reality? Essentially it will be a dictatorship! History is full of such regimes and set-ups. Every empire throughout history has made the claim of invading other countries, of starting wars for the purpose of bringing peace, the most famous of which is Pax Romana, i.e. the Roman empire.

Human nature is such that there wil always be someone who is seeking power - literally, economically and politically, e.g. Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini. Look at the Balkans, Iran, Iraq, Grenada, Uganda, Rwanda, Angola, Ethiopia, etc, etc.

The British Empire was built by private companies purely for the exploitation of the masses of the African continent to generate a profit for such companies as the East India Company. The British public had to provide armed soldiers to subjugate numerous peoples and nations so that company shareholders had a secure profit. Religion has absolutely nothing to do with expansion and exploitation but followed in the foot-steps of commercial brutalising of lesser developed lands.

Christianity has been hijacked by non-believers as an excuse for commercial and political exploitation as described above. However, let's face the truth of the situation. A 'Christian' businessman/private company decides to invade another land, using the military forces of this nation, provided freely by our own 'Christian' government to 'assist' these poor unfortunate people by brutalising them, by gross and indecent exploitation, imprisonment, by forced-entry into slavery, by stripping their land of all useful and commercially-exploitative resources and leaving them destitute either in their own land or on some foreign shore, and as a small and rather insignificant factor they just happen to make a 'small profit' in the process of delivering these poor souls from their own spiritual, cultural and commercially deprived state.

Now, the world economy is more more enlightened and is managed by global corporations. Profit for shareholders is the main driving force today. Greed for profit, especially in the oil trade makes the world go round. Nothing has changed. Power, human greed and wealth is still the backbone of today's commerce and feeds dictators, small wars and large wars. Invasion of iraq was not about bringing freedom to an enslaved and imprisoned nation; it served a political purpose and also brings commercial profit too.

The EU will replace the USA as the main manipulator and exploiter of the rest of the world and will attempt to justify its actions in the same manner, but the results will be the same - another world police force and army sticking its nose into everyone's business without any invitation. Human nature is so corrupt that we can only dream of the Utopia you seek. it's reality would only become a nightmare if it were to exist.

Answer 4

OH YES MANY, MANY times. But while there's life, there's hope and although I might be being more optimistic than realistic here, there would seem to be a time for us in the future when we shall strive towards and achieve this in many if not all countries - at least partially and to a healthy extent. By the way, you may argue that you do not want the views of every Tom, Dick and Harry but surely most people won't even understand most of your question - so you'll never get to hear their views. We don't all take books on socio-economic political events on holiday for a spot of light reading, you know

Answer 5

The answer is Yes, simply because the Human race does not want a liberal and secular democracy. Just as the world does not want a "Christian" society or as you describe a 'neo-conservative, corporate Christian fundamentlists' society. Many Christians have the same desire that the world be all Christian...not going to happen! However you should not try to aspire to try!

Answer 6

If you want to vote liberals into power, then I sincerely hope that we have missed the opportunity, and that we carry on doing so. They, like leftwingers, are an absolute disaster. These days, I include the following under the umbrella term LEFT WING. Guardianistas, Most of the TV media eg BBC, Teachers/Lecturers, PC brigade, Town Hallls, Unions, This Radical/Revolutionery and increasingly Totalitarian Government, (Feminism, in particular), Traitors who want to hand the country over to the EU. The list isn't exhaustive, but you get my drift.

Answer 7

I am not sure what leftists are you talking about here. If you mean Democratic party, then they had many chances, as there were quite a few Democratic presidents during the cold war.

I agree with the first answerer that we haven't yet reached a point where truly liberal, secular and internationalist politicians hold the reigns of government.

Answer 8

There are lots of fairly liberal and democratic countries in good old Europe.
The British have a problem, because when they voted Labour they most certainly didn't anticipate the kind of policies they've got. And if they voted for the other big party, they'd be sure to get more of the same. Pity they're not going to vote for the Liberal Party in their droves, I think it'd show "New Labour" that you can't get away with conning people like that.
And yes, we can if we get enough people to cop on and try thinking for themselves, instead of lapping up any propaganda designed to increase their fear and make them applaud(!) the erosion of civil rights.

Answer 9

We all hope ...for a better place that accepts different people and other ideas ...a peacful world for all...but all these wars happened because instead of the power used to build ourselvs its used to destroy others...none of these wars brought peace,democracy,union...on the contrary ...each union is caring of itself to grow on the account of other...all powers look to be ruling not use their power for good....If we start from a person and then a family and then a society and then a country based on human and reasonable ideas it will lead us to a better world,...we all hope...Im not gonna be sad if america fixes all problems of the world but what makes me angry that people in america arent helped....so before you help others help youself to be and understand things well...if we all do that and respect others...then it will lead us a head togather ( no matter the differences) to a better world....I guess each one of us is trying to say my way is the only way ...and who disagrees with me he is not only wrong he is not worth being but thats totally wrong....i accept all...and hope good for all....no matter who they are or whats their political system....they describe some of being democratic.......none is !!! where is democracy??? no one has it yet ...whats happening to people,enviroument,animals,civilaizations they are being destroyed...we all have the chance to make that dream come true ...and it will someday

Answer 10

God I hope not. Sounds like a massive case of self centered, self indulgent, spoiled kids that answer to no one. Without any religious standards what sets the moral standards? The Global Government? How with a majority decision? By who's standards? Mine or yours? If I don't like yours can I say sorry I'm using mine? If not I'm going to say your a Neocon taking away my civil rights. If the rights of the individual supersedes the rights of the majority, there is no need for a global government just a super sized Social Services program.

Answer 11

Yes we missed it or should I say, destroyed the opportunity as soon as we performed a pre-emptive strike on Iraq.

That pre-emptive strike destroyed our credibility, respect and influence as a true and fair democracy around the world.