NationStates Jolt Archive

For all the complaining people do about dictators when you look at it, aside from Africa and the middle east, there aren't that many dictators left.

Four out of the Six continents where people actually live are dictator free: South America, North America, Europe, Australia with a few measly exceptions like Belarus. In Asia a lot of the former iron fisted dictatorships like South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and the like have become quite democratic. Even in the Middle East places like Abu Duabi, Quatar and Jordan are developing pretty decent economies and will probably go democratic sooner or later. Hell Iran would probably have been a democracy years ago if it wasn't for all the macho american saber rattling driving people into supporting the hardliners.

It is hard to imagine in 25 or 30 years democracy of some sort not existing in most countries in the world. Do you think this will mean the end of war or not?

Nah. Democracy won't stop people going to war. They'll just find another excuse other than "we're got to stop these Dictators! Some of them have moustaches!".

Also remember that the oil'll be running out in the next 50-100 years tops. Then they'll be a nasty bit of scrapping between various nations to get hold of the last of it, probably wasting far more than the really should. Ho hum.

I don't exactly by the notion that democracy will bring world peace, but I think it will make war less frequent and less brutal. More than outright wars there will be more situations like the Ukraine where one country will back one candidate and pour millions into their campaign and another country will do the same to the otherside.

Rather than the bloody imperialism of the Iraq or Afghanistan wars with tanks and bombers there will be greater use of a softer indirect imperialism. More controlling countries through banks rather than guns. You need a development loan? Alright but some economists in Washington are going to decide how you run your country.

The most powerful democracies will benevolently watch over the weaker ones to ensure they make the "correct" choice. There will be more situations like Venezuela where some defeated opposition candidates get tons of financing and support from the US to demand a recall of the legitimately elected governement which has pissed off the United States for one reason or another.

Furthermoer it is likely that every now and then a humilated struggling democracy will get fed up and entrust some despot with absolute power like what happened in germany prior to WW2 or kind of like what is happening now in Russia who may feel the need to beat the crap out of his neighbors.