Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Shout it from the rooftops!

Simply fantastic essay in The Atlantic by Teju Cole. A must read.

Here's a nice bit:

Joseph Kony is no longer in Uganda and he is no longer the threat he was, but he is a convenient villain for those who need a convenient villain. What Africa needs more pressingly than Kony's indictment is more equitable civil society, more robust democracy, and a fairer system of justice. This is the scaffolding from which infrastructure, security, healthcare, and education can be built. How do we encourage voices like those of the Nigerian masses who marched this January, or those who are engaged in the struggle to develop Ugandan democracy?

Hat tip to Bill Easterly


2 comments:

Lee W. said...

Why is it always considered ideal to promote a democracy? Why not a Republic that would actually protect the rights of the minority from the votes of the majority?

Dave Hansen said...

I don't know. I love the term "White Savior Industrial Complex", and I'm totally on board with this line:

"give up the illusion that the sentimental need to 'make a difference' trumps all other considerations."

But I'm suspicious of the adjectives he uses before the words "civil society", "democracy", and "justice". It doesn't sound like he's on the same page as Madison or deToqueville.

And given his distaste for NAFTA, I'm pretty sure "the money-driven villainy at the heart of American foreign policy" would include the expansion of free trade.