Nations' desires for political and economic domination outdated - NATIONALISM

From The Times

August 28, 2008

Sir, "The march of history towards global democracy" is being hampered not only by autocracies but also by the very proponents of the Western model of liberal democratic systems (leader, Aug 26). Huge gaps exist between their high moral platitudes and their selfish, power-driven actions. If the governments of the Western democracies examine their behaviour during the past six decades, they should be able to see that unless they change their basic instincts of wanting political and economic domination at all costs, autocracies will continue to flourish. Protecting dictators for geopolitical gains, flouting international laws to protect themselves and lying to their people to justify wars do not help to promote liberal democracy.

For any march to succeed, all the participants must feel part of a common purpose. The persistent negation of the principles of democratic control in the management of IMF and the World Bank; the reluctance to modify the UN system and expand the Security Council; and the Western dominance of the World Trade Organisation are examples of the mindset of Western democracies which widen the divide between the haves and the have-nots, and harm the cause of democratic progress.

 

Hari Sharan
Seuzach, Switzerland

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/letters/article4620928.ece