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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Maurice Winn who wrote (185821)	4/27/2006 6:33:52 PM
From: Hawkmoon	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 281500

Unfortunately, we are trying to overlay civilization on 6 billion people who in living memory got property mostly by conquest. Civilization is a conscious choice. There's little doubt that even the US went through it's "imperialist" phase, whether it be manifest destiny, or even the Monroe Doctrine, where we hoped to replace European influence in the Americas with our own. But I think WWI and WWII sobered up our thinking to the point where we have been the foremost activist nation in "encouraging" other nations to de-colonize and grant independence to developing nations. Of course, some would argue that maybe some of these nations were de-colonized far too early and that lack the institutions and culture to sustain democratic values. In part, they may be right.. in the short term. But over the longer term, the path to civilized behavior is to empower the people within those nations to hold their governments accountable, while providing education and economic opportunity for the entire people, not just a select few. But I hold no illusions that such transformations will be easy, or quick. There are entrenched, and regressionist forces in place that have little interest in sharing power. But they are necessary, and they should be encouraged whereever possible. People in favour of conscription are doing the same. They are the worst. Well, I don't know if mandatory community service (whether military, civilian, medical) should be something that every young adult carry out before being considered an "adult" with full rights of society. We mandate that our children attend high school until at least 16 in order to ensure they are prepared to become a productive member of society and I'm not so sure that mandatory national service might not be also necessary to ensure that everyone develops some sense of having given something to that society before they start seeking to "exploit" (or at least benefit) from it.. Don't know if that makes me the "worst", but I still stand by my view in the regard.. ;0) Hawk