While watching Fareed Zakaria interview Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, something occurred to me:
Neither Military Dictators nor Marxist Revolutionaries can
provide a lasting, functioning government for a nation or a people.
From Bolsheviks to the National Socialists to the
Dictatorship of General Pinochet, my proposition holds.
Lenin led Russia to 10 million exterminations. The French
Revolution let to Robespierre, the Committee for Public Safety, and the
guillotine.
There are some monumental exceptions to Slim’s Rules of Revolution.
I America
The American Revolution was, by and large, a revolution of
the plutocrats who transformed the concept of government to one of Rule of the People, limited tenure in
office extended only by the pro-active approval of the governed, and a
socio-economic paradigm of personal initiative, individual effort, and
self-control.
II China
The revolution that empowered the people with what started
out as the imposition of a “Marxist’ or Maoist ideological system, transformed
into a system that changed a nation into a nation that is embracing the
free-market paradigm. One that elevated
500 million people from poverty to the middle class.
III India
India evolved from a strict caste system to a tech-oriented
society that places greater and greater value on the mental abilities of its
people. India embraced progress by
capitalizing on the global tech revolution launched in the U.S.
Again, Military Dictators and Marxist Revolutionaries have
never succeeded in providing the true transformation of a nation except by
their resounding and unequivocal failures.
And we are not limiting this examination to dictators, Military or
Marxist.
It was the failure of both the National Socialists and the
Bolsheviks that transformed Germany, Russia, and Eastern Europe.
When Japan lost WW II, Japan was transformed into a modern
free-market democracy. Economic success
ensued.
Another way to look
at the topic?
America, Canada, India, and Australia flourished with the
British transformation from The British Empire to The British Commonwealth to
Independence in America and India.
Britain’s former colonies, for the most part, have thrived.
Perhaps this can be traced to the Barons at Runnymede.
Back to China
Do not pretend that Chinese leaders are unaware of Global
History. China and the Chinese people are benefiting from their knowledge of
history. The tech revolution, personal prosperity, and the elimination of caste
have all played a role in China’s prosperity and growth.
Santayana: “Those who
forget history are doomed to repeat it.” ~ Santayana
Slim: “Those who remember history are able to repeat it.” ~
Slim Fairview
Slim: “Those who never learned history are doomed—period!” ~
Slim Fairview
Warmest regards,
Slim
Copyright © 2015 Bob
Asken.
All rights reserved.
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