| Author |
Message |
    
Cato Nova
Citizen
Username: Cato_nova
Post Number: 33
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 12:47 pm: |     |
It is time to face facts. Much of the so-called Third World, particularly in Africa, is in chaos. Corrupt kleptocracies and kakistocracies vie for power, impoverishing the populace further and further every year. If left untouched, this situation threatens to degenerate further, and as we've learned, populations devoid of hope are fodder for terrorist organizations worldwide. Left untouched, this is not only a humanitarian disaster but also a security threat as well to the developed world.
The only solution is a return to a quasi-imperialism, but one done in the interests of the ruled, rather than the rulers. The large powers should divide up the worst parts of the world, and administer them on behalf of their peoples, deposing the current crop of leaders. This should be done, of course, not for traditional imperialistic reasons but in order to create (perhaps over a twenty to forty year period) stable, democratic, market based societies that would gradually be returned to local governance once a generation has been trained in each nation to be responsible enough to rule itself.
Nation-states should not necessarily be respected in this endeavor. If it makes sense to redraw borders, the great powers should not shrink from this responsibility. |
Michaela May
Citizen
Username: Mayquene
Post Number: 40
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 2:17 pm: | |
Weren't some of the same arguments used to justify imperialism in the first place? Seems to me like it'd be deju vu -- it would become an excuse for Western powers to take other countries resources. |
tjohn
Citizen
Username: Tjohn
Post Number: 2082
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 2:44 pm: | |
Cato,
Assuming you are serious, please work out the annual cost and manpower requirements of this endeavor. |
Ainsworth Hunt
Citizen
Username: Ainsworth
Post Number: 174
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 3:23 pm: | |
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/attacks/comment/0,1320,1036772,00.html |
Michaela May
Citizen
Username: Mayquene
Post Number: 41
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 4:32 pm: | |
Cato, this is tongue-in-cheek, no?
|
Cato Nova
Citizen
Username: Cato_nova
Post Number: 35
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 6:30 pm: | |
Think about this rationally. We will spend $100 billion plus in Iraq, and several billions more in Afghanistan; how much more will we spend vis-a-vis Iran, Syria, etc? What if more African nations slide into chaos, and become homes to terrorist organizations? Wouldn't it be cheaper to run these nations rather than deal with the after-effects of the inability of the natives to run themselves?
I am not suggesting that the U.S. take on this task itself. France, the U.K., Japan, Germany can administer a nation or two themselves. And we don't have to establish protectorates over all nations; we can choose regionally important nations and hope that greater stability in those nations spill over into their neighbors. |
tjohn
Citizen
Username: Tjohn
Post Number: 2084
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 7:25 pm: | |
Actually, it would be cheaper to just exterminate the inhabitants of nations in chaos. |
anon
Citizen
Username: Anon
Post Number: 929
Registered: 6-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 8:35 pm: | |
Germany and Japan controlling other nations? Really! |
mfpark
Citizen
Username: Mfpark
Post Number: 177
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 10:04 pm: | |
Cato, A Modest Proposal.
Instead of nation-states footing the bill, we should privatize the process. Multinational corporations could be contracted to run these recidivist countries, keeping the profit in excess of the costs of operations. The SEC and FASB will control reporting of finances so we can be assured they are fairly monitored. Global EPA and OSHA agencies will enforce environmental and workplace safety. The companies will be required to issues stock options to the natives so they will work hard and have a stake in stable operations and governance. |
hariseldon
Citizen
Username: Hariseldon
Post Number: 155
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 11:18 pm: | |
mfpark:
Your privatization scheme is just the salaryman's burden. |
tjohn
Citizen
Username: Tjohn
Post Number: 2085
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 5:54 am: | |
Cato,
The programme you describe is not imperialism. Perhaps we can call it Kiplingism. |
eratosthenes
Citizen
Username: Eratosthenes
Post Number: 16
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 6:06 am: | |
"Corrupt kleptocracies and kakistocracies vie for power, impoverishing the populace further and further every year."
I assume that if US fiscal policy continues in its current direction, you will be advocating later in this decade that management of the US be taken over by the Canadians and the British? |
tjohn
Citizen
Username: Tjohn
Post Number: 2087
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 6:08 am: | |
No, the Germans or the Swiss. |
bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 4355
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 9:00 am: | |
In the old days, imperialism was profitable. I doubt if this would be allowed today given all the yacking about our invasion of Iraq being for the oil revenues.
This is another conservative post by someone who thinks history started with the election of Ronald Regan. LOL
Any of you know how much of the wealth of Great Britain came from India? |
court07040
Citizen
Username: Court07040
Post Number: 25
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 9:06 am: | |
My good friend from Ghana says that Africa needs benevolent dictators. It's very sad that things are so out of hand over there... |
bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 4356
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 10:07 am: | |
Jerry Rowlands? Hope I got the name straight. I think he viewed himself in that light, with some justification. |
notehead
Citizen
Username: Notehead
Post Number: 892
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 2:15 pm: | |
What about a country like Haiti, which appears to have nothing to offer (except perhaps a revamped tourism industry - good luck!)?? |
greeneyes
Citizen
Username: Greeneyes
Post Number: 458
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 19, 2004 - 2:45 pm: | |
I haven't seen the words kleptocracies and kakistocracies since 9th grade vocabulary class with Mr. Markson. Because of him I knew what those words meant. However, I don't think I've ever used them in conversation.  |
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