It’s Not About Exporting Democracy

I am increasingly skeptical of the Liberalist school of international studies. Democracy is not an absolute: its nature is altered by the cultural, economic, geographic, historical, and theistic framework of a place or group. Put bluntly, democracy changes the structure of a state, but not the nature of the nation that lies beneath.

Author: David Wolf

An adviser to corporations and organizations on strategy, communications, and public affairs, David Wolf has been working and living in Beijing since 1995, and now divides his time between China and California. He also serves as a policy and industry analyst focused on innovative and creative industries, a futurist, and an amateur historian. View all posts by David Wolf

1 thought on “It’s Not About Exporting Democracy”

John Pennington, San Francisco says:

May 22, 2011 at 11:59 pm

I’m not sure what you mean by “Liberalist school”. I’m quite sure it’s not wise to try to force a form of government on another country, which seemed to be what Bush was trying to do. Whatever shape democracy takes will be determined by culture, as you say.

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