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Tom Barnett in an artilce here reminds us that building democracies takes decades if not centuries. We need patience when we view developments in China, Russia, Iraq and many other countries that will eventually have demoratic governments. It just takes time !

Quote :

Americans spend little time remembering our history, preferring to focus on current and future accomplishments.

That attitude gives us a bit of attention-deficit disorder when it comes to judging other countries’ political evolution. We simply cannot understand why they shouldn’t be able to quickly put together a democracy like our own.

Another:

Women waited 144 years before earning suffrage.

I know that’s all in the past, but that’s my point: It took America quite some time to develop this democracy we cherish.

Remember that when you decry “sham” elections abroad or declare single-party states “dictatorships.” Because if mature, multiparty democracy was so darn easy, everybody would have one.