THE SPINE AUGUST 10, 2009
-
Read Later
READ LATERAvailable only to subscribers. SUBSCRIBE TODAY
-
Listen
ARTICLE AUDIO
- Font Size
India has its problems. And one of them is that it has 1.2 billion
people. A second is that it adjoins China, Pakistan and a few other,
much smaller countries that are--how shall we say it?--not at all
stable.
But it is a democracy, and pretty close to being a real democracy.
With a free press, an independent judiciary and electoral habits that
reflect a true majority.
It is also a responsible member of what we stupidly insist on calling
the international community.
There is no international community. But if there were more Indias
we'd be on our way.
A New York Times article by Lydia Polgreen of a few moments ago
reports that "India Searches N. Korean Ship for Nuclear Materials." The Security Council sanctioned such activity in the presence of
suspicious cargo and suspicious maritime routing. No country has as
yet challenged North Korea and, for that matter, Iran either.
But now India has taken the step, partly because the cargo ship M V
San anchored in the Bay of Bengal, off two islands, without asking for
or getting authorization.
Let India be an example.
Read these next:
- CBS Owns Showtime, Showtime Partners With Oliver Stone, Oliver Stone Is a Historical Fabricator ... And Hates Democracy Besides
- These Sanctions Are Neither 'Crippling' nor 'Biting.' They Are Feeble and Flaccid, Truly Obama's Sanctions
- "gates Reassures Allies Over North Korea": So Should South Korea Be Assured?
4 comments
India is the most populous democracy in the world, as the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan accurately loved to note. China is not at all stable? For a lecturer in government, a globetrotter, and one who has a fierce interest in and passion for world affairs, you have some interesting notions on the state of countries. Fairly recently, you incorrectly referred to Mexico as a failed state. Now. Pakistan is not stable and China has to pin the ears back the ears of its restive minorities (i.e., Tibetans and Uighurs) from time to time but overall, China is fairly stable. How long this will last is anyone's guess.
- liberal reformer
August 10, 2009 at 11:29pm
Lately I've been thinking about just how natural an ally India is for the US. We both have exceptional ethnic and religious diversity as well as tensions, but are generally able to resolve them democratically. We both have great income inequality, with entrepreneurs becoming billionaires from inventing something that benefits the middle class. India obviously has a lot more urban squalor and rural poverty, but that might not always be true and it'll be interesting to see how India changes as its economy keeps growing.
I want to make some kind of comparison between the Cold War and India-Pakistan tensions, but I don't know enough about that to do it so I'll just leave it as an exercise for the reader :)
- Simon Greenwood
August 11, 2009 at 2:21am
Calling India "a real democracy" is like calling American foreign policy a beacon for freedom around the globe.
Or, say, pretty darn close to it?
And maybe the North Korean ship will carry something pretty darn close to nuclear materials. Thus allowing Israel to come pretty darn close to blowing it out of the water.
gw
- iambiguous
August 11, 2009 at 4:26am
"Calling India "a real democracy" is like calling American foreign policy a beacon for freedom around the globe."
Well, not exactly. The phrase "a real democracy" usually implies some kind of concrete proof either has been offered or can be offered upon further discussion, and that a comparison with more "formal" democracies may be relevant too. In contrast, "a beacon of freedom around the world" is just smug American hyperbole, irrespective of any potential for proving its truth (or not) at any given moment.
It's a matter of rhetoric, primarily.
- ironyroad
August 11, 2009 at 1:42pm