Chapter 22
Chapter 22 reminds me of the tides rolling in and out. In the second half of the century, many third world countries achieved political independence as new nations. Often, they adopted the democratic principles of their former colonial rulers. While rule by consent of the governed was important, it was also important that the desire of their people to lead lives of material abundance was also important. As this became increasingly difficult, military dictatorships and rule by individual and family dictatorships flourished.
In Congo, the huge natural resources of the country were plundered by first world countries, which supported the Mobutu dictatorship. Mobuto allegedly had billions of dollars in Swiss bank accounts. In South America, US supported dictatorships in Argentina and Chile flourished. In fact, the overthrow of Salvador Allende in Chile was plotted by its military in coordination with our CIA and the US government. The Chicago Boys had already laid down a blueprint for the laissez faire economy that was promoted by the military and that led to the ruin of the country less than a decade later. It is grotesque that the "freedom" promulgated by Milton Friedman had to be imposed at the point of a gun.
In Europe, the end of the Soviet empire of communist totalitarian governments is being replaced by right wing authoritarian governments in countries like Hungary and Poland. In Germany, Alternativ fur Deutschland threatens to bring neo Nazis into government.
Is it possible to have governments like those in Scandinavia that put emphasis on the common good while promoting representative government throughout the world? Time will tell, but pessimism seems the most realistic point of view
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