Quote:
Originally Posted by Flamenspiel
I think your off on this one afc, the Kaiser had absolute power regardless of parliament and the later Wiemar Republic lead to Hitler. They had a parliament in the same way the Russians have a DUMA now. Democracy did not really get established until the post WWII period.
India is probably a good example of a post colonial democracy, they have been at it since 1948. Sure they have had a violent history but to great extent it has worked out. Its a functional state very much on the rise, this was accomplished without any real help from the great powers.
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I wouldn't argue that the period between 1840 and 1919 in Europe (and the US) was in any way as democratic as we are now, but Prussia and then Germany when it was finally formed was about as democratic as any other European country in this period, in the UK the Queen was still the very real head of state and parliament trod lightly around her, in the US persons of colour were not allowed the vote at all until the reconstruction and even then effectively denied it until the 1960's in many places.
I think you all miss my point, I am not saying Germany was a modern democracy in the sense we know now, it was an emerging democracy like every European country then transitioning from monarchy to democracy after the age of revolution, it was quite far in advance of the UK in this respect, as such as a country it was going to be amenable to the reestablishment of democratic civil institutions after the war.
Iraq, Syria and most middle eastern countries have never known much in the way of effective democracy in their history, its not likely then they would be yearning for it now, what they want is strong leadership to wipe out the apostates in their midst.