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World Politics and the New Political Divide : An Iron Curtain of Autocracy is Arising In the Developing Nations

By Andis Kaulins

At the New York Times Sunday Book Review of May 18, 2008, David E. Sanger in Democracy, Limited reviews Robert Kagan's new book, THE RETURN OF HISTORY AND THE END OF DREAMS, 116 pp, Alfred A. Knopf, $19.95, writing inter alia:

"?Growing national wealth and autocracy have proven compatible, after all,? Kagan notes. ?Autocrats learn and adjust. The autocracies of Russia and China have figured out how to permit open economic activity while suppressing political activity. They have seen that people making money will keep their noses out of politics, especially if they know their noses will be cut off.?"

Kagan's principle thesis is that "Autocracy is making a comeback."

We do not know if this is true, but it is an interesting thesis which we are going to think about, before commenting in a future posting on the present world political situation and what it portends about the future of democracy and authoritarianism.

Hat tip to CaryGEE.

Full post as published by LawPundit on May 19, 2008 (boomark / email).