Bo wrote:
The Algeria example is unique in the sense that the giving up of
democracy was "religious" motivated (I believe) and maybe their
colonial past counted, but something similar happened to Germany in
the late twenties/early thirties. Hitler manipulated the "Reichstag" to
abolish itself to hive him free reins to put down the communist threat -
which would have destroyed democracy anyway. It was the proverbial
pest or cholera choice. We know the outcome of the "pest", but not of
the "cholera". Please don't count me among the revisionists though.
DMB says:
Reactionary movements can be seen in each case. That is to say that a
culture that feels its security is threatened will react. Its just a matter
of degree. Algeria, like any colony, reacted with great force in trying to
re-assert its own culture because it had been controlled from without by an
alien culture. And their Islamic identity was a very handy aspect to grab a
hold of. Germany hadn't been colonized but the threat was nearly as big, or
at least the German's saw it that way. Communism is always a handy scapgoat
for reactionary movements in the West, but Germany was also reacting to
International laws, the league of Nations and the Democracitc nations which
it represented. The case in the Netherlands is much more mild. Its just
about crime and immigration, not colonization or international humiliation.
Further, the Netherlands is quite possibly the most liberal nation on earth
and has rights and principle deeply imbedded in its law and culture. Crime
is always a cause for concern, but the cultures' survival is not seriously
threatened.
Bo:
Anyway I agree with your MOQ assessment of the situation. The social
"urge" - to kill the opposition - worked in the old days before
intellectual
value took hold, but nowadays it's not possible. As I see it the MOQ
predicts that Intellect will win in the end, some world government will
form (anyone familiar with the book "The Truth Machine?) but - as you
point out, the social latch is there behind the scene, immutable and and
something we fall back on if the bells toll (11/9).
DMB: Yea, I think the social/intellectual conflict is a powerful tool. It
explains recent history, politics and even personalities.
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