Thursday, June 16, 2005
The Debate Ends
Based on a mutual agreement, Marc Schulman and I have decided to conclude our cross-blog debate on democracy promotion and the other related topics that arose through the course of the discussion. First and foremost I want to thank Marc for his flexibility, cooperation, intelligence and civility. It truly was a pleasure to discuss these complex and difficult issues with someone capable of reasoned debate, and capable of truly challenging my positions.
I also want to say that I truly believe I have learned something by this process - the debate forced me to hone some of my arguments and Marc's perspective caused me to reevaluate certain positions and shift some beliefs in some areas. In that respect, my ideas on this subject are somewhat different than they were before the debate started. For this, I am indebted to Marc. For those who wish to play catch-up, below is the final compilation of the links to the various posts in the "Spreading Democracy Debate" between TIA and American Future:
AF: Initial Post
TIA: Initial Post
AF: First Rebuttal
TIA: First Rebuttal
AF: Second Rebuttal
TIA: Second Rebuttal
AF: Third Rebuttal
TIA: Third Rebuttal
AF: Fourth Rebuttal
TIA: Fourth Rebuttal
AF: Fifth Rebuttal
TIA: Fifth Rebuttal
And if the reader wishes to follow up on these themes further, two more blogs are beginning a variation of this debate by looking at the issue from the following perspective:
[Update: I would also be remiss if I failed to flag this well thought out critique of us in the West who have made democracy promotion the topic du jour. A highly recommended coda to the now concluding conversation (via praktike of course).
I also want to say that I truly believe I have learned something by this process - the debate forced me to hone some of my arguments and Marc's perspective caused me to reevaluate certain positions and shift some beliefs in some areas. In that respect, my ideas on this subject are somewhat different than they were before the debate started. For this, I am indebted to Marc. For those who wish to play catch-up, below is the final compilation of the links to the various posts in the "Spreading Democracy Debate" between TIA and American Future:
AF: Initial Post
TIA: Initial Post
AF: First Rebuttal
TIA: First Rebuttal
AF: Second Rebuttal
TIA: Second Rebuttal
AF: Third Rebuttal
TIA: Third Rebuttal
AF: Fourth Rebuttal
TIA: Fourth Rebuttal
AF: Fifth Rebuttal
TIA: Fifth Rebuttal
And if the reader wishes to follow up on these themes further, two more blogs are beginning a variation of this debate by looking at the issue from the following perspective:
How the use of history has shaped or should shape the role which the United States should play in the spread of global democracy to oppressed or less developed nations.Marc has the relevant links here.
[Update: I would also be remiss if I failed to flag this well thought out critique of us in the West who have made democracy promotion the topic du jour. A highly recommended coda to the now concluding conversation (via praktike of course).
