Dignity is the issue that vexes billions of people around the world, not democracy. Indeed, when people hear President Bush preaching about democratic values, it often comes across as a veiled assertion of American power. The implicit message is that other countries should be more like us -- replacing their institutions, values and traditions with ours. We mean well, but people feel disrespected. The bromides and exhortations are a further assault on their dignity...
As we think about a "dignity agenda," there are some other useful readings. A starting point is Zbigniew Brzezinski's new book, "Second Chance," which argues that America's best hope is to align itself with what he calls a "global political awakening." The former national security adviser explains: "In today's restless world, America needs to identify with the quest for universal human dignity, a dignity that embodies both freedom and democracy but also implies respect for cultural diversity."
Our leaders should remember that civil rights, civil liberties, and democracy were all originally invented not because they made countries rich, but because they made citizens feel as if they had dignity. Democracy was about self-determination, not about GDP. We got so caught up in fighting communism in the Cold War that we forgot that there's more to democracy and liberty than a big house and a flat-screen TV. Time to remember.
0 comments:
Post a Comment