Article: Another God That Failed

Is the American right giving up on democracy (promotion)?

Conservative commentator and former presidential candidate Patrick J. (Pat) Buchanan yesterday had an article in the online publication Townhall.com titled "Another God That Failed" – he means democracy.

http://townhall.com/columnists/PatBuchanan/2010/01/08/another_god_that_failed

Quote Buchanan: "If democracy, from Latin America to Africa to the Middle East, brings to power parties and politicians who, for reasons religious, racial or historic, detest the 'white, rich Western world,' why are we pushing democracy in these regions?

"Our forefathers were not afflicted with this infantile disorder. John Winthrop, whose 'city on a hill' inspired Ronald Reagan, declared that, among civil nations, 'a democracy is ... accounted the meanest and worst of all forms of government.'

"'Remember, democracy never lasts long,' said [John] Adams. 'It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.'

"Added Jefferson, 'A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where 51 percent of the people may take away the rights of the other 49.' [James] Madison agreed: 'Democracy is the most vile form of government.' [The founding fathers of course viewed the US as a republic as opposed to a democracy, which for them equalled anarchy.]

"The questions raised here are crucial.

"If racial and religious bonds and ancient animosities against the West trump any democratic solidarity with the West, of what benefit to America is democracy in the Third World? And if one-person, one-vote democracy in multiethnic countries leads to dispossession and persecution of the market-dominant minority, why would we promote democracy there?

"Why would we promote a system in an increasingly anti-American world that empowers enemies and imperils friends?

"Is democratism our salvation – or an ideology of Western suicide?"

Strong words.

Pat Buchanan is a political author, columnist, commentator, and broadcaster. As a politician, he was a senior advisor to Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan, and Reform Party presidential candidate in 2000.