Comments on: Backing democracy good, buying elections bad http://groupblog.workasone.net/archives/00170.html Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:37:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Lee Bryant http://groupblog.workasone.net/archives/00170.html#comment-2901 Lee Bryant Sat, 21 Jan 2006 14:39:50 +0000 http://groupblog.workasone.net/archives/2006/01/backing-democracy-good-buying-elections-bad/#comment-2901 I haven't read the piece, but it is no secret that these were largely US-funded and based on the lessons of the Serbian opposition and the removal of Milosevic. They are treating their work with the Belgrade opposition as something of a template. Your point about 'doing good by stealth' is a bit weak, IMHO, because most US client regimes come to power with at least some populist goodies in their pocket, so they always seem to 'do good' in the short term. As for results, it seems to be a case of plus ca change in Ukraine at least, but it is probably too early to tell. I think the wider issue is what this says acout the US and democracy. Clearly they do not trust the people in these countries to make their own decisions. I haven’t read the piece, but it is no secret that these were largely US-funded and based on the lessons of the Serbian opposition and the removal of Milosevic. They are treating their work with the Belgrade opposition as something of a template.

Your point about ‘doing good by stealth’ is a bit weak, IMHO, because most US client regimes come to power with at least some populist goodies in their pocket, so they always seem to ‘do good’ in the short term. As for results, it seems to be a case of plus ca change in Ukraine at least, but it is probably too early to tell.

I think the wider issue is what this says acout the US and democracy. Clearly they do not trust the people in these countries to make their own decisions.

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