After World War II, the United States, as the world's number one hegemon. On the one hand, it created basic order for the world and provided a large number of international public products. On the other hand, it also has many hegemony.For the latter, many people will accuse the United States: democratic countries are so bad!This is worth thinking about, is democracy better than authoritarian?
Motivation theory is not suitable for evaluation system
In fact, it is a pseudo -proposition whether democracy is better than the autocracy, because the angle of questions is completely misplaced, that is, from the perspective of goodness and evil, it is improper to discuss the two political systems of democracy and autocracy.We can explore the political system from a functional perspective, but we should not discuss the political system from the perspective of motivation, especially in international relations.
Political philosopher Carl Cohen said democracy is a social management system, as is authoritarian.Both are a way or platform for decision -making and execution, which can be used in political fields or in other fields (such as family).Both democracy and autocracy have specific functions, but there is no specific good and evil. It is difficult to say that the motivation of democracy (or autocracy) is good (or evil).This is like a knife, it is difficult to say whether it is good or evil.The knife has neither a specific motivation nor a specific effect, but it has specific functions (such as cutting vegetables and killing).Different people are used by different conditions under different conditions and serving different motivations will produce different effects.
From the perspective of the country, if you do not intervene in the rule of law, there are many disadvantages of democracy, and most people are one of them.The execution of Socrates is the manifestation of the disadvantages of Democratic Democracy in Athens. Athens democracy is not kind to Socrates.As a result, Plato's fell, and the reputation of democracy in the West is not good.If 10 people form a group, nine of them are not used to the remaining person. The nine people vote for him, which is also a mdash; mdash; this democracy is populist and primitive democracy.Although modern rule of law has great regulations for populism, populism has not been completely tamed.Today, populism is increasing in the United States, Britain and other countries.In a country where the rule of law is not sound, populism is even more flooded.Civilianism is almost not kind.
Internationally, democracy may not be kind.In ancient times, there was only the case of Athens democracy.The growth of Athens forces caused Spartan dissatisfaction. When the conflict was intensified, King Sparta did not fight. He understood the situation of Athens and knew that the people of Sparta were more encouraged by emotions.He called on the people to promote the virtue of restraint, but Sparta's hardliners did not agree; at the same time, the tough forces within Athens were also growing.This has led to the increasingly believed that the people of the two states are increasingly believed that if it is not tough, it will not be conducive to the core interests of the state, but also lose face.In addition, the small country of alliances is also encouraging the great struggle with the Bang, which belongs to, which is a kind of international population.
As a result, the wheels of the war were wrapped in public opinion and caught in the abyss of a hot war.Look at some cases closer.Hitler Germany has a democratic body, and the people are full of enthusiasm for the spirit of Germany and the superiority of the Germans, which plays a role in helping the World War II.During World War II, the smoothness of the Asian battlefield caused many Japanese to fall into enthusiasm and encouraged the government to challenge the United States (this is a good thing for China).The Japanese people also actively support the war, which is indispensable for expanding Japan's foreign aggression.The example of Japan may be a bit inappropriate, because Japan was not a democratic country at that time, but it was also in line with the characteristics of politics.
In terms of foreign relations, the authoritarian system is aggressive and does not need to be discussed.Similarly, democracy is also aggressive.Why?The reason is actually very simple.I have pointed out in the art of democratic aggression in articles mdash; mdash; in the democratic dilemma in permanent peaceful vision that on the one hand, world resources are scarce, and on the other hand, democratic countries must meet the growing interests of the people.More and more resources.When domestic resources are insufficient, the public will use the democratic system to drive democratic countries to invade and plunder foreign countries.
The history of the war of Beroboonia records that whether it is Greek or non -Greek, because of the more common in sea interactions, they are keen to engage in maritime looting under the leadership of the strongest characters.Their motivation for their pirates is to satisfy their greedy desires, and at the same time to help the weak people hellip; hellip; at that time, this behavior was not considered shameful at all, but it was worthy of exaggeration.Smart than simple honesty, they are proud of the first quality and the second quality as a shame.The Democratic System of Athens is no exception.Moreover, the Athens people clearly claim that the weak should be surrendered to the strong. This has always been a common law. During the Greek period, Democratic Athens was the most expansion.Looking at the world history in recent hundred years, it can be regarded as the history of foreign aggression, colonial and expansion in Western countries, and there are many democratic countries.
The people are kind, and this proposition is not always established.Some people may say that people do not like war.Let's admit this.But don't forget, people also like or even improve living standards.This may lead to the people who do not want war and the public to hope to improve these two desires sometimes incompatible.These two desires may be compatible when resource scarcity is not high or through international trade.When resources are scarce to a certain extent and cannot be resolved through international trade, these two wishes cannot be compatible.How to solve the conflict of two wishes?Either reduce the living standards of the people or plunder foreign resources through force.
Because most people are not soldiers and do not need to participate in war, it is enough to support the war through taxes or even emotions, so they will support the war.For example, the American people's support for the Persian Gulf War in 1991 was 96%, the support rate for the Afghanistan war was 94%, and the support rate for the Iraqi war was 70%.In August 2010, the Fox News Network conducted a reasonable poll about whether the United States was fighting in Iran. The results showed that 92%of people believe that the United States must protect themselves and allies from Iran's attacks through all efforts and support the United States to fight against Iran.Recently, the survey results of YOUGOV, a well -known US poll company, showed that 47%of Americans supported Iran.
This means that the public is not necessarily aware of the battle.Only when the war is not smooth and the war income is lower than the people's expectations, the public will fight against the war.The people's attitude towards war is usually not judgment of justice, but for interest judgment.For example, the American people do oppose the Vietnam War.If the American people think that the Vietnam War is justice, it should be supported to the end.But in fact, the American people did not fight against the war in the middle and late war, not because of the unjust war.If the war goes well, I am afraid that the American people will welcomes the US military triumph.
Democracy in international relations may not be more kind than autocracy
The contemporary international community is still anarchy world.In international relations, the reason why people respect democracy and the rule of law is not because it can make the country more good (motivated), but it can make the country stronger (functional angle); and strong meansTo better realize national interests internationally, or obtain more resources in legal or illegal, or violence or peacefully.In China, the combination of democracy and the rule of law may be more kind to the people, but this is not to be discussed here.
We know that the dictatorship is mainly personal arbitrary, because individual rationality is very limited, but this dilemma also exists in democracy.In democratic decision -making, a large number of individuals are mediocre, including selfishness, narrowness, and short -sightedness.In terms of foreign relations, it can not be said that it is less aggressive or less aggressive in democracy.Which system is more kind and cannot be asserted.Judging from the attitude towards globalization, in recent decades, the most powerful opposition to globalization is the working class of developed countries, especially the United States, because they believe that their interests have been damaged.It was their main force of democratic voting that Trump pushed Trump to the president's throne, and then a Sino -US trade war, and the conflict between the two countries was still spreading.
We should have less moral colors and emotions on whether democracy is kind and regarding the economic relations between the United States.The vast majority of people think about issues and evaluations from their own interests.Under the democratic system, if most people think that their interests have been damaged by a foreign country, noIs the pipe directly or indirect, intentionally or unintentional, they will tend to be hostile to the country.Even if they think their country is capable, they will claim to curb or fight against other countries.
It is also expansion to say that democracy is not the same as saying that it is good, but to break the moral illusion and expectations of the system.In the international community of anarchy, it is difficult to say that democracy is more evil than autocracy, and it is difficult to say that democracy is better than authoritarianism. Therefore, neither moral expectations for autocracy nor moral expectations for democracy.If a country or someone wants to practice international ethics in the general heaven, it must be strong.Only when it is strong can we realize the king.
(The author is Sichuan University, China, a professor and doctoral supervisor)
Both democracy and autocracy have specific functions, but there is no specific good and evil. It is difficult to say that the motivation of democracy (or autocracy) is good (or evil).This is like a knife, it is difficult to say whether it is good or bad.The knife has neither a specific motivation nor a specific effect, but it has specific functions (such as cutting vegetables and killing).
