The majority of Americans probably derive a great deal of pride when they hear of our governments efforts to propagate democracy around the world. We hail ourselves as liberators and apostles of freedom. A look at the record, however, reveals a different story.
Not only do we support despotism in many countries, our covert actions abroad give rise to more authoritarian and autocratic regimes than democracies.
American hegemony is fueled by repressive governments who conform to our ideology, enrich American corporations, and/or offer strategic advantages, and when necessary, subordinate their own country’s interests for ours. The transitory nature of democracy makes it unlikely that these conditions would be so readily fulfilled in a free society, particularly over the long term. Despots can stay in power for decades, particularly if their power base is subsidized by American economic and military aid. This aid greatly enriches individual dictators guaranteeing their loyalty, while their populace suffers.
Our own government acknowledges supporting many of these despots, although such admissions usually come decades after the fact. And what is typically underplayed or not mentioned at all is our role in covertly overthrowing popular, democratically-elected leaders in order to install tyrants.
In 1953, the democratically-elected Iranian government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh was overthrown with the CIA’s tacit assistance, and the emperor of Iran, otherwise know as the shah, was returned to the throne where he brutalized his people for another 24 years. This long span of tyranny helped spark the Iranian revolution and the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini. The chief impetus for Mossaddegh’s removal was his desire that the Iranian people share in the revenues Western countries derived from their monopolization of Iranian oil fields.
In 1954, Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán, democratically-elected President of Guatamala was overthrown principally because his land reform threatened the interest of U.S.-based United Fruit Company. An American-backed military junta replaced him.
Salvador Allende of Chile was the first democratically elected Marxist to become president of a state in the Americas With US business interests threatened and to prevent any spread of communism during the Cold War, the US aided the installation of a military dictator, General Augusto Pinochet, in 1974 who ruled with a heavy hand until 1990.
Some will say that these examples are past history and cite places like Iraq and Afghanistan as better illustrations. But, bear in mind these are works-in-progress and at this point in time they are dysfunctional, corrupt governments without broad representation and lacking any semblance of open, fair and free elections. If history tells us anything, they will both end up being autocratic, authoritarian or theocratic governments.
Even emerging democracies are not recognized by the U.S. if these democratically-elected governments do not share our political and economic agendas as was demonstrated recently in the Palestinian territory. We only recognize democracies that kowtow to the will of the U.S. which essentially undermines a country’s right of self-determination.
It is clear that democracies are not sacrosanct when it comes to covert US interference if our strategic or economic interests are at stake, and this fact gives rise to more despotism in countries who want to keep us at arm’s length. Conversely, any country where these vital interests do not come into play is virtually ignored and usually safe from our meddling.
Those democracies of interest are far more vulnerable to U.S.-instigated coups and assassinations than repressive governments who silence the opposition where we typically sow our covert seeds of revolt. I don’t think you can find a democracy who defied America’s will that has survived for any length of time, yet autocratic, authoritarian and theocratic governments do. Cuba, North Korea, and Iran, among others are still around after decades of defiance to US interests.
There are two lessons to be learned by foreign governments: One, the U.S. does not really care about democracy so long as governments support our interests, often at the expense of their own natural resources and people; and two, if they do not share our economic, strategic and ideological worldview they can better protect themselves from our meddling if they brutally suppress their people.
Our Founding Fathers may have been genuine in their dream of spreading democracy around the world, but today it is only window dressing to mask our hegemony. And although the American people see their country as the symbol of democracy throughout the world, we actually do more to promote despotism than liberty and justice for all.
Not only do we support despotism in many countries, our covert actions abroad give rise to more authoritarian and autocratic regimes than democracies.
American hegemony is fueled by repressive governments who conform to our ideology, enrich American corporations, and/or offer strategic advantages, and when necessary, subordinate their own country’s interests for ours. The transitory nature of democracy makes it unlikely that these conditions would be so readily fulfilled in a free society, particularly over the long term. Despots can stay in power for decades, particularly if their power base is subsidized by American economic and military aid. This aid greatly enriches individual dictators guaranteeing their loyalty, while their populace suffers.
Our own government acknowledges supporting many of these despots, although such admissions usually come decades after the fact. And what is typically underplayed or not mentioned at all is our role in covertly overthrowing popular, democratically-elected leaders in order to install tyrants.
In 1953, the democratically-elected Iranian government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh was overthrown with the CIA’s tacit assistance, and the emperor of Iran, otherwise know as the shah, was returned to the throne where he brutalized his people for another 24 years. This long span of tyranny helped spark the Iranian revolution and the rise of Ayatollah Khomeini. The chief impetus for Mossaddegh’s removal was his desire that the Iranian people share in the revenues Western countries derived from their monopolization of Iranian oil fields.
In 1954, Jacobo Arbenz Guzmán, democratically-elected President of Guatamala was overthrown principally because his land reform threatened the interest of U.S.-based United Fruit Company. An American-backed military junta replaced him.
Salvador Allende of Chile was the first democratically elected Marxist to become president of a state in the Americas With US business interests threatened and to prevent any spread of communism during the Cold War, the US aided the installation of a military dictator, General Augusto Pinochet, in 1974 who ruled with a heavy hand until 1990.
Some will say that these examples are past history and cite places like Iraq and Afghanistan as better illustrations. But, bear in mind these are works-in-progress and at this point in time they are dysfunctional, corrupt governments without broad representation and lacking any semblance of open, fair and free elections. If history tells us anything, they will both end up being autocratic, authoritarian or theocratic governments.
Even emerging democracies are not recognized by the U.S. if these democratically-elected governments do not share our political and economic agendas as was demonstrated recently in the Palestinian territory. We only recognize democracies that kowtow to the will of the U.S. which essentially undermines a country’s right of self-determination.
It is clear that democracies are not sacrosanct when it comes to covert US interference if our strategic or economic interests are at stake, and this fact gives rise to more despotism in countries who want to keep us at arm’s length. Conversely, any country where these vital interests do not come into play is virtually ignored and usually safe from our meddling.
Those democracies of interest are far more vulnerable to U.S.-instigated coups and assassinations than repressive governments who silence the opposition where we typically sow our covert seeds of revolt. I don’t think you can find a democracy who defied America’s will that has survived for any length of time, yet autocratic, authoritarian and theocratic governments do. Cuba, North Korea, and Iran, among others are still around after decades of defiance to US interests.
There are two lessons to be learned by foreign governments: One, the U.S. does not really care about democracy so long as governments support our interests, often at the expense of their own natural resources and people; and two, if they do not share our economic, strategic and ideological worldview they can better protect themselves from our meddling if they brutally suppress their people.
Our Founding Fathers may have been genuine in their dream of spreading democracy around the world, but today it is only window dressing to mask our hegemony. And although the American people see their country as the symbol of democracy throughout the world, we actually do more to promote despotism than liberty and justice for all.
