Review Academic Articles

 

1)      Has Democracy a Future

2)      The Information Wars

3)      Promoting Democracy and Fighting Terror

4)      5 Wars of Globalization

 

 

 

Has Democracy a Future –Arthur Schlesinger

 

  • 2 villains of this century have perished.
    • Communism
    • Fascism
  • More people living under a democracy than any other regime
    • There is a euphoria for democracy and people are optimistic
    • The 20th century began with the same optimism.

 

The Law of Acceleration

 

  • The rate at which inventions have been created in this century is mind boggling
  • The computer revolution is swift and may not allow for a period of adjustment

 

Hyper interactive State

 

  • Computer Revolution threatens to destroy more jobs than it creates
  • Computer revolution make pure democracy technically feasible

 

Unbridled Capitalism

 

  • Democracy requires capitalism
  • Capitalism does not require democracy
    • The pursuit of self-interest leads to inequities and instabilities

 

The Asian Shift

 

  • Asian boom is evident in the next century
    • They value the group’s success rather than the individuals
  • Wars of the future will be between ethnic religions, tribal factions.

 

The Information Wars –Mary Graham

 

  • Since Sept 11 the government has removed pages of information on potential health risks to the American public
  • The internet contained information that could be used negatively by extremists
  • National security is everyone’s concern and classified information should be public
    • Openness can be more effective than secrecy in reducing risks

 

Promoting Democracy and Fighting Terror

 

  • Al Qaeda fight has forced US to welcome certain non-democratic regimes à Pakistan
  • In Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan) the Bush admin has become closer to totalitarian regimes
  • The State department tries to resolve certain political issues but the Pentagon is more concerned with short-term military gain
  • US aid will now be sent to Indonesian police à 5 years ago they committed numerous war crimes
  • US foreign policy has changed towards government it previously condemned
  • Us stance toward the Middle East autocrats is changing
    • Before they were seen as a force of stability
    • Now the US believes they breed terrorism
  • Us will change political landscape in Iraq
    • Politics usually revert to the time before the removed dictator
    • US will have to start a massive social and political reconstruction of Iraq
  • Democracy promotion is a part of US foreign policy but has been compromised by other interests
  • US needs to be a little more stricter with their non-democratic allies
    • This requires commitment and only incremental short-term gain

 

5 Wars of Globalization –Moises Naim

 

  • War on terror has forced us to ignore the war against illegal trade in drugs, arms, intellectual property, people and money
  • Recently crime organizations have benefited greatly fro globalization
  • Governments must send more diplomats spies soldiers to fight these wars

 

Five Wars

 

  • Drugs
    • Huge part of the world economy
    • US has been tricked by the creativity of the drug cartel
  • Arms Trafficking
    • Illegitimate arms have helped to fuel many of the worlds conflicts
    • Market now includes tanks, radar systems and WMD
  • Intellectual Property
    • The rate at which piracy occurs has increased
      • Companies lose billions due to software piracy
  • Alien Smuggling
    • Trafficking of illegal immigrants across borders
    • It is a logistical problem to stop so many illegal aliens from entering borders
  • Money Laundering
    • Cayman islands have a large economy because much of the money is laundered there
    • Technological advancements have made this trade easier

 

No Win situation

 

  • Technology fuels these trades
    • Criminal organizations exploit technology
  • Spread of weak democratic institutions can be exploited by criminal organizations

 

Conflicts share common characteristics

 

  • Not bound by geography
  • Defy notions of sovereignty—terrorists no allied to any nation
  • Pit governments against market forces
  • Networks have no core which can be attacked à they are all spread out

 

To solve:

  • Strengthen borders
  • Strengthen multilateral organizations
  • Create new mechanisms and institutions
  • Do not repress the problem but regulate it

 

No notes of Israel Now or Atomic War or Peace