Selling „Western“ liberal values

Selling „Western“ liberal values / „Western“ liberal democracy

Challenging for both sides of the argument?

A/ Summary

• „Western“ liberal democracy [WLD] / „Western“ liberal values: FIRST identity neutral / blind political model in history. Only post WW2, after a long and painful gestation.
• Hence universally valid, and now spreading, esp E Asia etc.
• Radically successful model, against long humankind history:
  • a/ economic / material / health outcomes;
  • b/ meaningful individual freedoms.
• But SEPARATE:
  • the destination / outcome: „Western“ liberal values“ [WLV], the ideals,
  • from its gestation: the badly stained historic journey of „Western“ Civ’n [WC]: esp last c500 years, long and dark, fouled from the inside by sustained reactionary anti-liberal identity abuse [IA], esp racism, mass slavery.
  • But ironcally including self-inflicted calamities! French Rev’n/ wars; US Civil War; WW1.
• So „Western“ values NOTHING to apologise for.
• Successful, but NOT an easy model to implement [still only c13% of world, c35% looser definition].
• Needs the right cultural „soil“, right open mindset, right preparation for citizens.
• Thus struggles with / defied by entrenched traditional loyalties, cf tribalism, religion etc.[Afghanistan!].
• Challenging for both sides.
  • NOT easy to accept by many critics,
    • Irony is the outcome [„Western“ values] is the answer to their criticism.
    • Most non -„Western“ lands display much worse identity abuse today, socioeconomic failure.
  • NOT easy to sell. Not helped by many „centrist“ defenders [Western politicians, historians etc]:
    • NOT facing the confronting reality of the past, the very dark history, especially in USA, also UK etc.
    • Not recognising the huge challenge for many traditional / indigenous peoples in adapating to the new model, in it overturning their longstanding cultures.

B/ Need to differentiate, separate the journey [Western civ’n] from destination [Western values]

 1/ the HISTORY of WC [which gestated, mothered the liberal democratic [LD] model.

Yes history dark. Long hard, very painful for many.

Fouled by anti-„Western values reactionary abuse from inside the West, violent imperial predation, especially by race. Slavery was shocking.

Unfortunate that the USA, now the leading WLD, was the worst culprit, through slavery, in flagrant contradiction of founding principles. At a time when Europe was reforming.

AND 2/ the DESTINATION: „Western“ liberal values [WLV], the principles, the liberal dem model

C/ So „Western“ liberal values NOTHING to apologise for [1]

1/ WC outcome, FIRST liberal democratic model in recorded history.

• identity neutral / blind
• all equal before effective independent rule of law
• full franchise representative democracy
• formal institutional democratic processes for popular consent
• individual rights

2/ Radical outcome, unparalleled historically.

 Profoundly successful, BOTH materially [hence health / longevity too], and politically, meaningful personal freedoms

3/ Because is identity blind it has universal application, by definition. Like Newton’s Laws.

Thus importantly now see the model is working non-Western countries, especially in E Asia, India, Indonesia etc. Even Samoa!

D/ But NOT easy model to implement

Thus today applies to only c13% world, 37% with Brazil, India, Indonesia.

Because

a/ Always malefactors, thieves, who try to skirt or bend the Rules. Since tomb robbing in old Egypt. Includes individuals, gangs, corporations. Some agents now state sponsored.

b/ Economic change, technical change, inherent in the model, hence constant shift in employment structure.

Always casualties from this as jobs change.

c/ Inequality is an issue, a problem?

Some degree of hierarchy / stratification is inevitable in the economic processes.

Though it’s long been even more evident in most traditional societies? Especially „civilisations“.

d/ Does NOT run itself. Need citizens prepared for it, education, socialisation, training, starting with family, community.

Need open minded tolerant mind-set, commited to the model.

Does NOT work where cultural „soil“ is hostile, ie where traditional identities / loyalties are entrenched, where is strong group identity compounded of one or more of 1/ tribalism / nationalism; 2/ race / ethnicity; 3/ religion; 4/ gender.

Thus MOST of world still trapped by traditional loyalties, MOST laboring under authoritarian governments.

E/ Western civ. critics: confuse the journey and the destination

The ship of critics [Woke, CRT, Take the Knee, #MeToo, Cancellers] confuse the journey: Western Civ“; and the destination, the outcome: the ideals, „Western“ liberal values [WLV], liberal modernity, „Western“ liberal democracy.

Very different.

They miss:

1/ Irony that the same WC that gave other peoples so much abuse [and also their own] ALSO provides the answer for them today! To their passionate complaint [ie identity-abuse [IA], especially by color and gender]. „Western“ liberal values. Not easy to swallow?

2/ CRT etc claim that racism inherent in WLV is dishonest, denies reality.

Strays into neo-racism when it becomes openly identity promotional, as superior.

So makes the same error as the long afflicted Western Civ‘n journey, and as in near ALL tradional societies.

3/ Difficulty of adapting to, benefiting from „Western“ values. Not easy. Need right education, socialisation etc.

Crucial that non-white communities take responsibility, especially at grassroots, in families, local communities.

4/ Some „victims“ understand. Eg African-Americans, despite being „victims“. Do NOT promote their identity over their life mission; cf Zora Neale Hurston, Norman Lewis; Thomas Sewell, Jason Ridley, J McWhorter etc.

5/ Multiculturalism is a popular theme, since 1980s. Works so long as it does NOT hides identity promotion, in the official / public arena. Seeking preferential advantage.

6/ Hypocrisy: most NON-„Western“ lands today display far more identity-abuse, far worse economic / social outcoms, than „Western“, cf Africa, Mid and Near East, parts Asia and Latin America.

Most African-Americans in US have made much progress there and are far better off than in Africa.

7/ Like hypocrisy during Cold War. When many in West [on Left] lambasted their countries, ignored far worse abuse in Communist countries. Started pre WW2 in USSR, Left tolerance of Stalin. Post WW2 of Mao.

F/ Lib dem model / „Western“ values BADLY sold by many protagonists [2]

Not just a matter of glorifying its radical economic and political success.

Like the critics many do NOT clarify [as here] the dramatic DIFFERENCE between the journey „WC“, AND the destination, outcome, the model, the ideals, principles.

Yes the the ideals are radically appealing.

But:

1/ Many do NOT honestly face the shocking aspects of the journey, lingering into the present.

Thus still reticence, failure of many in the West to at least acknowldge, face „sins of fathers“.

Includes many in the liberal „centre“, especially in USA, cf S Wilentz etc.

Eg evident in heated debate over statues, eg Jefferson, Columbus. Both too compromised to be openly celebrated, pedestalled.

Common riposte that slavery always part of history.

YES but newly independent USA should have known better! This was not ancient history, but in 19th C; after Britain started facing the immorality of it; and was on a huge opportunistic scale, the slave population growing about 7 fold to c4m by 1860, especially south, on land bought from the French, or wrestled off Mexico, or taken from Native Americans.

2/ Also NOT sympathetic enough to challenges facing „non-Western“ peoples adapting to WLD, WV.

Major problem for these people, especially indigenous / First Nation peoples, especially for First Contact generations.

Overturns their worlds.

BIG challenge for them to adapt.

Many still living with memories of BOD, bad old days!

1/ News item: Thurs 28th October 2021, S African cricket wicket keeper Quenton da Koch was bailed up for not Taking the Knee with his team, ordered by SA C Board to do so. Later he buckled, „apologised“.

2/ News item: Sat 30 Oct, ABC RN; we hear Australian Federal Education Minister Alan Tudge. Shocking.

Yes of course there were difficulties for indigenous people, he said, but „don’t forget magnificent achievements since 1788.. joys of democracy.. which we fought for in WW1 and WW2…“. Sounded triumphalist.

Then exposed his failure when tabled the O word after an SBS indigenous lady was critical: „I find her remarks offensive..“?!

Thoughtless reply, showing NO sympathy, understanding, that, like it or not, our „Western“ civilisation has swallowed their culture!

They are left with NO choice but get on board.

But alas today many live in an untenable no man’s land.