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Title: The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad by Fareed Zakaria ISBN: 0-393-04764-4 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: April, 2003 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.12 (74 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Democracy doesn't equal freedom!
Comment: This book is very good. It examines the state of democracy and freedom today and argues convincingly that the two don't necessarily go hand in hand. Many people fail to recognize that the United States was not founded as a democracy, but a constitutional republic. The founding fathers were very wise men who understand the difference between the two and crafted a constitution that sought to prevent run-away democracy from triumphing. This book returns to those reasons and the history behind those reasons to effectively demonstrate the superiority of this original form. Too often we hear today of un-democratic principles and the supposed superior wisdom of the "majority". This is leading to some unfortunate developments in freedom in this country and abroad, and an obsession with polling data. As a California resident, I am all too familiar with the sorry state of democracy in my own state that has resulted in an almost un-governable situation. Since the publication of this book, I can add the ridiculous populist effort to recall Governor Davis to the list of dysfunctions. Isn't this why we have elections!?
The author examines the history of freedom and it's particular development over centuries in England as primarily the result of evolving common law and contrasts this with continental Europe's historical practice of civil law. He effectively demonstrates the superiority of the former and it's impact over the whole globe. He rescues the idea of liberal democracy and reclaims the "liberal" word for what it rightly means. He also examines freedom from an Islamic perspective and provides an argument reconciling the concepts of Islam and freedom. This argument is fairly convincing, but not thorough. He then proceeds into his apology by examining the state of politics in California and concludes with proposals to rescue freedom.
His main solution, if it can be called so, is more appointed bodies like the Supreme Court and the Federal Reserve. I happen to agree in principle with these suggestions, most especially when it comes to tax and environmental policy. In principle, this is an excellent idea. The see-sawing of tax policy from one president to the next results in economic distortions, negative politics, and extreme partisan bickering. One president cuts taxes the next raises, and the next cuts. This is no way to run a modern economy. Tax policy is extremely complex with significant long-term consequences for everyone's well being. It needs to be approached with much more care than it presently is. In reality, however, I don't see how this can ever happen. Taxes are politically sensitive, and it is the primary means of political posturing between the two dominant parties today. Take that away from them, and what do they have? They won't give this up easily. The American people would be very skeptical to this idea in my opinion. Accountability to the voters also would need to be ensured.
The book is very thought provoking and should be read more widely than it has been.
Rating: 4
Summary: A Great Beginning, But Falls Off at the End
Comment: Most Westerners would probably agree that democracy is the best political system for any group of people, anywhere in the world. From China to Chile, from Latvia to Laos, the cure for what ails the body politic is to set up a democracy, and let public opinion naturally take its benevolent course. Western pressure from governments, and through international organizations and NGOs, has often pushed developing countries into taking that path. But is democracy -- defined strictly here as one-man/one-vote -- the right path for them to take?
In "The Future of Freedom," Fareed Zakaria says that this is an incomplete question. It is not, he argues, so much that democracy is the right or wrong path; instead it is more accurate to say democracy is but a part of the process of development and a capstone to successful modernization. Zakaria explains that liberalization -- state-guaranteed civil and economic freedoms -- preceded democratic reforms in both most successful democracies of the West and, more recently, in the consolidated democracies of the developing world. To strip democracy of this context is to misunderstand it and to jeopardize its continued success. This is why so many states struggle to consolidate their democracies and often slip back into anarchy or dictatorship.
Zakaria gives a tightly argued rundown of political systems around the world, finishing off with a very good chapter on the problems of democratization in the Islamic world (spotty record: some good, some bad), especially the Arab world (terrible record -- almost no good news to report). In this section, Zakaria is confident as he surveys the political situation around the globe, as one would expect from the editor of Foreign Affairs.
However, in the final two chapters, Zakaria turns to the United States to broaden his attack on democracy, and it is here that his book begins to falter. What was a sharp comparative analysis looking at different states in the international system transforms into an educated rant against -- among other things -- anti-elitism. Zakaria says that the recent turn in the U.S. towards fuller participation in the political system has had the perverse effect of increasing voter apathy and antipathy towards that system. He argues that elites need some space away from interest groups and public pressure if they are going to be able to run the state's affairs with any efficiency. Zakaria clearly wants to use this part of the book to make a general point about democracy everywhere, but the linkage doesn't work. It is one thing to make arguments about developing countries where there is some sort of template for success in consolidating democracy, but it's difficult to see what that has to do with fully developed democracies, where each of them is scratching their way towards some unknowable future.
Zakaria makes some fine points in this part of the book. It's fascinating to see how little power California's governor and legislature have over their budget because of the public's ability in that state to vote directly on referendums and initiatives. I also found it interesting that public opinion is so favorable towards the federal courts, the Federal Reserve, and the military, even though they are among the government agencies least susceptible to public opinion. But despite these fair points, Zakaria's arguments here fail to coalesce into a strong case, and he clearly is not in his element in this section of the book. As a whole, however, "The Future of Freedom" offers a sharp argument that democracy is not a panacea for politics, but a general goal to be lightly applied, especially in developing countries.
Rating: 4
Summary: Intellectual slight of hand
Comment: I throughly enjoyed Mr. Z.'s book. He took some dense information and made it into amazyingly light reading. Plus, I think Mr. Z.'s comments about the Middle East, like T. Friedman's are always excellent.
I say 'intellectual slight of hand' came into play regarding Mr. Z.'s take on Reform within Islam and his claim that, ". . . U.S., Canada, and Europe have large Muslim communities. . . (wherein) Islam is adapting to modern life without a grand Reformation" Pg. 150.
Islam needs to Reform. 9/11 points to the need for moderate Islam to reclaim 'true Islam' from the minority, i.e., fundamentalists. No matter how one slices the issue, moderate Islamists are failing by not being as forceful as Islamic fundamentalists, in reclaiming Islam's heart, soul and intellect.
Secondly, Islam is not adapting to modern life. The U.N. Middle Eastern Report or some such, for 2002 or 2003, indicates the failure of Islamic countries to adapt to modernity. "In The Shadow of The Prophet" also notes, quite well, the failure of Islam to accept modernity.
Lastly, Mr. Z., thinly makes his point writing that Islam is adapting to modernity, citing the develop of Islam within the U.S., Canada and Europe. Islamic development is needed in the Middle East, i.e., Syria, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, to name a few countries. When Middle Eastern countries, themselves, can be cited as examples of Islamic modernity, Mr. Z. will have made his point.
Otherwise, Mr. Z., writes an excellent book. Very inciteful, literally it seems as if Mr. Z., is speaking to the reader, as he does to the viewer on, 'This Week' on ABC. I strongly endorse this book as a must read, for those interested in political science.
Respectfully,
I. Webster/Detroit, Michigan
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Title: Of Paradise and Power: America and Europe in the New World Order by Robert Kagan ISBN: 1400040930 Publisher: Knopf Pub. Date: 28 January, 2003 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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Title: From Wealth to Power by Fareed Zakaria ISBN: 0691010358 Publisher: Princeton Univ Pr Pub. Date: 26 July, 1999 List Price(USD): $20.95 |
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Title: The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror by Bernard Lewis ISBN: 0679642811 Publisher: Modern Library Pub. Date: 25 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: The Ideas that Conquered the World: Peace, Democracy, and Free Markets in the Twenty-first Century by Michael Mandelbaum ISBN: 1586481347 Publisher: PublicAffairs Pub. Date: 03 September, 2002 List Price(USD): $30.00 |
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Title: World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability by Amy Chua ISBN: 0385503024 Publisher: Doubleday Pub. Date: 24 December, 2002 List Price(USD): $26.00 |
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