Quote Originally Posted by tequila View Post
Just wondering where you get the idea that Africa is somehow incapable of "fixing" itself. Yes, few African countries look much like Western Europe or the U.S. - guess what, 40 years ago, neither Western Europe or the U.S. looked much like they do now either. Minority rights were hardly secure, unless it was the right to occupy second-class status enforced by both law and enthusiastic violence by the majority.
The word "fix" is in inverted commas for the reason that what constitutes "fix" in terms of Africa is not defined and therefore totally subjective.

What do you think constitutes "fix"?

Again you look backwards to justify slow forward progress. (Why do people do this?)

Your 40 year standard (don't know where you pick this figure from - maybe you can explain that?) does not on the face of it seem meaningful or relevant to the potential for democracy to thrive in Africa.

Way before minority rights come basic human rights. I don't see violence necessarily by the majority as the main problem but rather violence inflicted by a military and police supported ruling elite upon the majority (to keep in power and their snouts in the trough).

A common failing of the present is to assume that the current state of affairs somehow represents the natural static order of things. Afghanistan is in chaotic violence now (well, parts of the south and east, but that's all that gets reported in the West so it must be so, right?), so it must have always been in chaotic violence! East Asia is peaceful and prosperous, so it must have always been so, no? Africa is poor and afflicted with poor governance - surely it must have always been that way. Of course 40 years ago East Asia was consumed in mass violence, starvation, war, and terror while Africa experienced a generally peaceful transition to self-rule. Who knows what the next 40 years will bring? I do know this - it's probably not going to look much like the present.
Not sure of that being a common failure as I can't think who thinks that anything is static. Forwards, backwards slow or fast there is always movement.

Can you support your contention that the area Afghanistan now covers was once peaceful and orderly? Interested to see if you are able.

Again the 40 year frame of reference... what exactly is the relevance?

OK, so now back to the present. What about this thread and whether democracy can thrive in Africa. Certainly not happening now so... will that be possible in your lifetime? Ok then your children's lifetime? Your grandchildren's lifetime? ....

South Asia? Do you maybe mean Southeast Asia?