Helping Joe Understand the Locals

[marct]

I actually do know the difference between Republican form of governance, democracy with it's various meanings, etc.

I know you do . I just find it useful to point them out every now and again during discussions like this since it is so easy - especially in a 'net based forum - to slip into assumptions.

Digressions you made to Greek history regarding democracy was a bit abstract in today's world as to where we now are where we now go, but valid historically in the evolution of "republics and democracies" for sure.

True. Part of the problem is that we have to have a fairly long historical depth to get enough examples of how democracies of various forms fail. Athens towards the end of the Peloponnesian Wars is one, the disintegration of the Roman Republic from, say 110 bce - 27 bce is another, but the dynamics of disintegration are quite different.

My focus as a young university studenet was on history and political science but only one course (I only took one elective course) in Greek history.

I think I only took two in the area, but I read (and re-read) a lot of the histories as the basis for modern social theory later on. Then again, I started reading ancient history when I was about 6 or so so that I could argue politics and philosophy with my parents .

I agree that it would be insane for any of us to ever assume we can change things radically regarding Afghanistan's style and form of self governance, but efforts built on the old RAJ model as used there and in old India with the Civil Service provide a minor working model that has gathered dust in the closet...this dating to and through the last Durrani Kingdon in the 1970s.

Mainly, I suspect, because the old Raj style of Imperialism just doesn't sell well in the international PR market any more . I fully expect a serious attempt at a Durrani "Restoration" sometime in the next 10-15 years.

I think the Internet citation I gave reached back 300+ years and mentions back to the time of the Greeks and Romans, but this is rusty memory as I dash out the door to work today.

Yup, it does - I was just referring to the one in your post; sorry, I should have been clearer on that.

Cheers,

Marc