Go ahead pick a country, especially those countries that have some sort of authoritarian government.

How many times have you heard that what the country needs is democracy so that much needed reforms can be implemented and change can happen…..How many times?

Think about what the media called “the Arab Spring”….that was the beginning of a democratic movement that could sweep the globe…..what the Hell happened?

We heard that for Iraq…..and how did that work out for Iraqis?  Afghanistan is another of the democratic movement poster child….they had an election which would magically solve all problems…..and how did that work out for the Afghans?

Is it possible that democracy may not be the magic bullet that we are told?

I have often debated the validity of the promise of democracy…..that it is more to every situation than an election can cure……keep in mind ……”an election does not a democracy make”…..

A newly released research suggests that there may be no such thing as “democratic peace”, instead, economic trade relationships and participation in international governmental organizations are the key to keeping the peace among countries.

Source: Democracy in Question: Research Suggests It Does Not Prevent Conflicts

We still hear some politician or another babble on about bringing democracy to this region or that…..it is nothing more than a political slogan muttered to those that will believe anything.

Democracy is not something that one finds in one’s Xmas stocking….it takes work and it takes time……the term is used too easily…..and understood too little.