I know that I’m probably going to piss off tens and tens of my wandering readers with this post, but then again, any of my tens and tens of followers will already know that I don’t give a f*** what people think. So, I will just say it plainly: The world has gone to sh*t since the dismantling of modern-day Western imperialism. Dear my, where is this coming from, one may ask? PBS. I recently watched “Taken Hostage” on American Experience. Part I and Part II. And I could not help but compare Iran now under Islamic dictatorship and then under the Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. To be sure, I will readily concede King Pahlavi was a paranoid, greedy, and ruthless ruler who led with an iron fist. Still, he was also exceedingly progressive compared to Iran today. And it did not help that British and American interests in Iran’s oil caused Western governments to turn a blind eye to the Shah’s excesses. Nonetheless, King Pahlavi modernized Iran. Then came the Iranian Revolution and the dictatorship of the Islamic State, turning Iran, once an ally of the West, into an enemy, in particular America. And with it went all of Iran’s progress. Look at the upheaval in Iran today, where apparently, after 45 years of oppression, people seem to want their freedoms back, such as women who were remarkably free under the Shah.
That is but one example of a country throwing off the “yoke” of Western imperialism only to be transformed into a dictatorship. Let’s not pretend that imperialism in modern times — post World War I — was not at least more civilizing and democratic than what such provinces and states are experiencing today. Here’s another example: Hong Kong. Clearly, the modern state of Hong Kong was created entirely through British imperialism. Even though no one would have predicted the state of the world when Britain’s 99-year lease expired, I don’t think many would argue that ceding the colony back to China was a benefit to the world. Too bad China in 1997 was a full-on dictatorship. The “one country, two systems” was always going to be a farce. I promise you that most Hong Kong citizens would welcome back that “oppressive” “imperial” British rule in a heartbeat if they had the chance now that “one country, two systems” is “one county, one system” — a dictatorship.
Yet, even going back to 1997 is ancient history. I have an even more recent example, though admittedly not quite on the same par as true “imperial” ambitions. Afghanistan. Agree or disagree with the righteousness of America invading and staying, one thing is undeniable: We brought freedom and modernization to the country — or at least tried. But I guess as much as we wished or hoped, one can drag a third-world country into modernity, but you can’t take the third-world out of the country. So, after 20 years of resistance from within, the “evil” American “imperialists” returned Afghanistan to its Taliban roots. Consequently, the harshest form of Islamic dictatorship now rules, and I don’t have to go into the details of what that is like.
In the end, I’d say Western imperialism has been rather good to the world, but I guess there are those who think this recent rise in authoritarianism is somehow unrelated to Western powers shirking their responsibility to spread democracy and freedom around the globe, which cannot be achieved from a distance. But, hey, at least nations are now free to revert to their baser origins and spread dictatorial rule in the world just so the West doesn’t have to feel guilty about “forcing” its morals on others. Because I promise you that dictators have no scruples about forcing their form of government on other nations — Russia! But whatever! Taking the high road always saves the day. Welcome to stupid America.