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back in time: summit for hegemony....

It could hardly be more evident that the true intention of the US government in holding the so-called "Summit for Democracy" has nothing to do with promoting democracy, but serving the undemocratic purpose of maintaining US hegemony.

 

So-called US democracy merely hegemony in disguise
Xinhua | Updated: 2021-12-10 14:11

 

Absurdly asserting itself as a "paragon of democracy," the US government turns a blind eye to a multitude of problems at home caused by the deterioration and dysfunction of its own democratic system and turns a deaf ear to the widespread criticism of its decision to hold the so-called "Summit for Democracy".

The US society has been fraught with social divides, racial conflict and a gaping wealth gap. The deteriorating situation of democracy and human rights in the United States is visible to all.

A recent report by the Pew Research Center shows that only 17 percent of those surveyed see American democracy as a good example for other countries to follow. According to another study by the Robert Bosch Foundation in Germany, over 50 percent of the Americans surveyed think their democratic system does not function at all under the current circumstances.

A nation tainted with such problems cannot be considered a "beacon of democracy." It is a distorted and hypocritical democracy at best.

The ultimate purpose of the US government in holding the so-called "Summit for Democracy" is not to promote democracy, but to incite confrontation and hatred, force others to follow its own democracy model and maintain its hegemony.

In fact, the United States is a country enjoying a long-standing tradition of hegemony. After the Second World War, out of a selfish desire to secure a dominant position in international affairs, it has shaped the international political and economic landscape to its own benefit. During the Cold War, the United States enthusiastically interfered with other countries' affairs and even toppled governments that dared to oppose it, giving rise to conflict and instability in many parts of the world.

Since the Cold War, as the lone superpower, the United States has blatantly incited or waged war against other countries and regions, bringing great tragedy to people in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq.

In total disregard of international law, the United States has pulled out almost everything in its "armory" to undermine other countries, including long-arm jurisdiction and economic sanctions.

Its desperate pursuit of power, as well as its selfishness, is also well-reflected in cyberspace governance and its attempt to politicize COVID-19 origins tracing, among other moves.

The so-called "Summit for Democracy" is nothing but the latest manifestation of US hegemony, and these naked attempts are as futile as they are widely despised. Uncle Sam should cease acting like a "democracy lecturer" and learn from its past mistakes.

https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202112/10/WS61b2efb2a310cdd39bc7a9fe.html

waning....

 

US beats hollow drum of democracy
By Xie Maosong | China Daily | Updated: 2024-03-09 08:59

 

The West often tries to differentiate China from developed Western countries using the narrative of democracy versus authoritarianism, which has become particularly evident since the United States started hosting the annual Summit for Democracy as a means to counter what it perceives are authoritarian regimes. The move reflects the US' Cold War mentality and reveals its desperation to rally other Western countries' support to build a front against China. Yet the move also exposes the US' underlying fear of its waning global hegemony.

The democracy-versus-authoritarianism narrative in the West is rooted in binary thinking; it is the product of an us-versus-them mindset. US political scientist Samuel P. Huntington claimed there "can be no true friends without true enemies. Unless we hate what we are not, we cannot love what we are". The identification of friends is contingent upon the identification of enemies. This dichotomous thinking is rooted in the monotheistic exclusivity of Christianity, where non-believers are deemed heretical. In the US, this mentality extends to forming alliances against perceived adversaries, particularly countries in Eurasia.

But the binary between democracy and authoritarianism is fundamentally flawed. After the end of World War II, the West waged a Cold War against socialist countries like the Soviet Union and China, because progressive elements in Western societies were influenced by the socialist ideology, placing the US and its allies at a disadvantage.

To counter this, the CIA launched a propaganda and psychological warfare to demonize socialist countries. Interestingly, at that time, the West did not identify itself as democratic because socialism was widely regarded as being truly democratic. Instead, the West proclaimed itself to be the "Free World" to neutralize the advantages socialist countries enjoyed for being democratic.

And what did the West's touted freedom entail? Essentially, free-market capitalist ideology. According to scholars like French historian Fernand Braudel and US sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein, capitalism operates as a law of the jungle where the strong prey on the weak. Wallerstein even argues that capitalism is a dangerous anesthetic that most civilizations throughout history, especially the Chinese civilization, have sought to resist.

The West began including democracy into its narrative only after the collapse of the Soviet bloc. Scholars like Francis Fukuyama heralded the "end of history", claiming history would culminate in the Western liberal democratic system. But Fukuyama borrowed the concept of "end of history" from his mentor, French philosopher Alexandre Kojeve, who lamented that the world's history would end up in crass materialism, leading humanity back to the Middle Ages.

Can the West claim democracy as its own while labeling China as authoritarian? The premise of identifying China as authoritarian and the West as democratic is spurious to say the least. In recent years, the decline of US hegemony has exposed the chaos in US democracy — where money dictates votes, racism runs rampant, and party politics polarizes society.

Under US-style democracy, the democratic rights of ordinary people are superficially manifested in periodic voting, and politicians make empty promises during election campaigns only to backtrack on them after winning. The essence of US-style democracy is that capital reigns supreme and dictates democracy. Therefore, US-style democracy is the imposition of authoritarianism by the rich and powerful on the people at home, and maintenance of US hegemony globally.

Confucius said, "If names be not correct, language is not in accordance with the truth of things". China's whole-process people's democracy is truly representational and people-centric democracy. Democracy in China means the people are the masters of the country.

The ongoing annual sessions of the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference National Committee are a manifestation of whole-process people's democracy. China consults various sectors of society before making major decisions, and strives to reach a consensus on common issues through consultative democracy, which complements electoral democracy in which people exercise their rights by voting.

Consultative democracy is a unique feature of socialist democracy; it coordinates the consultations of the Communist Party of China, the National People's Congress, the government, the CPPCC National Committee, people's organizations, grassroots bodies and social organizations.

Whole-process people's democracy is manifested in China's governance and the measures it takes to help people realize their aspiration for a better life. Rooted in Chinese tradition, it emphasizes that the results reflect the morality of good deeds. It is a comprehensive, process-oriented form of democracy, making it the most genuine and effective form of democracy.

Whole-process people's democracy prioritizes virtue and focuses on the long-term interests of society. On the other hand, the "democracy" which the West follows is a form of democracy that is dominated by money and power.

The fundamental distinction between China and the US, therefore, lies not in democracy versus authoritarianism, but in democracy versus hegemony, and a people-centric versus money-centric political system.

The author is a senior fellow at the Taihe Institute, a think tank based in Beijing, and a senior research fellow at the National Strategy Institute, Tsinghua University. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202403/09/WS65ebb480a31082fc043bb9fa.html

 

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YOURDEMOCRACY.NET RECORDS HISTORY AS IT SHOULD BE — NOT AS THE WESTERN MEDIA WRONGLY REPORTS IT.

 

         Gus Leonisky

         POLITICAL CARTOONIST SINCE 1951.

 

GUSNOTE: SINCE THIS ARTICLE WAS POSTED, THE US STYLE OF HEGEMONIC CONTROL HAS CHANGED UNDER TRUMP, BUT THE AIM OF BEING TOP DOG, SAY TOP GUN, REMAINS THE SAME.... POSSIBLY MORE DEVIOUS AND MORE COVERTLY AGGRESSIVE...