#3871: Gill replies to Antoine comments : on authoritarian and democratic government (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:drgill@cdinter.net

I simply look at political reality.....just as i have been doing for many
years and in a number of countries.....

the situation in Haiti is so very similar to that of a number of other
countries, and one need only look at trends in them to see where Haiti is
and where it will go.....

it is not negative to state that without internal security and a respected
legal system, Haiti cannot move down a road toward deliberative democracy a
la Carlos Nino, or pluralistic democracy a la Robert Dahl.......

the other countries i allude to are in the same position.....without the two
variables being settled, refering to security and a legal system, one can
talk about democracy till "the cows come home", and it will do little
good.....

is this inevitable?  yes, it is......BUT, not because i say so.....but
because democracy, in any form, demands it.......

is this negative? no, it is not.....but, it does allow one to focus on what
is fundamentally needed in Haiti for democracy to continue.......this seems
as positive to me, as it enables people to understand what should be focused
on......

in any society that is experiencing great transition, there are so many
things "in flux", that great confusion abounds.....being able to find the
key variables that need to be focused on is a MUST......this simplifies an
otherwise confusing mass of happenings.....

so, if it is understood that security and law are vital components for
democracy, then this should help people "see" what needs to be done and
devote their energies accordingly......

"democracy" occurs in incremental fashion.......not all at
once.......knowing this, i have repeatedly asked how Aristide will insure
internal security, internal stability......a very serious question......

for, as soon as he is elected, he will surely have to act......having to act
IS inevitable......

and, this is where authoritarian methods come in......i predict he will have
no choice but to FORCE some kind of order.....what else can he do?