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Selling democracy

Democracy doesn't sell easily because whenever the idea is invoked its underlying practices don‚t come immediately to mind. Americans would do well to stop urging democracy on others and, instead, urge on them two practices that make democracy worthwhile.

First of all, the cornerstone of democracy is the understanding that, since there may be better ways of doing things, people always have to be prepared to consider change. Secondly, since ideas can come from anywhere, everyone deserves the opportunity to convince others which ideas have value.

The good news is that these two practices are valuable in any culture. Societies don't have to take our word for it since the benefits can be appreciated simply on the basis of that culture's own experience.

Any society can recall from its own painful experience instances when it might have been wiser to take a different path. To benefit from such lessons a society has to be willing to remember its history, to learn from it, and to change. That‚s why continuous elections are worthwhile. Elections help citizens think about what has happened and to try to do even better from now on.

Open elections require tolerance. Since good and bad ideas can come from anywhere, sensible societies learn to tolerate public discussion of good and bad ideas and to reason out the difference.

The rewards are compelling. In a world where technology has put unbridled violence in the hands of any who care to use it, we are in a race to reach civilization. Using these democratic practices humanity has the wisdom to manufacture a protective umbrella of peaceful change. Those who agree to live under it hold the law of the jungle at bay while those who don't risk all.

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