This seems like an inaccurate representation of Iranian history so please feel free to elaborate. Sure Iran was an autocracy in 678 BC, not sure how that’s relevant to today, but Iran’s democracy was overthrown by Western powers when it tried to nationalize its oil in the early 50s. The West then installed an autocrat representing its interests until the revolution in 79.
In fact several Gulf countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar) had prodemocratic nationalist movements during this period that were purposefully squashed by the West.
The purportedly most democratic nations in the world have also been the most active in supressing democracy elsewhere. They’ve had to become very adept at talking through both sides of their mouths, as it’s easier to exert foreign influence / interference via an autocrat versus a messier and less predictable democratic process.
I very clearly mentioned the 1925-1979 social progress, but even during that time it was a centralized autocratic power under the singular rule of the Shah, and then it was simultaneously invaded by the UK and the USSR in 1941 before the 1953 coup turned the tides in the USA’s favor until the 1979 revolution turned it back the other way towards the CCP’s favor.
It’s great to oppose authoritarianism, but it’s that disgusting bootlicking you people do where you defend some authoritarianism while condemning others that really pisses me off.
This seems like an inaccurate representation of Iranian history so please feel free to elaborate. Sure Iran was an autocracy in 678 BC, not sure how that’s relevant to today, but Iran’s democracy was overthrown by Western powers when it tried to nationalize its oil in the early 50s. The West then installed an autocrat representing its interests until the revolution in 79.
In fact several Gulf countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar) had prodemocratic nationalist movements during this period that were purposefully squashed by the West.
The purportedly most democratic nations in the world have also been the most active in supressing democracy elsewhere. They’ve had to become very adept at talking through both sides of their mouths, as it’s easier to exert foreign influence / interference via an autocrat versus a messier and less predictable democratic process.
I very clearly mentioned the 1925-1979 social progress, but even during that time it was a centralized autocratic power under the singular rule of the Shah, and then it was simultaneously invaded by the UK and the USSR in 1941 before the 1953 coup turned the tides in the USA’s favor until the 1979 revolution turned it back the other way towards the CCP’s favor.
It’s great to oppose authoritarianism, but it’s that disgusting bootlicking you people do where you defend some authoritarianism while condemning others that really pisses me off.