As I say elsewhere on my website, you don't need to rely on America to be democracy's shining city on a hill- you have Japan, and the entire European Union, including most of its member states, and India.
How many people realize that two of the most stable and successful democracies in history are modern Japan and India?
And India in particular is remarkable.
Granted, modern Japan has to be placed in some kind of pantheon for its democracy. How often do you ever hear of political trouble in Japan?
Since the end of World War II?
But India has put forth some remarkable ideas.
It impresses me so much that India put forth its declaration of neutrality in the middle of the Cold War in the mid-1950's. India declared that the newly independent Third World countries did not have to take part in the Cold War! That was a remarkable thing to do. It allowed the countries that were still struggling with the aftereffects of colonialism to be free of a great burden, which richer countries like the United States were better suited to carry, while encouraging international peace. That is for me a stroke of genius!
And not the only one. The current ruling party in India (as of last time I looked it up, which was some time in 2020) is a conservative Hindu nationalist party which has embraced the ways that the long dominant liberal party of India has traditionally represented non-Hindus such as Muslims. Given the ugly factionalism in America right now pitting Conservatives against Liberals, this is remarkable!
This is my tribute to India's remarkable democracy, one of the most successful democracies in history.
And to Japan's remarkable democracy as well, which is also one of the most successful democracies in history.
Sincerely,
David S. Annderson