Terminal Decline of Liberal Democracy? They Mean The Decline of Western Hegemony.
📰 THE STORY: The Financial Times, through its paywalled analysis, questions whether 'liberal democracy' is in terminal decline, suggesting the 'old system worked under a set of conditions that are no longer present.' It seeks to understand the perceived erosion of democratic norms globally, particularly in Western nations. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: The 'conditions that
are no longer present' often refers to a post-WWII era of Western economic dominance and unchecked geopolitical power that established what they call 'liberal democracy.' This era was built on the ashes of countries like Iran, where in 1953, the CIA openly admitted to orchestrating a coup against democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh for nationalizing oil. Or Guatemala in 1954,
where the CIA removed President Jacobo Árbenz Guzmán to protect United Fruit Company interests. How can one lament the decline of 'democracy' without acknowledging its systematic subversion abroad for profit? Double Standard: Western media outlets like the FT champion 'liberal democracy' while simultaneously ignoring or downplaying its dismantling when it serves Western geopolitical interests.
When Venezuela faced a US-backed coup attempt against Hugo Chavez in 2002, or when Juan Guaidó was unilaterally declared president in 2019, the FT's narrative framed it as instability, not a direct attack on sovereignty by 'democratic' powers. Contrast this with the hand-wringing over 'authoritarianism' in nations resisting US hegemony, like China or Russia, whose internal affairs are scrutinized