Fowler Goes Steyn

[Argus]

And they weren't colonized.

The obvious answer is no. But they weren't colonized.

Why are you fixated on colonization? The point Fowler was making was that you can't change a country overnight and that we don't have the fortitude to stick to that sort of thing for the number years it would take to shift an entire culture in its world view.

[Michael Hardner]

Why are you fixated on colonization?

You jumped on this line of discussion:

Colonial occupations can certainly leave peaceful, stable democracies and obvious examples include: Germany, South Korea, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United States and India. As a matter of fact, those nations alone probably account for at least 1/4 - 1/2 of all world GDP and a huge majority of every modern technology, device and convenience commonly used by all of us. Some legacy of colonial destruction eh?

The point Fowler was making was that you can't change a country overnight and that we don't have the fortitude to stick to that sort of thing for the number years it would take to shift an entire culture in its world view.

That sounds reasonable.

[cybercoma]

Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are shining examples of successful colonizations? Is that why the aboriginal peoples in all of those countries are doing so "well"? ~s

[August1991]

Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are shining examples of successful colonizations? Is that why the aboriginal peoples in all of those countries are doing so "well"? ~s

Aboriginals in North America? Australia? A few million at most in a vast expanse - no Plato or Newton among them.

Yet India, about one fifth of the world's population, now has a functioning parliament, a democracy and even a civilised society (of sorts). Hollywood Leftists love Mahatma Gandhi.

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Cybercoma, I tend to agree with you in principle. It is better to be free and independent. But if I look at the past several thousand years of my own family's history, it would be better if they were educated. Misinformed people tend to make bad decisions.

[Michael Hardner]

But if I look at the past several thousand years of my own family's history, it would be better if they were educated. Misinformed people tend to make bad decisions.

What takes a people to a point where they want to be educated, to excel, to thrive ? Look at Quebec, where you live, as an example. They were treated as a colony of English Canada 50 years ago.

The urge to blame peoples for predicaments that were not created by them is a pathetic exercise in self-boosting and denial.