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Exporting Democracy the Risks and Rewards of Pursuing a Good Idea by Rae, Bob ( Author ) ON Feb-16-2012, Paperback
The way most Western politicians talk, democracy is the pinnacle of civilization, the best political system there is. Many think it's the system the rest of the world ought to adopt. Bob Rae is not one of them. He is too well informed about the difficulties and dangers of implanting democracy in foreign lands. Exporting Democracy is an eloquently argued book in which Rae brings his lively, nuanced understanding to bear on the history and current fortunes of this powerful idea. He shows how it and the related ideas of freedom, human rights, and federalism have been pushed to centre stage by the collapse of Soviet communism and by ongoing wars to topple secular and religious dictatorships in the Middle East. He's also witnessed attempts to implant democracy in three countries riven by tribal and ethnic divisions, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka, and offers readers a cool appraisal of the effort.
- GenresPolitics
Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
8 people want to read
About the author
Bob Rae
20 books16 followersRobert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician.
Rae was elected as a New Democratic Party Member of Parliament in 1978, serving as finance critic. He won the leadership of the Ontario New Democratic Party in 1982, signed the Liberal-NDP Accord to support David Peterson's minority Liberal government between 1985 and 1990, and served as Premier of Ontario between 1990 and 1995. Rae publicly severed ties with the NDP in 2002, returning to political life in 2006 with an unsuccessful bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. Rae was elected MP for Toronto Centre in 2008 and contested the Liberal leadership in 2009 before withdrawing his candidacy. He was selected interim leader in 2011 following the resignation of Michael Ignatieff.
Rae was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2000, and in 2004 he was awarded the Order of Ontario. He was appointed the sixth chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University on July 2, 2003, and was installed at that school's fall convocation in October. Rae also became a partner at Goodmans LLP, a Toronto-based corporate law firm, an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto, and a Senior Fellow of Massey College. He has written four books: From Protest to Power: Personal Reflections on a Life in Politics (1996), Three Questions: Prosperity and the Public Good (1998), Canada in the Balance (2006), and Exporting Democracy: The Risks and Rewards of Pursuing a Good Idea (2010).
Rae was elected as a New Democratic Party Member of Parliament in 1978, serving as finance critic. He won the leadership of the Ontario New Democratic Party in 1982, signed the Liberal-NDP Accord to support David Peterson's minority Liberal government between 1985 and 1990, and served as Premier of Ontario between 1990 and 1995. Rae publicly severed ties with the NDP in 2002, returning to political life in 2006 with an unsuccessful bid for the leadership of the Liberal Party of Canada. Rae was elected MP for Toronto Centre in 2008 and contested the Liberal leadership in 2009 before withdrawing his candidacy. He was selected interim leader in 2011 following the resignation of Michael Ignatieff.
Rae was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2000, and in 2004 he was awarded the Order of Ontario. He was appointed the sixth chancellor of Wilfrid Laurier University on July 2, 2003, and was installed at that school's fall convocation in October. Rae also became a partner at Goodmans LLP, a Toronto-based corporate law firm, an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto, and a Senior Fellow of Massey College. He has written four books: From Protest to Power: Personal Reflections on a Life in Politics (1996), Three Questions: Prosperity and the Public Good (1998), Canada in the Balance (2006), and Exporting Democracy: The Risks and Rewards of Pursuing a Good Idea (2010).
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January 9, 2022
Thought this was well done. Sure, Bob uses many big words but the guy is educated.
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