The Strong Man as Savior and OUR Contempt for Democracy

Robert Kagan refers to a “we” with a penchant for dictators comparing “our” misplaced faith in the current Saudi Crown Prince to previous crushes some of “us” have demonstrated for the likes of Hitler, Mussolini and others of the same murderous ilk. 

Yes. Robert Kagan is a member of the US foreign policy elite, but he is not totally wrong to include much of “us” in his well argued position

which is really the classic affirmation of democracy.  A great deal of “our” admiration for anti-democratic strong men is cultivated by elite opinion and corporate domination of the mass media.  And the commonplace disdain for politics and politicians is also a product of corporate and elite ideology that “we” (yes YOU too!) tend to adopt unthinkingly.

Partly. 

Because, after all, democracy IS “us” which means it is often ugly, selfish, petty, frightened, confused, and self destructive.  This is why encouraging and supporting democracy is so frought with pitfalls and frustrations.  Idealizing democracy might be one of the most insidious ways of undermining it no matter how well meaning the impulse to deemphasize our own weaknesses and sins.