Not Freedom

The news media are claiming that the people of Egypt want freedom and democracy. They have already had democracy. Unfortunately, it was the kind of democracy where the ruling powers gets 97% of the vote, billions of dollars in wealth, and the people get poverty, and harassment if they complain.

The Egyptians don’t want freedom, they want western democracy, and its spoils.

Western democracy works like this. The government provides cradle to grave security, guarantees jobs for everyone, and ensures that food is cheap. If political leaders do not deliver all this stuff, they are chucked out at the next election, and replaced by a group who promise to do a better job. Politicians get rich by getting a good deal on their memoirs. This is what the Egyptians want, and who can blame them.

It is not freedom, but the people of the west do not want freedom either. The responsibility that freedom brings is far too scary in a world without faith.