Zakaria’s basic point is that while liberal democracy tends to be the best form of government for promoting individual freedom and fostering economic growth, simply implementing democracy (e.g., open elections) in countries that have not had time to build up the social, political, and economic structures to support it is not enough. Too often, he says, holding elections in countries with no history of liberal democracy results in despotic and quasi-Fascist governments coming to power.

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Vacation was very nice, thank you, and it’s been a rather hectic week since I got back. For the record, Delta Airlines sucks ass. For one, their planes are old and rickety. On one flight, the in-cabin movie projector didn’t work. On another, there was not water in the bathroom or galley. The overheard reading lights were dim and flickery, and the over-wing emergency exit door didn’t really seem to fit right.

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