Es ist kaum zu bestreiten, dass es autoritäre Demokratien gab und gibt. Es ist aber doch interessant, dass die meisten illiberalen Systeme letzten Endes doch auch antidemokratisch sind. Liberalismus und Demokratie sind zwar nicht identisch, aber eben doch aufeinander angewiesen.

Diese Website beschäftigt sich mit Wahlmanipulation in Venezuela und kommt zu eindeutigen Ergebnissen: The Systematic Annihilation of the Right to Vote in Venezuela

“This document chronicles how the CNE’s bias came about and the violation of the fundamental principles that define the right to vote (impartiality, transparency and confidence in the secrecy of the ballot), along with summaries of papers presented by distinguished professionals and scientists regarding the official electoral results and the REP since RR 04. Finally we conclude that the official electoral results display critical irregularities and do not reflect …

Was genau ist eigentlich ‘Totalitarismus?’ Hier wäre eine mögliche Definition: Wenn selbst die Trauer über die Toten zu einem staatsfeindlichen Akt wird, das ist totalitär.

”In a bid to put a leash on any kind of students’ movement in universities, invigilators in Rangoon University east campus are collecting the names and roll numbers of students who are coming for their examination in black dresses as a mark of mourning for those killed during the protests, a student source said.
The invigilator’s move at the behest of the military junta came in the wake of a rumour that students in condemnation of the ruling junta’s brutal crackdown on protesters in September would wear black as a sign of mourning, the source said.”

‘Muhammad’ teddy teacher arrested

“A British schoolteacher has been arrested in Sudan accused of insulting Islam’s Prophet, after she allowed her pupils to name a teddy bear Muhammad. Colleagues of Gillian Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, said she made an “innocent mistake” by letting the six and seven-year-olds choose the name.
Ms Gibbons was arrested after several parents made complaints. (..)
The BBC’s correspondent Amber Henshaw said Ms Gibbons’ punishment could be up to six months in jail, 40 lashes or a fine. The school has been closed until January for fear of reprisals. Fellow teachers at Khartoum’s Unity High School told Reuters news agency they feared for Ms Gibbons’ safety after receiving reports that men had started gathering outside the police station where she was being held. A spokesman from the British Embassy in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, said it …

Francisco Flores, ehemaliger Präsident von El Salvador, hat eine wunderbare Rede über den Kampf für Demokratie und Marktwirtschaft in Lateinamerika gehalten. Nehmen Sie sich diese halbe Stunde Zeit!

...und zwar ohne Ausnahme, wie der Economist berichtet: Dizzy in Boomtown

“THE world is experiencing one of the biggest revolutions in history, as economic power shifts from the developed world to China and other emerging giants. Thanks to market reforms, emerging economies are growing much faster than developed ones. (..)
What is most striking is that this year, for the fourth year running, all of the 32 emerging economies tracked by The Economist show positive growth. This is a remarkable turnabout: in every previous year since the 1970s at least one suffered a recession, if not a severe financial crisis.”

Naja, geht so: Gaza plans media fun park, no kissing allowed

Kein Regime hat mehr Menschen ermordet als das des Mao Tse-Tung. Dennoch - oder vielleicht auch deswegen?! - wurde der Große Vorsitzende zum Helden der 68’er. Sehenswerte Doku mit Jung Chang, Autorin der wichtigsten Mao-Biographie, heute Abend 21.15 im ZDF-Dokukanal (KiKa-Kanal) oder bei You Tube!

The Seven Wonders of the Totalitarian World