President Obama spoke in Jamaica at a youth forum about democracy, the diplomatic pathways, and his policies of inclusion. The President talked of democracy and praised the youth leaders for their leadership. In ways of talking about democracy, he referred to South and North Korea and asked the audience which nation they would choose.
The claim that people would choose South Korea since South is more prosperous than impoverished North under Kim's rule may sound plausible. The dictator that brutally executed thousands of political opponents certainly is not about democracy. The eleven years of compulsory military service for male (seven years for female) alone should be enough not to choose North over South.
Indeed, North Korea does not have what South Korean people enjoy. There is no election, no industry to speak of, no freedom. The average GDP per capita is something like $1800. How come, then, such nation under poverty can pose threats on other nations? Despite the international opposition, it somewhat managed to conduct nuclear tests underground. That Kim regime boasts of manufacturing ballistic missiles and reportedly export them overseas.
The average GDP per capita of Jamaica is around $8500. The President talked of democracy. The democracy, however, did not seemed to have created a proper educational system. The literacy rate in Jamaica is 88%. The nation is noted for its high crime rates. The democracy can not offer strong rules of the state that secured the streets. How could a nation struggling with poverty and lack of industry have proper educational systems and secure the lives of people?
It certainly is not 'free market principles' that can guarantee the quality education. Not in Jamaica. It certainly is not 'competition' that could possibly be fair in Jamaica. The 'freedom' of the local moguls freely oppressing the social is not about real freedom of the people there. The President talked of democracy. Is it democracy that makes it possible for the people in Jamaica to have access to quality education and proper security?
Democracy refers to a system that guarantees most of the people in the system can have their says. What the President said about democracy, however, would be referring to the process of election and political campaigns. Is democracy the answer to the problems with education and security in Jamaica?
Needless to say, democracy is not populism. It should be the people that should decide whether schools and police would be necessary. Let us hope then the US will not impose them the 'democracy' or the US style campaigns for the US style elections, 'free market principles' or the market dominance of the US companies, 'fair competitions' that only benefits the rich, or 'freedom' that only impose the free wills of the rich and powerful.