Liberal Democracy does not work for everyone

 The second episode of former diplomat Tom Fletcher's Radio 4 series The Battle for Liberal Democracy was broadcast in the middle of the Niger emergency. Fletcher's tone at the end was optimistic, though one wonders whether he would have been such if he had heard the latest news. The leaders of Burkina Faso, Guinea and Mali have all voiced support for the coup leader. All three countries were once French colonies and themselves seen democratic institutions overthrown by the military. Ominously, Russia and the Wagner mercenary group appear to have been winning round elements in those countries and Niger, trading on resentment at French and American influence. 

France and through her the European Union relies on Niger for uranium to power the largest nuclear generator installation in Europe. France and the wider West are interested in the mineral wealth of west Africa generally. Niger was also seen as a bastion for the West against militant Islam. 

So the prosperity and to some extent the security of traditional liberal democracies has depended on, to a greater or lesser extent, exploitation of less-developed states both through colonisation and, afterwards, by ensuring friendly governments in those states. The United States, in modern times the leader in democratic government at home, was notorious for abetting dictatorships abroad to further her interests. In de-colonising, European powers tended to be more subtle, but still endeavoured to ensure that replacement administrations were friendly.

At least until the present century we could point to the success of liberal democracies as a model for emergent nations to follow. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the consequent surge in prosperity of its former satellite states reinforced the message. However, the rise of China's elective dictatorship is making the case for authoritarianism again. It is not surprising that many in Africa, still resenting being taken for granted by transatlantic interests, see fascism as a valid model for the future.