34 Comments

The most dangerous political experiment in Latin America is *was* in El Salvador. It was a failed state forfeiting all ability to fulfill its primary obligation by protecting its citizens at the most basic elementary level.

Thank god for Bukele. There isn't a population on earth that would make the other choice in the face of that situation. I hope all of Central America follows suit.

Expand full comment

For better or worse, El Salvador is the future. Liberalism leads to men pretending to be women so that they can cheat at sports. I have a standard comment about this.

“China is very good at building dams, the US is very good at enforcing PC. Which system will prevail in the 21st century?”

Expand full comment

The only tool we have for predicting the future is study of the past, however imperfect that is. During the 20th century, Soviet Russia, Nazi Germany, and Red China experimented with restoring "order" by mass incarceration and elimination of civil liberties. Of the three only Germany has emerged as a modern, democratic, nation state, and that was only after committing genocide, waging a disastrous war, unconditional surrender and foreign occupation. Both Russia and China are continuing with authoritarian governments with central planning and non-existent civil liberties. What does 20th century history tell us about El Salvador's future?

We, in the United States, are now reconsidering the strategy of mass incarceration to reduce crime. There are benefits to living in a constitutional democratic republic and those benefits include open discussion of failed policies leading to gradual change.

Expand full comment

Livi, the great ancient historian, wrote that when certain problems could not be solved by the Senate and Tribunes of the Roman Republic (before the Caesars), they assigned (usually)an elite to be dictator for 6 months and get the job done. I find this ingenious.

Expand full comment