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I have wanted to give Iraq a lesson in democracy - because we're experienced with it, you know. And, in democracy, after a hundred years, you have to let your slaves go. And, after a hundred and fifty years, you have to let your women vote. And, at the beginning of democracy, is that quite a bit of genocide and ethnic cleansing is quite okay. And that's what's going on now.

Kurt Vonnegut#12

PoliticsWarHistoryDemocracyIntervention

About this quote

What does it mean?
The quote satirizes US intervention by framing forced democracy as historically brutal and hypocritical.
In plain terms
Democracy took centuries and included bad acts like genocide at the start.
What can you take from it?
Imposing democracy can involve violence and hypocrisy.

Where it applies

  • foreign policy
  • historical critique
  • geopolitics

Putting it to work

  • study history
  • critique intervention
  • demand accountability

Questions to consider

  • Is intervention ever justified?
  • How does history repeat?

Another view

Democracy can bring long-term benefits despite early violence.

More from Kurt Vonnegut

  1. We're terrible animals. I think that the Earth's immune system is trying to get rid of us, as well it should.

    Permalink to quote #11
  2. I do feel that evolution is being controlled by some sort of divine engineer. I can't help thinking that. And this engineer knows exactly what he or she is doi…

    Permalink to quote #13
  3. I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.'

    Permalink to quote #10

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