Barber

Mungkin tidak ramai orang membaca buku Benjamin Barber Jihad vs McWorld sewaktu ia diterbitkan pada 1995. Jika pernah membacanya, mungkin ia dianggap waktu itu sekadar "ramalan nujum pak belalang.".

Setelah 15 tahun, dasar-dasar penghujahannya beredar, ada baiknya hari ini kita merenung kembali persoalan ini:

Democrats need to seek out indigenous democratic impulses. There is always a desire for self-government, always some expression of participation, accountability, consent, and representation, even in traditional hierarchical societies.

These need to be identified, tapped, modified, and incorporated into new democratic practices with an indigenous flavor.

The tortoises among the democratizers may ultimately outlive or outpace the hares, for they will have the time and patience to explore conditions along the way, and to adapt their gait to changing circumstances.

Tragically, democracy in a hurry often looks something like France in 1794 or China in 1989.

Baca lanjut di sini, "Jihad vs McWorld" (Atlantic Monthly, Mac 1992).

Perenggan ini mengingatkan saya teks-teks rujukan yang saya beli dan baca sewaktu menghabiskan penelitian di Jakarta, Ogos 2004-Oktober 2005.