
If we had backed him strongly early on I doubt there would be the
problem there is now.  Many Russians became disillusioned with democracy
and reforms when they felt, rightly IMO, that the West didn't care.

Yeltsin was virtually promised massive aid (once Bush got over his
Gorby-mania.)  This probably kept him from dismantling the congress
and calling for new elections.  Well, the aid didn't come through
and we didn't make sure it went to the proper places and now the
anti-reformers are gaining strength where before they were in
hiding.


If they don't reform I don't believe in giving them money.  However,
I think this is too important to take a non-interventionist approach.
This is what really bugs me about Libertarianism -- it sounds like
'it'll all be the same in a hundred years time.  no need to do
anything.'

Despite the wishes of Libertarians, this society is a far way, and getting
farther, from being Libertarian.  Perhaps voluntary gifts would work if
we had the proper framework but we do not have it.  We have to face the
problem *now*, not in X years when we have a Libertarian dream society.

Right now there are huge stumbling blocks to trade, let alone charity.
There are still limitations to high-tech exports.  NASA can't buy
Proton launch vehicles from them.  Sure, the market may be able to
help a great deal but it can't right now.  There are too many obstacles.
Instead of fighting against the aid you should be fighting to 
tear down the obstacles the market and charities have to face.

Well, I think limited government is primarily democratic due
to it being limited.  But the main question is how do you transform
a state-run economy and monolithic government into something that
even remotely looks like ours?  (BTW, sometimes it seems that our government 
is trying to go the opposite direction)  It is not going to be
painless and not going to be easy.  We simply cannot wait to
help when they *have* the 'proper' government.  They'll never
get there without the aid.  It may be too late already.


And I'm just excercising mine.


As I also said above, another problem I have is with *transformation*.
A Libertarian society is not going to happen painlessly or overnight.
I have seen nothing about how to take our current government and
society and turn it into a minimal government and a responsible
self-sufficient populace.  


They didn't have nuclear weapons 100 years ago.  Nor instantaneous
communications nor travel to virtually anyplace on the earth in
less than a day.


Yes, depend on the rulers of the free market and the businesses.  Rulers
do emerge *somewhere* and they will never represent the opinions of
every person on the planet.  

There must be checks and balances.  Checks on the government when
it gets out of bounds and checks on industry when it gets out of
bounds.  Putting all your hopes on the benevolence of the market
is, to me, just like putting all your hopes on the benevolence of
government.  