Defending Democracy?

Trey Smith

I'm reading the news the other day and this story jumped out at me.

The United States on Thursday recognized the new government of Maldives President Mohamed Waheed as legitimate and urged him to fulfill a pledge to form a national unity government.

What I find interesting is that Waheed was not elected to the office of president. He was installed in that position as the result of a coup. He replaced Mohamed Nasheed who indeed WAS elected president and has been quite popular with his people.

What is legitimate about subverting the will of the people of the Maldives? I think that is a very salient question when one considers the rhetoric from US leaders about wanting to spread and maintain democracy across the globe. How can the US government hold up democracy as an ideal if they grant legitimacy to nations that don't honor it?

And the answer to that question is simple: Our elites only prize democracy in name only! The will of the people only matters if it serves the interests of the elites. When it doesn't, then democratic ideals are tossed aside like used toilet paper!