I’m not sure what the EA movement can do that will have significant effect in the short term. In the long term we should be looking into establishing liberal democracy in countries which either posses nuclear weapons or have the capacity to develop them in the near future (Russia, China, North Korea, Pakistan, Iran...). For example we can support the pro-liberalisation groups which already exist in these countries.
I’m skeptical of this approach given how poorly the Arab Spring ended up working out. I’m skeptical of whether revolutions are a wise idea in general. I think it may be wiser to try to nudge their existing governments towards being more liberal. This approach could include, for example, encouraging EAs in China to join the party their and try to rise through the ranks.
In the Arab Spring many of the revolutionary groups were radical Islamists rather than champions of liberal democracy. Also, I didn’t say anything about revolution: in some cases a gradual transition is more likely to work.
Infiltrating an organization you hate while preserving sanity and your true values is a task few people are capable of. I’m quite certain I wouldn’t make it.
I think that we need serious research + talking to people from the relevant countries to devise realistic strategies.
Infiltrating an organization you hate while preserving sanity and your true values is a task few people are capable of. I’m quite certain I wouldn’t make it.
Hm, really? I don’t think it’d be a problem for me. Could look in to the research on counterintelligence and double agents.
I think that we need serious research + talking to people from the relevant countries to devise realistic strategies.
I think this is the opposite of true. Do you think Soviet attempts to foster communism in the US during the cold war were a stabilising influence? Countries generally and rightfully take affront at foreigners trying to meddle with their internal affairs. For a more recent example, look at the aftermath of the western coup in Ukraine.
Do you think Soviet attempts to foster communism in the US during the cold war were a stabilising influence?
Well, they might have been stabilizing if they worked :) Although I think war between communist countries is much more likely than war between liberal democracies.
Countries generally and rightfully take affront at foreigners trying to meddle with their internal affairs.
I mostly agree with the descriptive claim but not with the normative claim. Why “rightfully”?
For a more recent example, look at the aftermath of the western coup in Ukraine.
“Western” coup? The revolutionaries were pro-Western to some extent, but why is it a good example of foreign meddling?
I agree that backfiring is a serious risk of such interventions but I don’t think we should write them off completely. Moreover, interventions by private organizations, especially private organization whose support base is spread over many countries, seem much less likely to precipitate a diplomatic crisis than direct interventions by governments.
I’m not sure what the EA movement can do that will have significant effect in the short term. In the long term we should be looking into establishing liberal democracy in countries which either posses nuclear weapons or have the capacity to develop them in the near future (Russia, China, North Korea, Pakistan, Iran...). For example we can support the pro-liberalisation groups which already exist in these countries.
I’m skeptical of this approach given how poorly the Arab Spring ended up working out. I’m skeptical of whether revolutions are a wise idea in general. I think it may be wiser to try to nudge their existing governments towards being more liberal. This approach could include, for example, encouraging EAs in China to join the party their and try to rise through the ranks.
In the Arab Spring many of the revolutionary groups were radical Islamists rather than champions of liberal democracy. Also, I didn’t say anything about revolution: in some cases a gradual transition is more likely to work.
Infiltrating an organization you hate while preserving sanity and your true values is a task few people are capable of. I’m quite certain I wouldn’t make it.
I think that we need serious research + talking to people from the relevant countries to devise realistic strategies.
Hm, really? I don’t think it’d be a problem for me. Could look in to the research on counterintelligence and double agents.
Of course, I’m just spitballing.
I think this is the opposite of true. Do you think Soviet attempts to foster communism in the US during the cold war were a stabilising influence? Countries generally and rightfully take affront at foreigners trying to meddle with their internal affairs. For a more recent example, look at the aftermath of the western coup in Ukraine.
Well, they might have been stabilizing if they worked :) Although I think war between communist countries is much more likely than war between liberal democracies.
I mostly agree with the descriptive claim but not with the normative claim. Why “rightfully”?
“Western” coup? The revolutionaries were pro-Western to some extent, but why is it a good example of foreign meddling?
I agree that backfiring is a serious risk of such interventions but I don’t think we should write them off completely. Moreover, interventions by private organizations, especially private organization whose support base is spread over many countries, seem much less likely to precipitate a diplomatic crisis than direct interventions by governments.