Project for Philosophical Evaluations of the Economy |
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On the international reaction to the coup in Honduras
Dialog on a very close call between Noah denkt™ and its Alter Ego, first drafted on June 29, published
on June 30, 2009
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Question by Alter Ego of Noah denkt™ (AE): What does Noah denkt™ make of the international reaction to the
coup in Honduras? Do you agree with the unison rejection that the forced eviction of Mr Zelaya has been met
with?
Answer by Noah denkt™ (Nd): Well, you probably have to agree with that, but you cannot do it with a light heart
or with much conviction.
AE: Why is that?
Nd: Because Mr. Zelaya himself does not play by the democratic rule book. And so it is understandable if the
Honduran opposition (including members of Zelaya’s own party) feels, that you have to bend the rules somewhat
in order to be able to protect yourself from the populist predator that Mr. Zelaya certainly is.
AE: What proof do you have that Mr. Zelaya himself does tend to bend democratic rules?
Nd: Well, first he was working towards a change of the constitution that he himself would stand to benefit from
most. Then he was ignoring a supreme court decision to reinstate a fired government official. And finally there is
Mr. Zelaya’s close alliance with Mr. Chavez in Venezuela who himself is anything else but a poster boy case for
democracy.
AE: And you believe that Mr. Zelaya was going down Mr. Chavez’ road?
Nd: Clearly and absolutely.
AE: So if that is your position why is it then that you still endorse the widespread condemnation with which this
coup has been received by the international community?
Nd: Because, the history of military coups in Latin America is too disastrous that you could contemplate
condoning even the most noble of them.
AE: Doesn’t that mean that the people of Honduras have to suffer for the mistakes that others have made in the
past.
Nd: You could put it like that.
AE: And that’s fair?
Nd: Not altogether. But it is the only straightforward position to take here. Just think about the potential negative
consequences that it might have if the international community were to support this coup. Don’t you believe that
there were enough ill-minded populists out there who would want to take advantage of the honest arguments that
Honduran opposition has brought forward in order to twist them towards their own self-serving favor?
AE: In other words, you fear that other non-democratic powers would try to benefit from the fact that a door to
legitimacy has been opened that wasn’t exactly meant for them.
Nd: Correct!
AE: And you don’t think that in such a case it would still be possible for the international community to prove that
the predator’s line of reasoning is fake and false.
Nd: It would be so laborious to prove this that most people wouldn’t be able to follow the argument. Don’t forget
that international relations are not being conducted in court-like proceedings. And so you do not have a chance
to exhaustingly cross-question the relevant parties concerned. – In other words, it is next to impossible in politics
to convincingly de-construct the argument of your opponent since that opponent will not necessarily subscribe to
a true spirit of honesty and reason.
AE: That doesn’t help the Honduran people though. Much rather will it hurt them. Because, if Mr. Zelaya gets
reinstated in his position he will certainly turn out to be even worse afterwards than he has been so far.
Nd: All this is true. At the same time though, we are confident that in the long run even the Honduran people will
be able to benefit from the fact that the door towards military coups has been kept close in Latin America.
AE: That profit, however, is a long way off, isn’t it?
Nd: Yes, it is, - unfortunately.
AE: So, here we are: Even honest and ethical politics is a bloody and painful exercise.
Nd: Very much so.
Dialog on a very close call between Noah denkt™ and its Alter Ego, first drafted on June 29, published
on June 30, 2009
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question by Alter Ego of Noah denkt™ (AE): What does Noah denkt™ make of the international reaction to the
coup in Honduras? Do you agree with the unison rejection that the forced eviction of Mr Zelaya has been met
with?
Answer by Noah denkt™ (Nd): Well, you probably have to agree with that, but you cannot do it with a light heart
or with much conviction.
AE: Why is that?
Nd: Because Mr. Zelaya himself does not play by the democratic rule book. And so it is understandable if the
Honduran opposition (including members of Zelaya’s own party) feels, that you have to bend the rules somewhat
in order to be able to protect yourself from the populist predator that Mr. Zelaya certainly is.
AE: What proof do you have that Mr. Zelaya himself does tend to bend democratic rules?
Nd: Well, first he was working towards a change of the constitution that he himself would stand to benefit from
most. Then he was ignoring a supreme court decision to reinstate a fired government official. And finally there is
Mr. Zelaya’s close alliance with Mr. Chavez in Venezuela who himself is anything else but a poster boy case for
democracy.
AE: And you believe that Mr. Zelaya was going down Mr. Chavez’ road?
Nd: Clearly and absolutely.
AE: So if that is your position why is it then that you still endorse the widespread condemnation with which this
coup has been received by the international community?
Nd: Because, the history of military coups in Latin America is too disastrous that you could contemplate
condoning even the most noble of them.
AE: Doesn’t that mean that the people of Honduras have to suffer for the mistakes that others have made in the
past.
Nd: You could put it like that.
AE: And that’s fair?
Nd: Not altogether. But it is the only straightforward position to take here. Just think about the potential negative
consequences that it might have if the international community were to support this coup. Don’t you believe that
there were enough ill-minded populists out there who would want to take advantage of the honest arguments that
Honduran opposition has brought forward in order to twist them towards their own self-serving favor?
AE: In other words, you fear that other non-democratic powers would try to benefit from the fact that a door to
legitimacy has been opened that wasn’t exactly meant for them.
Nd: Correct!
AE: And you don’t think that in such a case it would still be possible for the international community to prove that
the predator’s line of reasoning is fake and false.
Nd: It would be so laborious to prove this that most people wouldn’t be able to follow the argument. Don’t forget
that international relations are not being conducted in court-like proceedings. And so you do not have a chance
to exhaustingly cross-question the relevant parties concerned. – In other words, it is next to impossible in politics
to convincingly de-construct the argument of your opponent since that opponent will not necessarily subscribe to
a true spirit of honesty and reason.
AE: That doesn’t help the Honduran people though. Much rather will it hurt them. Because, if Mr. Zelaya gets
reinstated in his position he will certainly turn out to be even worse afterwards than he has been so far.
Nd: All this is true. At the same time though, we are confident that in the long run even the Honduran people will
be able to benefit from the fact that the door towards military coups has been kept close in Latin America.
AE: That profit, however, is a long way off, isn’t it?
Nd: Yes, it is, - unfortunately.
AE: So, here we are: Even honest and ethical politics is a bloody and painful exercise.
Nd: Very much so.
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