I know an Aussie who talked to me today about how countries like Mali and Burkina Faso are justified in kicking out the French and replacing them with the tender mercies of Russia because when you've been burned by the West for so long you'll automatically embrace their enemies. And also how China's activities and investments in Africa are a net good because they improve lives and because Africa's been so burned by the West they'll readily accept China's project to prove that authoritarian capitalism is viable. These are also views I saw expressed in the recent thread about Indians' pro-Russian views of the war in Ukraine.

Are we really accepting excuses for authoritarianism?

!ping FOREIGN-POLICY