World full of diversity

Comments on Andy Yee “Autocratic peace and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation”, May 11th, 2011, http://www.eastasiaforum.org/2011/05/11/autocratic-peace-and-the-shanghai-cooperation-organisation/

It is unclear the following interpretation or characterisation is correct: the success of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) "as a multilateral organisation provides support for the notion of ‘autocratic peace.’ Where democratic peace theory posits that democracies do not go to war against each other, autocratic peace theory holds the same for autocracies. This implies that it is not the political features of democracy that are important for peace, but rather the shared preferences for stability that stem from similarities in regime type."

There are many differences in the political and social systems in the world. Even within the western democracy, there are differences in the way democracy is achieved.

If one mechanically applies the simplistic approach to the extreme based on whether it is the same or different, then one could go to an extreme in the end there would only one very narrowly defined and practiced system, so all others that are different from that particular one is problematic and should not exist.

Isn't that absurd?

The world is rich, complex and diversified. The narrow minded and purest view of a singular world is unlikely to be helpful to advancing the welfare of all human beings, western and eastern included. It reduces the value of human kind.