It's now clear the west particularly America and European elites have been using democracy and capitalism to control and create sanctions on the developing and poor countries

 

To assess it rigorously, we need to separate three analytical layers:

1. Normative ideology (democracy, capitalism as principles)

2. Policy practice (how powerful states implement them externally)

3. Geopolitical power behavior (how dominant states act regardless of ideology)

Let’s examine this carefully.

---

1. Democracy as Principle vs. Democracy as Instrument

Democracy, as theorized by thinkers like John Locke and Montesquieu, is grounded in:

• Popular sovereignty

• Rule of law

• Civil liberties

• Accountability

However, critics argue that major powers — especially the United States and blocs like the European Union — sometimes apply democracy selectively in foreign policy.

Examples often cited:

• Support for authoritarian allies when strategically convenient.

• Sanctions justified on “democratic grounds” but aligned with geopolitical interests.

• Military interventions framed as democracy promotion.

This suggests inconsistency — not necessarily that democracy itself is oppressive, but that it may be deployed strategically.

---

2. Capitalism: Market Freedom or Structural Dependency?

Capitalism theoretically emphasizes:

• Private ownership

• Market competition

• Free trade

Yet critics — particularly dependency theorists like Andre Gunder Frank — argue that global capitalism evolved into a core-periphery structure, where:

• Industrialized nations export high-value goods.

• Developing countries export raw materials.

• Value addition remains concentrated in the “core.”

Institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are often accused of promoting structural adjustment policies that:

• Reduce state intervention.

• Privatize national assets.

• Open markets prematurely.

Supporters say these reforms encourage efficiency and integration.
Critics say they entrench dependency and weaken domestic industry.

---

3. Sanctions as a Tool of Power

Sanctions are frequently imposed by:

• The United States

• The European Union

They are justified on grounds such as:

• Human rights violations

• Electoral fraud

• Security threats

But in practice:

• Sanctions can devastate civilian populations.

• They can function as geopolitical leverage.

• They sometimes reinforce elite survival rather than regime change.

This raises a key question:

Are sanctions ethical enforcement of norms — or instruments of coercive economic statecraft?

The answer varies case by case.

---

4. Power Politics Is Not Ideology-Specific

It is important to note:

Great powers historically pursue national interest, regardless of ideology.

• Colonial empires predated modern capitalism.

• Communist powers also exerted control during the Cold War.

• Rising powers today engage in similar leverage tactics.

This aligns with realist theory in international relations — associated with thinkers like Hans Morgenthau — which argues:

States pursue power and security first; ideology is often secondary.

---

5. A More Precise Framing

Rather than saying:

“Democracy and capitalism are tools of oppression.”

A more analytically precise formulation might be:

Powerful states sometimes instrumentalize democratic rhetoric and capitalist institutions to advance strategic interests, which can reinforce global inequalities.

That distinction matters.

---

6. Structural vs. Agency Responsibility

We must also examine:

• Domestic governance failures in developing countries.

• Corruption and elite capture.

• Weak industrial policy.

• Debt mismanagement.

External pressure interacts with internal vulnerability.

External dominance alone does not fully explain underdevelopment — but neither can internal factors alone.

---

7. The Strategic Question

The more productive inquiry may be:

• Can developing nations engage global capitalism without dependency?

• Can democracy be rooted locally rather than externally defined?

• How can economic sovereignty be strengthened without isolation?

These are the strategic development questions facing Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia.