In any case, please remember that I’m talking about Czech perceptions of the quality of their democracy, not about what I think is the state of America’s body politic. And those Czech perceptions lead them to believe that there are still things about America they’d like to see as improvements in their own democratic system. That’s a good thing, for them and for us.

At the same time, I’m hoping to make the point that there are places in this world where both liberty and equality are scarce; so Czechs might take comfort in how far they’ve come. Likewise, I’m also hoping to hint at the fact that, on the contrary, we might not always want to insist upon models of democracy whose liberty and equality coefficients are instantly where we think they should be. Sometimes it takes a bit more time and patience to get there.

I would not write about these things if I were wholly complacent, and you may know less about what is “completely American” in the eyes of the rest of the world for having spent most of your life in America.

When we discuss “liberty” without a context of political equality, it’s fatuous because liberty can be anarchy. The two concepts of liberty and equality are not automatically bound to each other, so it’s necessary to make sure they’re tied together in discussion to make the concept of liberty mean anything. If liberty allows the strong to realize their strength and exalt their “unequality,” then the weaker lose their liberty and freedom hangs itself.

But hooray for the Czechs anyway.

I was just commenting, below, about the way things were in the ’90-’91 period, and I think some of what I’m saying will resonate with you.

What you say about Czech struggles and resiliance reminds me of the end of Smetana’s Libuše when the queen foretells the threats to the Czech nation and proclaims that it will survive. Indeed — and how! Smetana didn’t even know about the Nazis and the communists.

On the other hand, that was also back when the awful brown coal smoke I mentioned hung in the air, and when, indeed, capitalism was about to run rampant and lead to all sorts of scams and schemes that violated the public trust and enriched those who were best positioned funnel off the country’s assets. Though Prague was no doubt beautiful in 1998, I’m sure I wouldn’t have chosen to live where I do now, in Smíchov, which is a much better place to be these days as a result of the kind of makeover that, nonetheless, itself stirs debate about just whose purposes urban renewal is supposed to serve. (Think Washington DC’s U Street district.)

Krušovice dark beer is probably my favorite national brand; but if you make it back this way, let me recommend Hospoda u Bulovky and their microbrewed Richter beer. The scene isn’t nearly so gritty as once upon a time, but it’s authentically Czech, and reasonably priced.

Have a half-litre of Krusovice for me, will ya?

I also have Czech ancestors. I visited in 1991–well after the revolution, but also well before Prague became very westernized. It was an amazing experience. And when the Czechs played the Russians in Nagano for the gold, I stayed up and watched to very end (about 3 a.m.) and cried for joy, it was so moving. The scene in Wenceslaus Square was thrilling, esp being so close to the 30th anniversary of the April 1968 Soviet crack-down.

Svobodu!

Seriously, though, I don’t think it’s a good idea to seek out “bests” when we’re talking about human behavior, which is the main ingredient of all forms of governance.

At best (sorry), I think we can say that liberty is better than oppression. But we have to be very careful about what sort of label we put on liberty — or, to continue with the analogy, we have to watch out for counting the calories in someone else’s liberty and saying that’s it’s necessarily unhealthy because it’s not the brand we choose, or the way we like to serve it.

I mean, it’s clear that there are worse systems of operation. Burma is no picnic (though my friend has an aunt who has lived there for years, and swears by its people and culture). I’ve been to Cuba. The people were lovely, but the poverty was stark, and one got the very blatant sense that the fix was in.

So assuming democracy is the “least-worst” system of governance, is it even worth asking where it functions best?

Becky, it’s OK. I wish I were American. I really and truly do.

On my passport, anyhow.

You haven’t seen the last of me, California!

Though if I’m wrong, he will beat me to death with a didgeridoo.

The Canucks have the Summit Series, the US has the Miracle on Ice, and now the Czechs have…whatever they’re calling theirs.

Every free nation with a halfway decent team has some gloating story about beating the Russians.

Fucking Russians.

Of course, the process of really understanding the underlying factors can last a lifetime. And then there’s the risk of being misled at every turn. Think about how much you might or might not behave like a typical American in the mind of the typical Egyptian, taking into account that your assumptions about even his typicalness are likely to be as flawed as his assumptions about you and yours.

If we’re talking Olympics, I’d root for the Czech Republic. The tiger is just for intimidating my fellow TNB commenters, lest an argument break out and things get toothy.

And sure, it’s not an outrageous sentiment to say that being away from home makes you appreciate home, but it’s one that’s worth repeating. And I knew nothing about the Velvet Revolution until you started talking about it in recent weeks. So, you know. Informative to boot.

Meanwhile, I’m sure I’m not the first to observe that the more you travel around the world, the more you learn about — or at least stop to consider — the place you come from. It’s all about contrast and comparison. That’s my personal theory of relativity.

Why do I feel like I have to run and hide after expressing my pride in democracy?

Maybe we deserve a little filthy, coal-choked commie oppression. Remind us what we’re doing here in the first place.

Thanks for this.