Even in a society as tightly controlled as Singapore's, the market creates certain forces which perhaps in the long run may lead to democracy

Some people think that as the Chinese economy becomes more and more capitalistic it will inevitably become more democratic

Let me say again that the relationship is asymmetrical: there's no democracy without a market economy, but you can have a market economy without democracy.

He who has the bigger stick has the better chance of imposing his definitions of reality.

The basic fault lines today are not between people with different beliefs but between people who hold these beliefs with an element of uncertainty and people who hold these beliefs with a pretense of certitude

It has been true in Western societies and it seems to be true elsewhere that you do not find democratic systems apart from capitalism, or apart from a market economy, if you prefer that term

Even if one is interested only in one's own society, which is one's prerogative, one can understand that society much better by comparing it with others.