Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine: Why We Should Be Worried About Autocratic Leaders

By geralt from Pixabay

We often take for granted the fact that many of us live in relatively peaceful democratic states, where we have not been under any real threat of war for decades. We argue enthusiastically with our peers over the many weaknesses of our capitalist system and the limits of democracy in bringing about real change, while our military, intelligence and security forces work tirelessly, day and night, to rid our countries of extremist factions and protect our shores, borders and skies from the activities of malign foreign actors.

I’m sure many Ukrainians were also anti-war, anti-government, and anti-news before the invasion began. We all are, until reality hits. Make no mistake, if a country is engaged in serious conflict, every government across the world will do everything they can to ensure victory, including using state of emergency powers to force all men to sign up for conscription. When the tanks roll in, you will no longer be able to bury your head in the sand and wait for the cavalry to come to your aid.

Freedom is only a guarantee in times of peace, and peace does not come easy. We are thousands of years in to the development of civilization, and we have barely seen a few decades of relative peace in a handful of regions across the world. Those of us born in a stable country like…