Indian-turned-American journalist Fareed Zakaria wants the disgraced Dominique Strauss-Kahn's successor at the International Monetary Fund to be a "non-European."
That sounds like a bold statement from someone who spends most of his time admiring European and Washington worldview. But read beyond the headline and Zakaria gives his outlandish logic why it's not a good idea to put another European in charge of an organization which is notorious for exploiting developing countries.
"If you don’t bring them in, they’re going to freelance and they’re going to grow outside of the system. That’s the most dangerous thing that could happen," Zakaria says in his CNN blog.
Then he praises the European and US-dominated international system, which according to him has imposed some degree of rules and norms -- another myth that is repeated by European and Washington officials, ignoring the chaos and lawlessness they have created.
Forget about international policy matters, the IMF has created a work culture in which women do not feel comfortable wearing skirts.
Back to the logic why a non-European should be roped in as the next IMF chief, Zakaria's boldness represents crazy Western fears about the rise of countries such as China, India, Brazil, Turkey, Russia and South Africa.
The supporters of the status quo do not mind if these countries grow in stature as long as they uphold the supremacy of European and US approach to world affairs.
Several non-European candidates have been mentioned as potential successor to Strauss-Kahn, the Frenchman who resigned after his arrest in the sexual assault case, but in the end the IMF will be headed by someone who, as Zakaria suggests, serves Western interests.
"If you don’t bring them in, they’re going to freelance and they’re going to grow outside of the system. That’s the most dangerous thing that could happen," Zakaria says in his CNN blog.
Then he praises the European and US-dominated international system, which according to him has imposed some degree of rules and norms -- another myth that is repeated by European and Washington officials, ignoring the chaos and lawlessness they have created.
Forget about international policy matters, the IMF has created a work culture in which women do not feel comfortable wearing skirts.
Back to the logic why a non-European should be roped in as the next IMF chief, Zakaria's boldness represents crazy Western fears about the rise of countries such as China, India, Brazil, Turkey, Russia and South Africa.
The supporters of the status quo do not mind if these countries grow in stature as long as they uphold the supremacy of European and US approach to world affairs.
Several non-European candidates have been mentioned as potential successor to Strauss-Kahn, the Frenchman who resigned after his arrest in the sexual assault case, but in the end the IMF will be headed by someone who, as Zakaria suggests, serves Western interests.
