AW: [governance] Plagiarism and intellectual property

["Kleinwächter, Wolfgang"]

Andrea:
 
I am also deeply unconvinced about the rather romantic depiction of "civil society" in authoritarian regimes made by Wolfgang and others. Those activists and citizens whom I met (with Neelie Kroes or alone) ranged from very romantic types indeed, to people who would have made Machiavelli take notes. (Needless to say, being the cynical black soul of a eurocrat I am, I personally connected much better with the latter ones :). 

Wolfgang:
You are right Andrea, people who are in opposition to a rigid regime are rather different and are driven by a broad variation of motives. Insofar you have to be very sensitive if you are looking for the "right dissidents" who deserve help from western democracies. Remember Afghanistan in the 1980s. The Taliban was in opposition to the rigid regime in Kabul supported by the Soviet Union. And they became the good friends of the US government. With other words, be careful if you send zu Guttenberg to find the right people who oppose an established dictatorship. The risk is high to get the people you mentioned above and end up with another dictatorship. 
 
 
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