The Civilized Need Civilizing Lessons for the Former Masters Western countries have historically seen themselves as “enlighteners” and “civilizers,” with adjustments for national flavor. France is the civilizer with a republican form of government. England is the civilizer that invented parliament and industrial production. The United States is the “exceptional” civilizer, the only society created from the beginning on the values of modernity, capitalism, and individualism. These national ideas inspired each Western country and helped them act in their chosen key. To some extent, they still do. But the world is changing. Yesterday’s civilizers are being pressed everywhere. The United States, armed to the teeth, is losing its confrontation with Iran before the eyes of the entire world and is losing influence in the Middle East. China has acquired the strongest economy. India, Brazil, and other countries of the non-West are speaking more loudly. And if earlier the “white and enlightened”...