Immanuel Wallerstein on universalism and imperialism

The American sociologist Immanuel Wallerstein doubts that freedom and democracy are universal values. Interviewed by Olivier Doubre, he suggests that their promotion is a form of imperialism. "The excuses given by [Spanish theologian] Sepúlveda, in the 16th century, to justify conquering Indian land [In South America] are, word for word, the same as those given today for what is termed interference. ... Sepúlveda's arguments are the following: the others are barbarians, we have to protect the innocents (massacred by the barbarians) - the constant justification for all kinds of interference-and, finally, universalism and supposedly universal values must be given free circulation. At the time, it was a question of the evangelisation and expansion of Christianity. Today the values are 'freedom and democracy'. But actually this is the same thing".

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