Multi-Stage Rockets

Some say that there is no going back. There is always going back! In Arabic they have a saying: "You can never burn a stage". It means that in the natural development of a person, a country, a project, there are certain essential phases that must be gone through. If one is missed then you must return at some future time to complete it.

For instance, I can speak from experience about the life stages of the human male: childish silliness, teenage rebellion, twenties adventure, thirties commitment, forties agitation, fifties reassessment, sixties relaunching, seventies contentment, eighties reflection.

You may apply your own description to each stage and they may not happen at precisely these times but they must be gone through. If not then you must return at a future date to experience what you missed. We have all seen some fifty year old dad's behave like teenagers. Often it's just because they did not let go when they were young.

So my question is this: Do countries have to do the same? And therefore can democracy be imposed from without? For instance, as is currently being attempted in Iraq. Perhaps earlier stages can be shortened but they can't be missed.

And then who is to say that this or that is the way for someone to behave at a certain stage in someone's life? They have to decide for themselves. And if they should choose, or be forced, to miss a stage then at some time in the future, they will have to go back.