Wretchard – But suppose an authoritarian society simply adopted the most commercially successful ideas and processes of a liberal society.

I assume you mean China. In their case it only works in the short term. Absent private property and the legal system that supports it, China funds most economic activity with debt. Their system therefore lacks the flexibilty and adaptability inherent in the capitalist economic system. China’s economic model will inevitably crash when it hits moderate to severe economic turbulence, which will then disrupt its social model big time.

I would submit that the US is Exhibit #1 for the case that liberal democracy will only thrive and flourish when it is accompanied by a capitalistic economic system.