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It is to be hoped that David Milliband's call for more democracy in the world is not simply support for the neo-conservative agenda, but the shallowness of his analysis does not easily dispel such fears.
He says: "I am unapologetic about [our] mission to help democracy spread through the world".
There is something of a crusading message in his speech which can only make one uneasy. The word "democracy" and words deriving from it are used not less than 98 times in this piece, so we know he likes the word. But does he know what it means?
Can we be really sure he is on the side of the people of other nations when he says: "Democracy is the best custodian of trade. Free trade and investment rely on confidence that governments will protect property rights, operate in a transparent way, and avoid hidden subsidies and distortions".
"Free trade", unfortunately can often mean opening markets for exploitation by developed nations. And I would like to think that in talking of "hidden subsidies and distortions", he was referring to the massive payout to USA grain farmers or the CAP that permits the dumping of cheap products on the developing world, but I have my doubts.
Strangely he advocates Republican principles saying: "governments must ensure the plural distribution of power, with checks and balances between the executive, judiciary and legislature". He seems quite unaware how such a desirable "distribution of power" with its "checks and balances" is so compromised in the nation he represents in the world.
As for his advocating for other countries of "electoral systems that share power", one can only ponder on the man's naivety. His criticism of Kenya's 'winner takes all' electoral system are made without a trace of irony. His supporting of "work to strengthen national trade unions, particularly in Africa" seems not to find much of an echo in his own country.
If we want to be charitable we might believe he means well. But the way this speech will be read in different parts of the world will be that Britain is still trying to fulfill a quasi-imperial role.
