Democracy as a Modally Demanding Value

Suppose that a powerful and aggressive polity, Pugnatia, successfully invades and occupies a weaker and peace-loving polity, Pacifistia, with the twin aim of appropriating Pacifistia's valuable natural resources and securing certain strategic objectives. Pacifistia is now part of Pugnatia's empire, and the highest authority in Pacifistia is the president of Pugnatia. Pugnatia extracts Pacifistia's uranium and maintains a substantial military presence in Pacifistia. If the Pacifistians engage in resistance, they are subject to retaliation. Yet, despite this, life in Pacifistia under occupation is very similar to life before. The Pugnatians are prepared to allow the Pacifistians to continue to elect governments and run their domestic affairs as they see fit, so long as the government doesn't try to interfere with Pugnatia's pursuit of its economic and military objectives. Pugnatia doesn't impose or enforce its harsh laws on the Pacifistians but, rather, allows the elected government to create, interpret, and enforce its own, rather nicer laws.