Population exchange

Do you ever think it's justified? My personal opinion is that if two people hate other so much, they can't live together, since Humans Are Bastards then it would be better just to separate them. What do you think.

I don't like it. It has to be overseen by a completely neutral third party. If its left to the two states, the strongest one will leverage the situation to gain good land for land that is not valuable. And obviously the same will be done if there is a powerful benefactor involved.

But you think is all right if a neutral third party does it.

If the alternative is the two groups literally tearing each other apart.

EDIT: First of all, are we talking about land swaps like in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

edited 17th Aug '11 2:44:05 PM by GameChainsaw

I think the OP needs a lot more explanation, because I don't know what specifically you're talking about. My first thought was "immigration" but then I read Chainsaw's post.

The example that popped in my mind was the population exchange between Greece and Turkey.

You could argue that the expulsion of Jews from Arab countries and the expulsion of Palestinians is another example of population albeit an incomplete one as there are still Arabs in Israel. A creation of a Palestinian state would solve that.

Yeah, I'm kind of confused... what are we talking about?

If it's what I think it is, though, it doesn't seem like it would end well...

More explanation, since a lot of us are not aware of that situation. Links in your opening post, or a review of it?

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Population_exchange

Oh. Right. It is what I thought it is.

Well, I would say this is right up there on the "stupidest things I've ever heard" list. I can say that Israel's bullshit in this regard is a really big reason why I don't like them much at all...

It worked in Greece and Turkey.

Shouldn't the populations in these areas get, I don't know, to vote on which state they join?

Government doesn't have a right to eject people from their homes because of who they are, period.

Uprooting people from their home is massively unjust. Learning to live with people who are different from you is rather necessary in today's world. Israel would be less of a problem if they could just suck it up and deal with it. >,< Inflicting suffering on people is not the way to protect your nation.

Maybe in a ideal world, but think of it this way if a Jew in a Arab country of a Palestinian wold vote where they would stay do you think any Israeli or Arab would respect that?

edited 17th Aug '11 3:20:01 PM by genghiskhanch

No, but as far as I care the Israeli government is illegitimate. It's exactly one of three things I can think of where the British Government seriously fucked up in the last 150 years or so...

As far as I'm concerned, you must never force people to move. Borders move to accomodate people. People do not move to accomodate borders.

Again in an ideal world. In general people are intolerant and generally don't like people that are outsiders. It's better for people who are an ethnic minority to move to were their fellow members live. It keep the peace and it more humane then mixing two people that hate each other. Besides most of the people in the territory would prefer that way.

It also worked beautifully for Armenia. Fantastic, really.

The Balkans in general are also immensely stable thanks to the Ottoman Empire's population transfers.

edited 17th Aug '11 3:25:48 PM by Pentadragon

People who were there already have every right to stay. It's a government's job to protect every one of its citizens, not just the ones who make up the majority. To simply eject them is a disgusting abuse of power.

edited 17th Aug '11 3:26:04 PM by USAF713

The problem with even thinking like that is it enforces the differences.

If a community is literally about to be slaughtered I'd consider it. But if its got that far, why can't you just drive off the attackers?

If people are getting slaughtered in the streets, you move in the army and pack the violent folks off to jail for the rest of their lives.

edited 17th Aug '11 3:27:02 PM by GameChainsaw

If rioters are committing genocide, you don't jail them, you kill them.

Obviously. I was talking about survivors after you move in and kick ass and take names.

...in which case they'd probably hang for war crimes anyway.

edited 17th Aug '11 3:30:15 PM by GameChainsaw

There shouldn't be survivors. If there are, your army needs target practice. Lo and behold, scum to use for targets!