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Les, although I haven't finished the essay, it was very interesting, and I will go back to it, I am sure. One of the stupidest principles articulated in this century was the right of self- determination of peoples. Thus, we enhanced the conflict between territorial integrity and ethnic nationalism. The most absurd case is Northern Ireland, where territorial integrity dictates that Dublin rule the whole island, but self- determination has prevented Ulster from being integrated. Any country with a large ethnic minority, especially if it is territorially compact, now has to fear division. This especially affects the successors to empires like the Austro- Hungarian and the Russian, which are full of patchwork ethnic enclaves, and ethnic hostility is already common. We should articulate once and for all that borders cannot be changed by force, and that ethnic minorities should give up aspirations to re- unite with the "motherland", or go their own way. In return, the international community will not tolerate atrocities committed against national minorities, and will lobby their governments for some consideration of their special needs. |
