This was the problem that I was referring to when I was trying to describe a progression of fragmentations. I first began to think about this sort of problem when Lebanon began to fall apart. At first, it seemed to be a religious division, but then I began to realize that there were divisions within each religion that were made each others throats. The situation seemed like a fractal to me.
Chris Doss wrote:
Who gets to determine Chechnya's status? People who live in Chechnya? In 1991, Grozny's population was about 50% non-Chechen. The Nautsky district in Chechnya was about 75% non-Chechen, mostly Russians, Ukrainians and Cossacks who lived there since the 15th century. Those people have almost entirely fled, been forced out, or killed. None of them would have voted for an independent Chechnya. Do their voices matter?
--
Michael Perelman Economics Department California State University michael at ecst.csuchico.edu Chico, CA 95929 530-898-5321 fax 530-898-5901
