Dan asked, "John D. Giorgis" answered, and Doug replied:
> >
> > At 08:24 AM 12/18/00 -0600, Dan M. wrote:
> > >Why are geographic minorities the important ones?
> >
> > Because geographic distinctions are the basis of nation-states, and it
> is
> > geographical differences, that if left unaddressed, eventually foment
> civil
> > wars.
> >
>
> I'd really like to see a reference that validates this statement. It's
> my
> guess that cultural or ethnic or racial or economic differences that
> cause
> civil disturbances.
I've read that it is very often economic ones that exacerbate the others,
although I can imagine cultural/ethnic/racial ones (the lines between those
distinctions are hard for me to draw) could be dire enough to provoke problems
even in a point of relative mutual prosperity. However, without falling back
fully on Marxist ideas, I would say that it is when such distinctions interact
with some kind of widespread hierarchy (or "class") system that conflicts are
bound to arise. People can be equally (or almost equally) wealthy and still
perceive one another to be in different "classes", and as long as the
perception is there, the tension is there. But relative mutual prosperity can
probably defer the playing field of those tensions from being violent physical
ones to being social tensions. Just a guess...
Gord
