What initially comes to mind is Israel and Jewish claim that it is their ancestral and promised land, but if we generalize, then there are plenty of examples around the world of some group claiming to have moral right to some piece of land.
On one hand, land will belong to whoever can fight to conquer it and keep it. That is obvious and we need not discuss it.
What I am interested in is the moral issue. If group A claims it has a right to piece of land B, when should I agree with them?
- if they were removed from B against their wishes?
- if they weren't compensated for their property in B?
- if they were in B for a very long time?
- if they only recently left B?
- if they have left many monuments in B?
- if they are a majority in B, but B is part of a another country?
That may sound abstract, so here are some examples:
Should I support:
- Jewish claim to lands of ancient Israel
- Palestinian right of return to nowadays Israel
- Serbian claim to Kosovo
- Japanese claim to Kuril islands
- Chinese claim to Taiwan
- Independant Kurdish state
Or hypothetically (as far as I know these claims are not made by anyone important):
- Hungarian claim to parts of Romania
- Finnish claim to south Karelia
- Greek claim to parts of Asia Minor
- Greater Armenia
Opinions?
On one hand, land will belong to whoever can fight to conquer it and keep it. That is obvious and we need not discuss it.
What I am interested in is the moral issue. If group A claims it has a right to piece of land B, when should I agree with them?
- if they were removed from B against their wishes?
- if they weren't compensated for their property in B?
- if they were in B for a very long time?
- if they only recently left B?
- if they have left many monuments in B?
- if they are a majority in B, but B is part of a another country?
That may sound abstract, so here are some examples:
Should I support:
- Jewish claim to lands of ancient Israel
- Palestinian right of return to nowadays Israel
- Serbian claim to Kosovo
- Japanese claim to Kuril islands
- Chinese claim to Taiwan
- Independant Kurdish state
Or hypothetically (as far as I know these claims are not made by anyone important):
- Hungarian claim to parts of Romania
- Finnish claim to south Karelia
- Greek claim to parts of Asia Minor
- Greater Armenia
Opinions?
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