This is the twice-weekly hidden open thread. Post about anything you want, ask random questions, whatever. So it looks like we will finally get a test case of what happens in the 21st century when part of a developed nation overwhelmingly votes to peacefully secede despite warnings from the central government that secession is not legitimate.
As an ancap who believes secession is the future of liberty, I am very excited about this. I am also hoping it will support my intuition that first world democracies no longer have the stomach to use military force to prevent a secession clearly supported by a supermajority of the population of the area in question.
This comes up frequently here: the question of whether the Federal government would use military force to prevent e. Texan secession. Many seem to think so, citing the Civil War. But I think things are very different now.
I think there would be a lot of threats and bluster, but if you actually got to the point where e. It seems likely that, since the validity of the referendum was in question, turnout was quite disproportionate in favor of the pro-secession side.
What Montfort said. None of the safeguards to ensure reliable elections were in place. There was also intimidation of those who opposed secession. Fact is that international law has rules about this sort of thing, where secession is rightful merely if a region was colonized or if human rights are violated.
