Tyler Cowen: 'Buying' Greenland Is Not an Option

thefp.com

10 points·paulpauper··6 comments

The United States eventually should come into possession of Greenland

Is this a joke?

There is no reason for Greenland to be part of the US. They don't want to be. They aren't culturally American. They're not geographically close.

It's geographically close to Canada. If Canada wanted it, it would be worth discussing.

The only way that would make sense to the US would be exactly what the article doesn't say: buying it. If we want its mineral wealth or strategic position, we should pay for that. Let capitalism do its work: pay the Greenlanders each a million dollars, and have them vote to join the US. As citizens, and a state of their own -- it's much smaller than any state, but they're not going to submit to taxation without representation.

> pay the Greenlanders each a million dollars, and have them vote to join the US

That is not really how these things work. "Pay the Minnesotans 1 dollar each and let them vote if they want to join Canada".

I'd be for that, too. Let people self determine. Maybe if we stopped trying to forcing enemies to be a nation both sides would be better off.

Yes, I know what that implies about the Civil War.

Yeah let's start with the countries who think it is a good idea in that case, not forcing it on other countries.

They would be geographically close once Canada is a US state

Paywall.

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