What do you know about the Falkland Islands? The British territory off the coast of Argentina was difficult to cultivate, and was only good for raising sheep. It was so far away from Britain that only people with little other choice went there, and they lived an almost-medieval existence. Then in 1982, the world learned of the Falkland Islands when Argentina invaded, ostensibly to "liberate" the islands. The war made the islands' declining economy worse, but it made the British pay attention to them.
After the war, the wretched condition of the Falklands attracted international attention, and Britain allotted the islands more aid money than it ever had before. It passed a nationality bill that granted Falkland Islanders full British citizenship, and it gave the islands independence in all matters except foreign policy and defense. The islands would be run not by the governor but by their legislative council; this would consist of eight elected members, though there would be no political parties—there was no need, since most people had known one another all their lives. There was already a local court, and since it was difficult to assemble a jury in which no one was related to the defendant, the bailiff was empowered to step outside and collar more potential jurors literally off the street.
But the turning point that changed everything was Britain’s decision, in 1986, to permit the Falklands to claim fishing rights to the waters for a hundred and fifty miles offshore, which it had not allowed before for fear of antagonizing Argentina.
The prosperity that resulted from fishing led to prosperity from tourism, and new immigrants came to settle in the Falklands. Read a short but fascinating history of the Falkland Islands at The New Yorker. -via Metafilter
(Image credit: amanderson2)
Comments (0)