Reparations are compensation for exploited, oppressed, or colonized groups that seek to end historic inequalities.
Historical examples
Germany
Towards the end of the Second World War, the Allies agreed that a united Germany would have to pay reparations to the USSR after the war. In May 1946, the USA blocked the USSR from taking reparations from the Western occupation zone. In response the Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin.[1] After the blockade failed, the USSR was only able to take reparations from eastern Germany, which was the poorest part of Germany.[2]
Nicaragua
In 1986, the International Court of Justice ruled that the USA owed $12 billion in reparations for sanctioning Nicaragua, attacking its infrastructure, and supporting the Contras to commit war crimes. The USA refused to pay the reparations, which are now worth $31 billion in 2023 dollars.[3]
Proposed examples
New Afrikans
After the Civil War, the USA proposed to grant 40 acres of land to all formerly enslaved people as reparations for their enslavement. This plan was never carried out.[4]
The Republic of New Afrika demanded reparations from the USA when it declared independence in 1968.[5]
In 2023, Black people in the USA have an average net worth of $350,000 less than whites or $841,000 per household. Reparations to the entire Black nation that would close the gap in inequality would cost a total of about $14 trillion.[4]
References
- ↑ Austin Murphy (2000). The Triumph of Evil: 'A Comparative Analysis of East and West German Financial Systems in Light of the New Evidence' (p. 154). [PDF] Fucecchio: European Press Academic Publishing. ISBN 8883980026
- ↑ Bruni de la Motte, John Green (2015). Stasi State or Socialist Paradise?: 'A Difficult Birth - How the GDR Came About' (pp. 18–20). London: Artery Publications. [LG]
- ↑ Ben Norton (2023-06-28). "US legally owes Nicaragua reparations, but still refuses to honor 1986 Int’l Court of Justice ruling" Geopolitical Economy Report. Archived from the original on 2023-08-06.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Scott Ferguson, William Saas (2023-10-05). "Reparations for Black Americans w/ William A. Darity" MR Online. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
- ↑ "The New Afrikan Declaration of Independence" (1968-03-31). New Afrikan Liberation Collective. Archived from the original on 2022-05-10. Retrieved 2022-06-12.