Posted about 3 hours ago by Narjas Zatat, Wil Jones in discover, indy100
Donald Trump's decision to ban refugees from Syria, and several other Muslim countries, entering the US deserves a history lesson.
Picture: GLADIATOR (2000)/DREAMWORKS/UNIVERSAL PICTURES/SCOTT FREE PRODUCTIONS
There are many reasons why people have criticised this move, but one of the most powerful lessons may actually come from ancient history.
An article on Quartz explains how the mistreatment of a migrant crisis caused the collapse of the Roman Empire. And it makes sobering reading when you compare it to what’s happening in the world right now.
The beginning of the fall of the Roman Empire is commonly attributed to 378, and an epic battle at Adrianople between Emperor Flavius Julius Valens Augustus and the Germanic people, Goths (who the Romans thought of as ‘barbarians’).
But how did the empire, which has so successfully conquered and managed their resources crumble so completely?
Two years before the events at Adrianople, the Goths, who lived in what is now Eastern Europe, were forced to leave their territory by the invading Huns (originally from the Caucasus and Central Asia).
Made up of two political groups - the Tervingi and the Greuthungi - and displaced by war, the Goths travelled across Europe. They were fleeing war similar to the way Syrians are today.
They ended up in Thrace, by the river Danube, where Emperor Valens sent a small army to greet them. Initially, they were seen as an asset by the Romans, and intended them to be assimilated by the empire.
But that attitude that the Goths were Barbarians eventually prevailed. The officials in charge of managing the immigrants were corrupt, and saw the Goths merely as something to exploit and profit off. Famine and sickness became companions of the Goth people, and Roman administrators “forced the starving Goths to trade their children [who would become slaves] for dogs to eat," according to historian W. Bradford Smith, Ph.D.
This equilibrium of existence broke when the Tervingi king, Fritigern, was held hostage during a Roman banquet – a tactic often used to control ‘barbarian’ groups.
Tensions spilled over, and though the Romans realised their error and released the king, it was too late – war had begun.
The two Goth groups, united by the treatment they had received from Rome, fought against an unprepared Roman army - and won.
Of course, it’s not the perfect analogy. Today’s migrant are not going to necessarily rise up any time soon. But historians have long argued that :
Or in other words, history suggests it’s better to treat refugees with humanity and compassion.
HT Quartz
More:
Posted 12 days ago by Narjas Zatat in news
Addressing Britain, and the world at large, Prime Minister Theresa May outlined a Brexit that will have the UK leave the Single Market, and adopt stricter immigration controls.
An Oxford study recently found that drastically decreasing immigration would raise the retirement age, meaning people will have to work longer before they are granted their pensions.
According to research conducted by the United Nations, there are 243 million international migrants – 3.4 per cent of the world population of the world.
Statista created a graph of its findings:
As of 2015, the United States leads as a migrant – hosting country with 46.6 million migrants, followed closely by Germany (12 million) and Russia (11.6 million).
India and Mexico send the most migrants, with 15.6 and 12.3 million nationals living in a different country.
The UK makes the top ten countries that sends migrants - with some 4.9 million British citizens living outside of the UK.
Donald Trump's decision to ban refugees from Syria, and several other Muslim countries, entering the US deserves a history lesson.
There are many reasons why people have criticised this move, but one of the most powerful lessons may actually come from ancient history.
An article on Quartz explains how the mistreatment of a migrant crisis caused the collapse of the Roman Empire. And it makes sobering reading when you compare it to what’s happening in the world right now.
The beginning of the fall of the Roman Empire is commonly attributed to 378, and an epic battle at Adrianople between Emperor Flavius Julius Valens Augustus and the Germanic people, Goths (who the Romans thought of as ‘barbarians’).
But how did the empire, which has so successfully conquered and managed their resources crumble so completely?
A refugee crisis
Two years before the events at Adrianople, the Goths, who lived in what is now Eastern Europe, were forced to leave their territory by the invading Huns (originally from the Caucasus and Central Asia).
Made up of two political groups - the Tervingi and the Greuthungi - and displaced by war, the Goths travelled across Europe. They were fleeing war similar to the way Syrians are today.
They ended up in Thrace, by the river Danube, where Emperor Valens sent a small army to greet them. Initially, they were seen as an asset by the Romans, and intended them to be assimilated by the empire.
But that attitude that the Goths were Barbarians eventually prevailed. The officials in charge of managing the immigrants were corrupt, and saw the Goths merely as something to exploit and profit off. Famine and sickness became companions of the Goth people, and Roman administrators “forced the starving Goths to trade their children [who would become slaves] for dogs to eat," according to historian W. Bradford Smith, Ph.D.
War
This equilibrium of existence broke when the Tervingi king, Fritigern, was held hostage during a Roman banquet – a tactic often used to control ‘barbarian’ groups.
Tensions spilled over, and though the Romans realised their error and released the king, it was too late – war had begun.
The two Goth groups, united by the treatment they had received from Rome, fought against an unprepared Roman army - and won.
Of course, it’s not the perfect analogy. Today’s migrant are not going to necessarily rise up any time soon. But historians have long argued that :
a beneficent and inclusive policy could have prevented the cascade of events that heralded the beginning of the end for the Roman Empire.
Or in other words, history suggests it’s better to treat refugees with humanity and compassion.
HT Quartz
More:
These are the countries that host and send the most migrants
Posted 12 days ago by Narjas Zatat in news
Addressing Britain, and the world at large, Prime Minister Theresa May outlined a Brexit that will have the UK leave the Single Market, and adopt stricter immigration controls.
An Oxford study recently found that drastically decreasing immigration would raise the retirement age, meaning people will have to work longer before they are granted their pensions.
According to research conducted by the United Nations, there are 243 million international migrants – 3.4 per cent of the world population of the world.
Statista created a graph of its findings:
As of 2015, the United States leads as a migrant – hosting country with 46.6 million migrants, followed closely by Germany (12 million) and Russia (11.6 million).
India and Mexico send the most migrants, with 15.6 and 12.3 million nationals living in a different country.
The UK makes the top ten countries that sends migrants - with some 4.9 million British citizens living outside of the UK.
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