"Is it okay to steal back looted colonial-era treasures?" Topic

"Rising powers from the so-called global south are putting their former Western colonizers on notice: They want their looted treasures — and their historical dignity — back.

In China, it is estimated that up to 10 million antiquities have disappeared since 1840, the beginning of the so-called Century of Humiliation. In a great piece for GQ, Alex Palmer writes, "The modern Communist Party has declared its intent to bring China back from that period of prolonged decline, and the return of looted objects serves as undeniable proof—tangible, visible, and beautiful proof—of the country's revival." According to Palmer, Chinese billionaires have been using their wealth to acquire Chinese art from European firms. More stunningly, highly skilled thieves have targeted Europe's museums, brazenly stealing Chinese antiquities that were looted during the 19th century…."
Main page
link

Amicalement
Armand

Theft is theft.

Phil

The Chinese complaining about theft is priceless!

Yesthatphil has it exactly right

Two wrongs, and all that.

(smile)

Amicalement
Armand

Agree a thief of a thief is a well theif.

What if the people you looted them from had looted them from someone else about 2000 years ago and that civilization does not exist anymore?

Wolfhag

Return them for sure, except the Chinese.
Make them pay out of their noses.

The Europeans (if they but they probably don't except for the Poles) should tell the Chinese they'll keep the stuff as compensation for the atrocities of Ghengis Khan. It only seems fair. But if they want to pay the market price to buy it back I see no problem.

Besides, was it "looted" or purchased. There is a difference.

Wolfhag

Ghengis Khan wasn't Chinese though.

I'm not anti-Euro, I'm pro-Euro. I am of European descent.

Wolfhag

For insurance purposes do they have pictures and/or an inventory and/or receipts ? For all the "missing" items …

Sounds like an insurance scam to me !

Should Items be returned from Western China?

I know, I know, two wrongs don't make a right, you need three.

Return them to Taiwan.
It's all one China they say.

Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog

Another thread not related to wargaming to stir up talk. The topic is interesting but a lot of the comments are stupid and just a way to take shots at China.

I am sure if England or another European country had artifacts looted they'd want them back.

@Wolfhag Do you blame the Norman/French for the boston Massacre?

@Mrwigglesworth if you are so concerned with theft look at Great Britain and look at the loot they took out of India (see book 'the Anarchy'). I guess stealing is ok when Europeans do it or ok b/c this is past history?

blaming the Chinese for Genghis Khan's actions

I'm pretty sure that was hyperbole …

Do you blame the Norman/French for the boston Massacre?

Ah … maybe … ?

I know I blame the entire Asian culture for getting heartburn after I have eaten at Little Hunan.

Two things:

Good Luck if you thing that you can find everything since I would bet that some of those items are at the bottom of the Pacific & Indian oceans.

It was rough times sailing from China to Europe.

Does this mean that they have to return everything that they took back to China?

Oh and it wasn't theft if you found it buried out in Eastern China or brought it from someone selling it in a shop in Peking.

Many (most?) items from one country to another have been given away by the government (local government! – not foreign) of the people at the time.

When later differing ideological groups come to power they rail against predecessors they scapegoat for many ills of the present.

Two wrongs don't make a right, but two Wrights make an airplane

That's life!