tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3137246730421866659.post4037464332843239954..comments2023-10-09T06:54:04.099-06:00Comments on Past Times and Present Tensions: Cultural frames and cultural property -- part threeJohn Hooker FSAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10001080340384925879noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3137246730421866659.post-12864073730188951762013-11-12T07:12:11.484-07:002013-11-12T07:12:11.484-07:00Thank you, Wayne. Yes, I certainly agree that Cult...Thank you, Wayne. Yes, I certainly agree that Cultural Property Nationalism is political -- at least, in its intent. The problem is, however, that such political motives can then be adopted by individuals as a philosophy (which is also part of that same intent). It comes down to the attempt to control people's thoughts for political ends. while purporting to be cultural, all of its applications are national. There is absolutely nothing within any of the UNESCO Cultural Property Conventions that defends the interests of cultural minorities within any nation. Thus, when the Chinese not only looted the Tibetan temples, but also changed the ethnic percentage of the Tibetan region to greater favor Chinese ethnicity, it was beyond the scope of anything that UNESCO covered within their cultural property conventions. The word "cultural" should never have been used, and was clearly an attempt to control the way people think -- it is about national property, and nothing else.<br />Within any nation, the UNESCO conventions thus become imperialistic.<br /><br />In effect, this also promotes the concepts of Social Darwinism, which, as the Wikipedia article says "... the strong should see their wealth and power increase while the weak should see their wealth and power decrease. We certainly encountered that phenomenon when public opinion was ignored to the point of not even being acknowledged by DOS in the MoU processes, and where the courts simply "rubber stamped" what DOS had ordered.<br /><br />But beyond the political is the scientific, and UNESCO as outlined in Huxley's address is hopelessly outdated in that respect -- in ideas of education, evolution and anthropology. While MartÃ, in his paper, reveals that culture is far more individualistic then ethnic, UNESCO fails to validate even the ethnic.<br /><br />I think that the World Bank has a far better track record in aiding ethic minorities than UNESCO as for example:<br /><br />http://tinyurl.com/mqhemhe<br /><br />The Catch 22 being that the World Bank can do nothing without an application from a nation. The United Nations, as a body, certainly has influence over its member states, but this is not reflected in anything that UNESCO has to offer in the area of the cultural property conventions.<br /><br />Whenever war is not being promoted for economic reasons, it reveals a failure to recognize social problems until they become national or international problems. Big Business and Big Government are wholly to blame. When governments and bureaucracies become too large, the end of a state is on the horizon, and I know of no historical precedent where this was averted.<br /><br />John John Hooker FSAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10001080340384925879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3137246730421866659.post-39287462467801211802013-11-12T06:08:03.518-07:002013-11-12T06:08:03.518-07:00Wayne G. Sayles, the Executive Director of the Anc...Wayne G. Sayles, the Executive Director of the Ancient Coin Collectors Guild emailed me to say that he ran into a problem leaving a comment, and as it has yet to come through, I am posting his (reconstituted) comment here:<br /><br />"Very interesting post John! My personal observation has been that Cultural Property Nationalism is more of a political phenomenon than a philosophy. There are strong similarities between that phenomenon and National Socialism, though making that connection is sure to draw the ire of archaeo-bloggers. Perhaps the proof is in the nearly rabid denials and counter criticisms that spring immediately when anyone dares make that connection. On this day of remembrance perhaps we ought to give some thought to the root cause of war and suffering. It does make one wonder if UNESCO is really on the right course."John Hooker FSAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10001080340384925879noreply@blogger.com