Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Ok, Assuming that Denmark accepts. I know that Denmark sold the islands in 1917,and it was different times back then, but things have changed quite a bit now. The islands can get removed from the UN list of territories to de-colonize. The islands can become an incorporated portion of the Kingdom of Denmark, just like Aruba, Curacao,St.Maarten are Constituent Countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands,having full autonomy, with the exception of foreign affairs and defense. Here are some stats according to Wikipedia)
Denmark
1) low population: approx. 5.6 million(this is a good thing) 317,865 million
2) world's highest social mobility mobility keep going down
3)very low Gini coefficient (8th place)
4)world's lowest level of income inequality
5)very high hdi (0.901) at 15th place
6)world's highest minimum wage
7)public debt as % of gdp: 26.46%
in comparison with the U.S.
1) population: 317.865 million
2)social mobility keeps going down
3) Gini coefficient : high 47.7), at 39th place !
4) public debt as % of gdp: 106.52% ,yikes!
In addition of being part of the EU, Denmark is also part of the Nordic Passport Union, which allow any citizen of Denmark to reside and work in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland.
There are people in the V.I. that have been pushing for slavery reparations (meaning $$) for years against the Danish government. While the people that control the Virgin Islands government would undoubtedly do anything for another dollar in their personal pocket, the logistics make the likelihood very, very remote. The V.I. is a funny place, and only certain people make it up through the "ruling class." A very interesting book on the subject is "Rape of the American Virgins," published in the early 1970's. It outlines the corruption and "classes" set up in the Virgin Islands that, amazingly, continue today. The book could've been written yesterday, with a few name changes. Most people, even those that have lived there all their lives, have little understanding of how things really "work" in the V.I.
Actually, the Philippines were for a time U.S. 'real estate' and the U.S. government gave them up quite effortlessly. Granted that, like the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam and many other overseas U.S. territories; the Philippines were an unincorporated territory of the USA. Perhaps that's the reason the U.S. gave up so easily.
Another U.S. 'real estate' that was definitely given up is the Panama Canal Zone which is now an integral part of the Republic of Panama.
When a piece of land doesn't offer the U.S. much benefits, but rather pure costs, getting rid of them is a decision that is taken quite easily. Its a way of cutting the losses.
As for whether the U.S. Virgin Islands would willingly become part of Denmark, I have no clue. My gut feeling is no, but I don't know the idiosyncrasy of the people of those islands. What I do know is that many Puerto Ricans and their descendants live there and, depending how big of a percentage they make up of the population, they can be a problem for fulfilling the hypothetical wish of Virgin Islanders wanting to join Denmark. In fact, they may try to sway public opinion towards joining Puerto Rico and then petition for the U.S. government to elevate them to state status.
The other possibility is that the U.S. government can, if it wants to, sell the U.S. Virgin Islands or any other unincorporated territory to any foreign power, even without regarding the opinion of the inhabitants. Lets say that neighboring Dominican Republic is suddenly looking to expand their domains, the U.S. can sell the U.S. Virgin Islands to them (or even neighboring Puerto Rico, which would probably be much more coveted than the Virgin Islands) even if it went against the desire of the people living on those islands.
There are people in the V.I. that have been pushing for slavery reparations (meaning $$) for years against the Danish government. While the people that control the Virgin Islands government would undoubtedly do anything for another dollar in their personal pocket, the logistics make the likelihood very, very remote. The V.I. is a funny place, and only certain people make it up through the "ruling class." A very interesting book on the subject is "Rape of the American Virgins," published in the early 1970's. It outlines the corruption and "classes" set up in the Virgin Islands that, amazingly, continue today. The book could've been written yesterday, with a few name changes. Most people, even those that have lived there all their lives, have little understanding of how things really "work" in the V.I.
Just in case,if some people are wondering, I'm not Danish.
I've heard of this " reparation movement", one headed by Mr.Moorhead. but what I've read about, is that his movement is not seeking any monerary amounts, just the recognition of the wrong done.
I've had some slave ancestors too, but I'll have to go ask for reparations all the way to the Africans who sold these ancestors to the Europeans to begin with. IIRC, most of the slave owners weren't even Danish, they were British or Dutch, that might explains why the islanders don't speak Danish, on top that the Danes were not interesting in imposing their language on the islands.
Do you think think that people wouldn't vote to rejoin ( and by rejoin, I don't mean as a colony, but as a Constituent Country with Equality Status. The Constituent Country of Aruba has equal status to the Constituent Country of The Netherlands within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.) because of a grudge with this reparations?
what other things would be objections?
economic?
The U.S is closer, and Denmark is too far in Europe?
You need to read the book "Rape of the American Virgins." I've found it available at lending libraries, but I'll bet it cannot be found at the Enid Baa Library or new Turnbull library, or in any public book repository in the V.I. Certain families and groups "run" the Virgin Islands. Employ is bestowed on the severely under and unqualified, even in positions of technological import. Nepotism and corruption are in the background of nearly everything that occurs of any consequence. The ruling class in the V.I. will never give up the tens of millions of dollars brought in from the U.S. Government every year and "redistributed" by no-bid or preferential contracts without assurances of at least meeting if not exceeding the largesse currently enjoyed on the backs of the U.S. taxpayers. I know, it sounds overly rough, but that pretty much sums it up.
Whether or not any US Virgin Islanders would vote to rejoin The Dutch is an irrelevant point, because the option will never be given.
You have a better shot at attaining statehood than being allowed to become an ex-US territory and that's probably not going to happen either, at least not with the Republicans currently controlling the House and most state legislatures.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
47.7), at 39th place ! 
