51st state

The fictional flag of the United States with 51 stars

In United States politics, the 51st state refers to potential candidates who could be accepted into the United States ' alliance . The term is also often used humorously to refer to Canada as a whole, regardless of its own state structure. Before Alaska and Hawaii joined in 1959, the phrase “49. State "common. Areas under the control or influence of the USA are also less often referred to as the 51st state. As possible candidates in particular the capital district (apply District of Columbia ) and in the Caribbean lying outside area Puerto Rico , whose population has come out in 2012 and 2017 in non-binding referendums for recognition as a state.

Possible candidates

According to Article IV, Section 3 of the US Constitution , which regulates the relationship between the states, Congress has the possibility to admit new states to the union. They must have full confidence in the actions of the legislature and judiciary of the other states, as evidenced by the recognition of legal contracts, marriages and criminal judgments. The federal government guarantees military and civil defense and a republican form of government for every state. The admission of new states is carried out in accordance with the precedents and procedures of the Northwest Ordinance ( Northwest Ordinance ). Following a 1802 precedent, an Enabling Act must be approved by Congress before it can be approved. Then the residents of a territory can draft a constitution and they are informed of the conditions for admission.

District of Columbia

The District of Columbia is one of the most promising candidates for recognition as a state in the near future , along with Puerto Rico . The residents of the federal district are considered to be the greatest supporters of this decision, which, however, would require a constitutional amendment. The supporters use the motto of the War of Independence in a modified form - " Taxation without representation " - to point out the lack of representation in Congress . The motto is now printed on the license plates of newly registered cars (whereby the driver can alternatively choose the Internet address of the DC). Bill Clinton's presidential limo had such a license plate shortly before the end of his term in office. George W. Bush had these license plates removed again after he took office.

The small DC Statehood Party took this point of view and united with the Greens to form the DC Statehood Green Party . In 1978 they came closest to their goal when Congress passed the District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment . Two years later, local citizens initiated a constitutional assembly for a new state. In 1982, voters ratified the state's constitution, which was to be called New Columbia . In 1985, however, the plan was halted when the amendment failed because it was not ratified by enough states within seven years.

Another option would be to reclassify the area into the state of Maryland . This would allow residents of the DC to enjoy the benefits of living in a state without the need to create a 51st state.

On June 26, 2020, the US House of Representatives voted 232-180 to recognize the District of Columbia as the 51st state. A positive vote from the Republican-dominated US Senate is unlikely. In addition, President Trump announced his veto against such a potential project. Nevertheless, it was the first positive vote by one of the two chambers of the US Congress for recognition as a state.

Puerto Rico

The 51-star US flag used by the New Progressive Party in Puerto Rico

Efforts to get Puerto Rico accepted as a state have repeatedly failed. In every referendum up to 2012 there was roughly a tie between supporters of inclusion and defenders of the status quo (with some voters also advocating full independence). Although the number of supporters increased for each referendum, the Hispanic culture and use of the Spanish language have so far prevented acceptance into a country with an English-speaking majority.

In the referendum on the status of Puerto Rico in 2012, parallel to the US presidential election , a positive result was achieved for the first time; the majority of those taking part in the referendum voted for Puerto Rico to become the 51st state in the United States. The referendum consisted of two questions. On the first question, a 54% majority voted against the current state as United States territory . On the second question, 61% voted for admission as a state of the United States , 31% for semi-autonomous status as a sovereign Free Associated Territory, and 6% for full independence. Another referendum took place on June 11, 2017. With a turnout of 23%, 97.2% of the participants voted for the conversion to a US state, 1.3% for the retention of the status quo and 1.5% for independence from the USA. The opposition had called for a boycott of the vote.

If Puerto Rico were a state, it would have five seats in the US House of Representatives and with its population of 3,725,789 inhabitants (as of 2010) would be 29th (previously 28th Oklahoma with 3,751,351, 29th Connecticut with 3,574,097 ).

Further and former US territories

Hypothetical unification of some former and current US territories in the Pacific into a single state

Less promising candidates include Guam and the US Virgin Islands , both of which are non-incorporated, organized territories of the United States, the Northern Mariana Islands , which, like Puerto Rico, form a commonwealth, and the non-organized, non-incorporated territory of American Samoa . Because of their very small populations, these territories would already be over-represented with just a single MP in the US House of Representatives. As the most populous territory, Guam has only 35 percent of the population of Wyoming , the least populous state to date. However, the disparity between the Virgin Islands and the small states would not be greater than some of today's ratios, such as that between California and Wyoming in the US Senate . Others have proposed the unification of the Virgin Islands with Puerto Rico into a state (often referred to as the "Commonwealth of Prusvi") or the unification of the (former) US territories in the Pacific on the model of the "Greater Hawaii" of the 1960s. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, along with Palau , the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, would have a population of 440,943 (slightly less than Wyoming) and an area of ​​2,353 km² (slightly smaller than Rhode Island ). American Samoa could join this state or become part of Hawaii.

Current states

With the permission of the respective legislature , new states could also be created by reorganizing existing states.

• Maine was part of Massachusetts .
• West Virginia emerged from areas in northwest Virginia that had remained loyal to the United States during the Civil War .
• There is a proposal to separate New York City from New York State , which has also been repeated under the name Upstate New York .
• Since more than half of Illinois' residents live in Chicago , the metropolis should be separated from the state. A variation of this was Chiwaukee , an area from Milwaukee to Gary, Indiana .
• The southern regions of Oregon and the northern regions of California could have united in 1941 to form the then 49th new State of Jefferson .
• Efforts were made in 1996, 1999 and 2005 for a 51st Lincoln state , which would have included east Washington and the Idaho Panhandle . The area and name had been proposed as a new state back in the 19th century.
• In the 18th century, parts of North Carolina and Tennessee united to form the State of Franklin , which was never approved by Congress.
• Similar efforts were made in the upper peninsula of Michigan , which (possibly united with the northern parts of Wisconsin ) should form the state of Superior .
• When Oklahoma was accepted as a state, efforts were made to form a separate state of Sequoyah in the east of the area .

International usage of the term

Because of their cultural similarities or close ties with the United States, some countries are referred to as the 51st state for fun. In other countries, movements have applied as a state with varying degrees of support and severity.

Guyana

The organization "Guyana USA" has dedicated itself to the integration of Guyana into the USA. They justify their request with the fact that many residents have close ties to the United States. 100,000 Guyans have dual citizenship and 350,000 live in the US (half as many as remain at home).

Taiwan

With the Peace Treaty of San Francisco and the Treaty of Taipei , the Allies of the Second World War were given the administration of the former Formosa with international agreement . The ongoing debates and disagreements regarding the legal and political status of Taiwan oscillate between being assigned to the People's Republic of China under the authority of an illegal or renegade leadership and a (quasi) independent state seeking international support from the United Nations and under the (quasi) legal authority of the government of the Republic of China works. A recent poll in Taiwan found that when asked about Taiwan's future, 15 percent of people were in favor of joining the United States as the 51st state. The two treaties did not specify who would exercise sovereignty over Taiwan after the Allies gave up. The People's Republic of China did not sign either of the treaties.

Afghanistan and Iraq

Because of the United States' extensive military presence, some have designated Iraq as the 51st state. This view is supported by the fact that the first free parliamentary elections since Saddam Hussein came to power took place only after the American invasion . Those who hold this view see the Iraqi government as a puppet of the US and claim that the Iraqi security forces could not function effectively without American support. Something similar could be said about many other nations, however, v. a. those in Africa in need of international peacemakers and aid.

There are similar statements about Afghanistan , although the activities of the USA there are less pronounced given the internationality of the peacekeeping forces and the country is impoverished in contrast to the USA.

Canada

In Canada, the emotionally charged phrase “the 51st state” (or “ maple leaf state”) implies that Canada is supposedly seeking to achieve this goal. This is seen either as a possible consequence of a policy that pursues greater integration or cooperation with the US (such as the 1988 Free Trade Agreement or the current debates on common areas of defense) or as a possible consequence of the rejection of proposals that address the issue of Québec sovereignty resolve (such as the Charlottetown Accord of 1992 or the Clarity Act of 1999).

The term is used in local political debates, in polemical writings, or in private conversations. Politicians rarely use them in public, although there have been political parties throughout Canada's history that have used similar images. For example, in the 1988 federal election, the anti-free trade liberals published an ad in which Tory strategists erased the border between Canada and the United States from a map of North America. However, the Tories responded a few days later with an advertisement in which the border was drawn again, while a spokesman said, "Here we draw the line." However, the free trade agreement was implemented in 1988, followed by the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993 and the Charlottetown Accord , which might have brought Canada closer to state status, failed. Some marginalized groups have campaigned for the annexation of Canada to the US, but received little attention. Canada is sometimes referred to as "the 51st state" because of its political and cultural ties to the United States, but despite its 10 provinces it is never mentioned as the "51st state". up to 60th state "or from" 60 states ". For many years Canada has been the United States’s main trading partner and vice versa. Aside from the province of Québec, they also share a similar culture with the same music, movies, and TV.

When we speak of Canada as the 51st state in the United States, it can have either positive or negative meanings depending on the context. Sometimes it highlights the similarities and the close connection, but most of the time it is to be seen as an insult.

Alberta is sometimes referred to as "Canada's Texas ". They are both socially conservative and have parallels in business (Alberta is the center of Canada's petroleum industry). Some residents are dissatisfied with the political treatment of the province, especially with regard to national energy policy and state financial equalization. They accuse Canada of stealing money from the province's large oil reserves and distributing it to the rest of the country. In August 2005, 42 percent of respondents in a Western Standard poll said Alberta should look into opportunities outside of Canada. These include an independent separation from Canada, a separation together with other western provinces or a union with the USA.

Israel

Cartoon: Stars and Stripes with the flag of Israel instead of the stars

Given the annual financial support from the United States, some websites refer to Israel as the 51st state. Columnist Richard Reeves has also tried to make this comparison. The issue has many political and social implications, including issues relating to anti-Zionism , and is considered by some to be a central element of the conflicts in the Middle East. The American author Martine Rothblatt proposes the “Two Stars for Peace” project, according to which Israel and Palestine should become the 51st and 52nd federal states.

United Kingdom

The relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom and the influences of American pop culture on British society have led some British commentators to believe that their country is de facto the 51st state. Some of them have seriously suggested that the UK join the US as it would become one of the richest and most populous states, which would bring great political influence. However, the United Kingdom would then have to become a republic or the USA would have to change its constitution, because in Article IV, Paragraph 4 it says: “The United States shall guarantee every state in this alliance a republican form of government.” (“The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government. ")

American influence, real or imaginary, has generated widespread criticism in the UK as it affects both tradition and innovation. Culturally, the critics associate it with commercialization and dumbing down. From an economic point of view, the supermarkets and fast-food chains imported from the USA endanger the small shops. The film The 51st State (released in the US under the title Formula 51 ) describes the invasion of American crime, especially drug trafficking and gangs, into the UK.

Politically, the growing influence of the US is believed to be the reason for the decline of the British Empire, with the colonies being lost and dominance in the navy being the price for American aid during World War II . The presence of the US Air Force , US Navy and other military forces on British soil from World War II to the present day, especially the Cold War, is a clear sign of American influence and even a complete reversal of history, with Britain de facto becoming colonial possession the US will. Some critics described Britain as "Airstrip One" using a term from George Orwell's 1984 novel .

Political critics from the right-wing spectrum feared the possible loss of sovereignty. While the UK supported the US in the Korean War , there was no American aid to the British during the Suez Crisis . Left critics were concerned about British allegiance to the US in dealing with communist countries. British rhetorical support for the US in the Vietnam War sparked mass protests. The USA, under the leadership of Ronald Reagan, in turn secretly helped the British government with Margaret Thatcher during the Falklands War against Argentina , thereby expanding the borders of the TIAR . The view that the UK was just a US stooge continued after the end of the Cold War, cemented in the Reagan and Thatcher era, and revived by Tony Blair's support for George W. Bush in the 2003 Iraq war , which is why Blair has been referred to in the British press as "Bush's poodle" or " Governor of the 51st State". This impression was reinforced by Bush's greeting “Yo, Blair” at the G8 summit in Saint Petersburg in 2006 . Some UK citizens find such a description of their country very offensive.

Australia

Because of its proximity to American foreign policy, Australia is sometimes referred to as the 51st state, but only within the country. Since World War II, Australia has participated in most of the wars the US has waged, including the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the 2003 Iraq War.

Sicily

The Reconstruction Party, which had 40,000 members in 1944, campaigned for Sicily to join the United States. The party was one of several Sicilian separatism movements that were active after the fall of fascism.

Organizations

NGOs and other organizations headquartered in the United States have branches in other locations, sometimes referred to as the group's 51st state.

The Democratic National Committee takes care of the recognition of each state in elections, but allows the approximately seven million US citizens who live abroad to vote in party votes such as the presidential primary. In this context, the group Democrats Abroad is referred to as the 51st state.

The term in culture

literature

• In 1998 Peter Preston published his novel 51st State , in which the United Kingdom leaves the European Union and becomes the 51st state of the USA ( ISBN 0-670-88326-3 ).
• In 1997 John Katzenbach published his novel State Of Mind (German - Das Rätsel (2007)), which is about a newly founded state within the USA, in which absolute security is promised due to stricter entry conditions and total surveillance by the state authorities .

Movie and TV

fictional flag of the USA from "Star Trek" with 52 stars

• The film The 51st State with Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Carlyle deals with the relations between the United Kingdom and the USA.
• In the episode Hotel Royal (The Royale) of the second season of Starship Enterprise: The Next Century , a flag with 52 stars can be seen on a heap of rubble. However, there is no indication of where the 51st and 52nd states are, just that they came in in the 21st century.
• In the DC Comics Watchmen , Vietnam is referred to as the 51st state.
• In the future drama episode of the animated series The Simpsons there is the 51st state of Saudi Israelia in an alternative future.
• In the film Parallels - Journey to New Worlds , Panama is referred to as "the union newest state" in a parallel world

music

• The album The Ghost of Cain by the English band New Model Army contains the song 51st State , in which it says in relation to Great Britain: "The corridors of power are an ocean away, we're the 51st state of America." We are an ocean away from power, we are the 51st state in America.)
• The song Heartland on the album Infected by the English band The The ends with the refrain "This is the 51st state of the USA"
• In George Michael's music video Shoot the Dog , Blair, who is depicted the whole time as Bush's pet, drives the British Isles like a motorboat across the Atlantic to the east coast of the USA and anchors them in Washington, DC - a reference to the supposed UK loss of power under Blair's government.
• In the song CIA Man on the album Refuse to Be Burnt Out by the American rock band The Fugs it says: “Who can get a budget that's so great? Who will be the fifty-first (51st) state? Who's got the secretest service, the one that makes the other service nervous ... CIA Man. "(Who can get such a big budget? Who will be the 51st state? Who has the most secret service that makes the other services nervous ... CIA Man.)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ US Democrats: US House of Representatives votes for Washington DC as the 51st state. Retrieved June 27, 2020 . 
2. ↑ Mariano Castillo: Puerto Ricans favor statehood for first time. CNN, November 7, 2012, accessed November 7, 2012 . 
3. ↑ Puerto Rico wants to become the 51st state of the US. BBC News, November 7, 2012, accessed November 7, 2012 . 
4. Jump up ↑ Puerto Rico votes for state conversion. In: Süddeutsche Zeitung , June 12, 2017.
5. ↑ "Guyana USA" (English).
6. ↑ Kevin Steel. A nation torn apart . Western Standard August 22, 2005 ( Memento of October 26, 2005 in the Internet Archive ) (English).
7. ↑ Richard Reeves. The end of superpower . October 21, 2005 (English).
8. ↑ John Healy. Great Britain to become the 51st state of the US of A . August 11, 2006 (English).
9. ^ Monte S. Finkelstein 1998. Separatism, the Allies and the Mafia: The Struggle for Sicilian Independence, 1943-1948 . Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. ISBN 0-934223-51-3 .