While this may not work, let’s consider the following natural experiments…
Here are the French departments in the Caribbean…
ST. BARTHELEMY. (St. Barts, St. Barth)
MARTINIQUE
ST. MARTIN (St. Martin/St. Maarten)
GUADELOUPE
LES SAINTES (Iles des Saintes)
MARIE-GALANTE
If we were to compare the standard of living, trade, GDP, cultural life between these French Departments (States) and the independent nations of the Caribbean of the same size (Barbuda, Antigua, Dominica, Greneda), what would be the difference if any?
A similar experiment can be conducted in he Pacific. We could compare Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Tahiti with Hawaii. Where is the standard of living better? Trade? GDP?Where is the cultural life more flourishing?
That would be illuminating. I suspect that independentistas would like to see the nations doing better than the “states” as it would support their case.
pepitothinking 