I thought it may be interesting to get away
from elections and politicans for a while -
and I got this idea from - other threads
that discussed the pros and cons of
the diversity of our nation.

I thought I'd take a somewhat different approach
to the topic.

Here goes...

Instead of having a mix of cultures in our cities - what
if we were to separate them?
That is - zone our cities and towns based on
religion, customs, cultures, languages and dress practice?

That is, all people in designated towns would be the
same religion, speak the same language, practice
the same customs and travel to common business and
industrial centres to work.

Such towns would be set up in geographic and climatic
regions - best suited to the origins of the people.

Tourism would be localised and limited within our
shores.

Your pros and cons for this idea?

Foxy,

It's been done before. They were called ghettos

An interesting idea Foxy.

My guess is that this could gradually happen anyway as people tend to gravitate to where they feel most comfortable, that is where like minded people are. We can all identify the parts of our major cities that are Chinese, Vietnamese, Jewish etc. I once was reading about an international survey where thousands of people across thirty countries were asked if they would rather live in a MC country or a monocultural country. All but one country had a majority choosing the monocultural country. Seems people like to be with people like themselves. Self evident I feel. There are a few politically correct left wingers which don't like this idea and feel the need to push everyone in together into one big happy family.

Also I have to tell you I read a book last year about health economics and equality which demonstrated people actually live longer and more productive lives when they live in monocultural egalitarian societies. After all we are only animals.

Kind of links in with gated communities idea in the US. I heard on the radio recently that they were begining to start here in Australia although I don't know of any.

A very thought provoking topic. Thanks Foxy.

Foxy

What puzzles me is how people leave home for a better life and then want to impose the stuffed life they had at home on others. How many women would seriously want to live like they do in Saudi Arabia or Iran. For that matter how many untouchables would want to live in India if given a choice or how many socialist would really choose to live in Russia or the Ukraine.

Very droll, Foxy.

Dear Shadow Minister,

I wasn't suggesting ghettos or the ghetto
mentality. We already have that.
What I was suggesting was creating a wide
variety of communities of like-minded people.

In the United States there are not only gated communities -
of like-minded people -
as Ozzie pointed out - but entire suburbs where Chinese, Latino,
Jewish, communities have selected to live.
The suburb of Glendale in Los Angeles,
for example, was known as the suburb where only
White - Anglo Saxons - lived. Others were not welcomed.

The Amish communities on the East Coast of the US are
communities of - a certain select life-style. Salt-Lake
City in Utah - is a Mormon City.

Solvang near Los Angeles - is a Dutch Community.

In Melbourne for example, there are aged-care facilities
that cater only to their own ethnic group - like the Chinese,
the Greek, and others.

I wanted to see what other posters thought of taking this
one step further in Australia by taking these communities
out of a mixed cultural environment and putting them
in a town entirely typical of their culture.

For example - you go to Paris, Saigon, Berlin - you're
a tourist in a community of like-people.
So why not have that environment here?

Near Adelaide - the township of Hahndorf - is German.
And it is a great tourist destination.

Dear Ozzie,

Thanks for your comments.

It will be interesting to see what others have to say on
the subject.