Money and Power over Concern for Humanity: Delaying Justice for Special Interests in the Armenian Genocide Case

Abstract

In the case of the Armenian Genocide, action and inaction and the weighing of costs and benefits led to the massive destruction of Armenians during WWI. The Turkish government’s racial discrimination against the Armenians drove them to politically and violently eradicate the Armenians within the Ottoman Empire. The benefit for the Turks from having separatist policies was establishing a pure Turkish state. The costs to achieve this goal were forcible relocation or death, whichever was most efficient in prompting the Turkish government’s desired outcome. The benefit for outside nations from inaction was reserving political, financial and military assets as opposed to the burden of intruding in external affairs. However, the costs of inaction had a double-sided effect: hundreds of thousands of Armenians lost their lives and culture while outside nations lost their integrity. Other nations are stigmatized with shame just as the Turkish masterminds behind the Armenian Genocide are vilified, for the lack of prevention is equally offensive as committing the crime. Furthermore, not addressing the Armenian Genocide, specifically, delaying reparations and punishment, perpetuates the guilt of the Turkish officials who authorized and conducted the genocide. It also perpetuates the embarrassment of other nations who did not get involved to prevent or stop it and the hurt that engulfs the Armenians as they mourn the demise of their heritage and are denied any sense of justice.