A Greenland suggestion
Greenland has a population is about 57,000. A modest proposal is that they should hold a referendum to decide, not if they should become an American state, but to decide if they wish to become an American protectorate or territory. There are several of these, including the US Virgin Islands.
The deal should be that if it goes through, every Greenlander would receive $1 million from the US, for a total cost of $57bn. This is chicken-feed to the US economy. Elon Musk could afford to pay this himself out of his personal wealth of over $700bn. Every Greenlander would receive this if it were carried, including those who voted no. So, all of them would become millionaires. Investing this sum for a return of 5% would bring an annual income of $50,000 each, while retaining the capital sum to pass on to heirs and successors. It would be much more acceptable than threats, bluster, and talk of annexation.
The town of Nice, which was Italian, held a referendum in 1860 and decided to become part of France. Over 80% of the population voted yes, and Nice became much richer as a result.
The result would be a boom to the Greenland economy. Massive outside investment would pour in to develop infrastructure and boost spending on education and health. Greenland could opt to become a latterday Singapore or Hong Kong, and boost its economy by a policy of implementing attractive tax rates and regulations. It could start to develop its immense natural resources.
In common with Australia, the current population lives overwhelmingly along the coasts, with an enormous land area unpopulated beyond those areas. This would be ripe for the development of new industries based around the development of its riches.
It is quite possible that the Greenlanders would say no to this bounty. Recent developments have shown them moving to loosen their links with Denmark, and possibly even to become an independent sovereign state. A referendum, such as that outlined, would decide the matter. It would declare their wishes to the world. It would decide whether they took the step to closer ties with the US and the wealth this would bring, or preferred to keep things as they are. It would be a democratic answer to this question.
Madsen Pirie