Comments on: Cultural property that Britain would like returned http://www.elginism.com/20090714/2249/ Elgin Marbles (Parthenon Marbles or Sculptures) Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:10:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Matthew http://www.elginism.com/20090714/2249/comment-page-1/#comment-5527 Matthew Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:42:21 +0000 http://www.elginism.com/?p=2249#comment-5527 This is exactly the problem - whilst there are parallels, the two cases aren't remotely comparable - so making the comparison with a very weak / non-existent case detracts from the valid & very real cases. However, if their level of annoyance at this case was applied to other cass within the UK, then almost every artefact that claims have been made on ought to be returned immediately. This is exactly the problem – whilst there are parallels, the two cases aren’t remotely comparable – so making the comparison with a very weak / non-existent case detracts from the valid & very real cases.

However, if their level of annoyance at this case was applied to other cass within the UK, then almost every artefact that claims have been made on ought to be returned immediately.

]]> By: DR. KWAME OPOKU http://www.elginism.com/20090714/2249/comment-page-1/#comment-5525 DR. KWAME OPOKU Wed, 15 Jul 2009 06:51:11 +0000 http://www.elginism.com/?p=2249#comment-5525 How can anybody reason in this way? The restitution cases are not based on the fact that some art work produced by a person of country A is now found in country B. The basis of most claims is that the object has been acquired by force or threat of force as in the colonial days or acquired under circumstances that are not free from doubt, as in the case of the Parthenon/Elgin Marbles. If the late Michael Jackson acquired those rights by a clearly established valid legal contract with the owners, then there is no case against his estate. If the Crown Jewels were in a museum in Athens, the British would be entitled to ask for their return only if they were illegally acquired by the museum in Athens or under dubious circumstances. This not being the case, there would be no case to answer even in your hypothetical case. In most of the restitution cases, we are dealing with real and concrete cases of injustice. Kwame Opoku How can anybody reason in this way? The restitution cases are not based on the fact that some art work produced by a person of country A is now found in country B. The basis of most claims is that the object has been acquired by force or threat of force as in the colonial days or acquired under circumstances that are not free from doubt, as in the case of the Parthenon/Elgin Marbles. If the late Michael Jackson acquired those rights by a clearly established valid legal contract with the owners, then there is no case against his estate.

If the Crown Jewels were in a museum in Athens, the British would be entitled to ask for their return only if they were illegally acquired by the museum in Athens or under dubious circumstances. This not being the case, there would be no case to answer even in your hypothetical case.

In most of the restitution cases, we are dealing with real and concrete cases of injustice.

Kwame Opoku

]]>