Hawaii's Conquest

No doubt about it, the Hawaiian People were victimized, but it did not start with the overthrow of the Monarchy. It started when the first Hawaiians, sometimes called Menehune, were conquered by Tahitians, who essentially became the Alii. The common people, Maoli Hawaii, had few rights until Kamehameha I declared the law of the broken paddle.

Monarchy like any other system that depends on fealty and patronage is inherently corrupt. Just like everywhere else the aristocracy abused the common people for their personal gain. So many men were put to work gathering sandalwood to be sold to purchase luxuries for the elite (Alii) that there was no one to work the fields to grow food. Fortunately the sandalwood ran out, but by then there was nothing left of the original system.

Inevitably Hawaii went through several transitions. Whether what evolved was the best outcome will never be known, but to restore the monarchy means exactly what? The monarchy as it existed in 1890, 1867, 1848, 1819 or 1810? Because it changed with each new King. Was there ever a time when the common people were fully enfranchised?

There is a lot of sympathy for the last Queen Liliuokalani, but she tried to abolish the so called Bayonet Constitution. It was signed under pressure by her Brother Kalakaua,  It was the only thing however that made her Queen after his death!

No doubt about it, the Hawaiian People were victimized, but name an indigenous people that were not. It could have been much worse. There were attempts by many colonial powers to annex Hawaii.

Imagine if it was the Russians,the French or the Germans who succeeded