What Rights Does a Defeated Enemy Have?

[Empire of Cats]

So, I was reading about this whole Robert E. Lee/MLK Day thing, and I got to thinking: if a nation is defeated by its enemies, does that nation have certain rights guaranteed to it beyond the Geneva Convention, say, are its laws still valid or are they rendered null and void? Do these rights extend to a "nation" with no international recognition (like the Confederate States of America)?

What I mean is, if the nation is defeated, and there is no resistance, but the nation is not recognized, what would prevent the conquering nation from going on a rampage of killing or looting? What basic human rights are extended to the defeated on a nationwide scale, besides the Geneva Convention?

[Ifreann]

Since when do nations have any rights? Rights are for people.

[Ashmoria]

those things depend entirely on the specifics of the situation.

[Big Jim P]

Whatever the victor decides to grant them.

[Empire of Cats]

Since when do nations have any rights? Rights are for people.

Well, I get what you're saying, but I kinda meant rights for the entire defeated nation, as in the people who live in it.

[Ifreann]

Since when do nations have any rights? Rights are for people.

Well, I get what you're saying, but I kinda meant rights for the entire defeated nation, as in the people who live in it.

Maybe you should expand upon your OP.

[Risottia]

So, I was reading about this whole Robert E. Lee/MLK Day thing, and I got to thinking: if a nation is defeated by its enemies, does that nation have certain rights guaranteed to it beyond the Geneva Convention, say, are its laws still valid or are they rendered null and void? Do these rights extend to a "nation" with no international recognition (like the Confederate States of America)?

Nations and countries have no rights whatsoever.
Only people do.

Anyway, no, once a "country" has been defeated and occupied its goverment's prerogatives are inexistant and void.

[The Romulan Republic]

Since when do nations have any rights? Rights are for people.

Pretty much this.

[San Marlindo]

A defeated people are not inherently entitled to anything.

Not even rights.

Let's say you're living in someplace like South Sudan, Yemen, or Burma. You'll get this:

"I won this war, so I'm going to burn your house, steal all your food for my army, rape your daughter, and then shoot you in the face because your side lost."

"Wait, you can't do that! I have human rights. I have a right to shelter, so you cannot burn my house. My daughter has a right to dignity, so you cannot lay a finger on her. I have a right to life, so you cannot kill me."

The warlord or general will laugh. Then he'll do it all anyway.

People seem to be under the mistaken impression that if it's unjust you can't do it to them because "rights!" Newsflash, they can and they will.

[1516]

Whatever the victor decides to grant them.

^
this

[Empire of Cats]

A defeated people are not inherently entitled to anything.

Not even rights.

Let's say you're living in someplace like South Sudan, Yemen, or Burma. You'll get this:

"I won this war, so I'm going to burn your house, steal all your food for my army, rape your daughter, and then shoot you in the face because your side lost."

"Wait, you can't do that! I have human rights. I have a right to shelter, so you cannot burn my house. My daughter has a right to dignity, so you cannot lay a finger on her. I have a right to life, so you cannot kill me."

The warlord or general will laugh. Then he'll do it all anyway.

People seem to be under the mistaken impression that if it's unjust you can't do it to them because "rights!" Newsflash, they can and they will.

Yes, I understand that, and I guess that's kind of what I'm getting at - what KEEPS them from doing it, because there can be instances where that doesn't happen.

[Auristania]

So, I was reading about this whole Robert E. Lee/MLK Day thing, and I got to thinking: if a nation is defeated by its enemies, does that nation have certain rights guaranteed to it
1) beyond the Geneva Convention, say,
2) are its laws still valid or
3) are they rendered null and void?
4) Do these rights extend to a "nation" with no international recognition (like the Confederate States of America)?

What I mean is, if the nation is defeated, and

5) there is no resistance, but the nation is not recognized,
6) what would prevent the conquering nation from going on a rampage of killing or looting? What basic human rights are extended to the defeated on a nationwide scale,
7) besides the Geneva Convention?

2) There are still going to be murderers and thieves and parking tickets and late library books. Who is going to deal with this stuff?

Nation A conquers Nation B and arrests the Government. Are you going to arrest the whole Senate? If it were me, I'd bribe some Senators to elect a puppet government. I'd leave most of the town mayors and county lieutenants in office and only appoint military governors where there was Resistance.

But you already said. 5) there is no resistance, but the nation is not recognized,
Exactly! they are Free born and have their Magna charta Rights as Citizens of my own Nation.

There was a bit of treason and resistance in these couple of counties of my own nation, so obviously there will be secret police, purging of assemblies, reduction of the Right to bear Arms, reduction of Citizens' rights. But you already said NO resistance, so they will get their Rights back soon-ish.

On the other hand, you said there is no resistance, we disarmed them, we can totally genocide their asses. You mention Geneva, but as long as we shoot all the witnesses, we are golden.

On the other hand, suppose they make a Peace Treaty: suppose they pay us tax; suppose their army can never be more than 10% of ours. We would have to be retarded to break a treaty that gives us everything we need. We would have to be Alcibiades, Socrates, Plato Donald and Trump all rolled into ONE.