Colonies are not occupation zones, period.
They really are though, fundamentally.
Colonies are not occupation zones, period.
They really are though, fundamentally.
North Borneo was relatively low in population. The US could probably make it majority white population by the dawn of the 20th century, with considerable Chinese and native minorities.
North Borneo was relatively low in population. The US could probably make it majority white population by the dawn of the 20th century, with considerable Chinese and native minorities.
Who would want to go all the way to Borneo when there was more than enough land in the continental USA to settle?
If you want to increase the non-native population there are a variety of methods of doing so.
Penal colony? The wild west was by no means free of crime.
Also the US could make deals with other countries to accept their undesirables. Australia, Sarawak, and South Africa come to mind.
Maybe some policies to convince the Spanish settlers in the Philippines to relocate a little bit further south?
And besides, even if non native populations were to reach 70%, made up collectively of Black, White, and Asian people, so long as the native population does not reach a majority. Hawaii is a good example. Asians make up 38.6%, Whites make up 24.7%, 10% Native Hawaiian, and 1.6% Black.
If the USA keeps Borneo, I see it being where freed slaves are sent. And some interracial marriages, education in English, and by the 1920's, the people of Borneo could easily think of themselves as Americans. Maybe make it a state about the same time as Hawaii. The USA would also have lax policies for immigration from white European countries, so maybe a sizable Italian or Slavic population. With the right butterflies, it is just another Puerto Rico that happens to be a state.
So judging from the various posts in this thread so far, North Borneo becomes Americanized by:
A) American merchants relocating to far eastern ports to partake in far eastern wealth and trade
B) American Penal Colony and taking other countries undesirables
C) Free slaves being resettled
D) Americans inviting Spaniard from the Philippines
E) Asians migrating from China (Primarily) and Japan.
Sabah, like Hawaii, would likely be very cosmopolitan. It'd probably be a progressive state.