I was reading about the JAO and wondering if it would have been possible or likely for the Tsars to have not done the pogroms, but just sent all the Jew to a particular place, as happened later.
Yes, but the Ukrainians and Russians would react poorly to being expelled, particularly by Jewish peoples. Its unlikely that the Tsars would choose the latter over the former. If the Tsars ever decided to make a purely Jewish region, it would almost certainly be in Kazakhstan or Siberia. They could be a bit more generous than Stalin (though anti-semetism was just as strong, if not stronger, then) and allot a larger swath of land near say lake Baikal, but they would not depopulate western Russia/Ukraine.The Tsars were the head of the orthodox church, they considered themselves as christian rulers, so it's quite unlikely until enlightened emperors like Peter or Catherine the Great.
Anyway, the oblast should be formed not of some remote and underdeveloped land in Siberia, but of fertile and profitable land of Ukraine, to attract Jews from all parts of the world - Jews of Russia would be forced to live there by law, to ensure that there is a sufficient population base in the future Jewish "paradise". Maybe a port should be added to the oblast, to attract Jewish merchants negotiating in the Black See and the Mediterranean.
The oblast would have to be really autonomous with a new Jewish Sanhedrin, a Jewish police (against new progroms), maybe also with a new temple (the new centre of Judaism).
If established properly, such an autonomous Jewisch county would flourish and fill the coffers of the Russian state.
Yes, but the Ukrainians and Russians would react poorly to being expelled, particularly by Jewish peoples. Its unlikely that the Tsars would choose the latter over the former. If the Tsars ever decided to make a purely Jewish region, it would almost certainly be in Kazakhstan or Siberia. They could be a bit more generous than Stalin (though anti-semetism was just as strong, if not stronger, then) and allot a larger swath of land near say lake Baikal, but they would not depopulate western Russia/Ukraine.
Well, I'm planning a TL about such a thing, in which Russia forces the Qing to secede all of Manchuria, and then expelling the ethics Chinese and later setting up a Jewish colony
hmm how about alaskaya that become the Jewish Oblast?
hmm how about alaskaya that become the Jewish Oblast?
Manchuria was very fertile land plus had Vladivostok which was key to Russian ambitions. Not likely they'd get the whole thing. Also, Inner Manchuria was rather well-populated, so you'd be expelling a huge amount of people (both Chinese and ethnic Manchu).
At the time of the annexation it had a population between 2-5 million and most of the inhabitants were not Han Chinese, at the same time the Jewish population of Russia was about 2 million at the time.
Alaska has potential, but at the time it couldn't possibly support the million plus Jewish people the Russian empire had even pre 1860. Transport would be expensive and/or dangerous. Any Alaskan settlement project is going to have a very dark history. I still say Siberia or Kazakhstan is more likely because the Tsars didn't have much immediate use for it outside fur trapping and potentially trade with the far east. Development only really took of during the Soviet era, so the empire would probably think little of allotting some of it to the Jews. Not that Siberia is much safer than Alaska, but it could at least support the population.Imagine Israel in Alaska ... With these masses of oil! A Jewish Alaska might become a major economic power in the 20th century, and maybe declare its independence from the antisemitic, backward tsarists. This independence war in turn might trigger either a revolution in Russia (liberal or socialist), or/and a world war opposing the allies of Russia and the supporters of Alaska.
But why?hmm how about alaskaya that become the Jewish Oblast?