alternatehistory.com

In the 18th century the most complex societies in the Pacific were that of Hawai'i, in the north, and Tonga, in the south. Even their initial trajectories after European arrival were similar; Hawai'i was unified by Kamehameha I and Tonga by George Tupou I.

But Hawai'i allowed foreigners to buy land in the Alien Land Ownership Act of 1850, while Tupou I resolutely banned foreigners from purchasing land.

End result: Hawaiians have lost both their majority status in the archipelago and control over their own country. The number of (native) Hawaiians now is similar to the population in the late 18th century. By contrast, Tonga is 97% Tongan, Tupou's dynasty still exists, and the native Tongan population has doubled in the past two hundred years despite the catastrophic epidemics of the 19th century.

So what if Hawai'i had refused to allow foreigners to buy land? Could they pull off a 'Tupou'?
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