Is there a Tongan "Just Watch Me?"

May 13, 2010 9:14 PM

Wikipolifilter: Looking for interesting, primarily non-US political articles on Wikipedia.

Occasionally I come across a fascinating wikipedia article that is probably well-known to every citizen of that country (Irish Hunger Strike, Just Watch Me) that is unknown or barely known to me as an American, and I would like to read more.

The problem with these articles is their relative uniqueness makes them hard to classify and find more. I'm interested in political crises, intrique, scandals, and the kind of things you will either read about in a history textbook someday, or already have.

Any suggestions?

posted by mreleganza to media & arts (11 answers total)

For a formative experience in NZ politics, try the 1981 South African rugby tour. The sinking of the Rainbow Warrior is another NZ experience of particular weight - French govt. terrorism in NZ!
posted by Paragon at 9:24 PM on May 13, 2010

The October Crisis (AKA the FLQ Crisis)
posted by If only I had a penguin... at 9:28 PM on May 13, 2010 [1 favorite]

Some Australian wikipedia:

Governments in well-established democracies can only be removed by the popular vote, right? Wrong.

Wilfred Burchett: journalist, war correspondent, first Westerner to see Hiroshima after 1945. Possibly a spy, likely a torturer, probably a traitor, "on intimate terms with Ho Chi Minh and Henry Kissinger".

The Sydney Harbour Bridge: Officially opened by a reactionary Irish antiques dealer.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 9:48 PM on May 13, 2010

That should read: reactionary Irish antiques dealer.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 9:49 PM on May 13, 2010

The The Dismissal, the removal of the Australian government in 1975 is still a big deal in Australia.
posted by sien at 11:21 PM on May 13, 2010

Fascinating to me is the coup attempted by fascist generals on the restored and fragile constitutional monarchy of Spain in February, 1981. The Wikipedia article is dense, but follow the external links and search on Youtube because it was essentially televised and the footage really bring the events alive. Spoiler: in a move almost equivalent to George Washington ceding the presidency in the face of calls to declare himself a monarch, the young king Juan Carlos bravely went on national TV and declared his support for the existing government. This was also televised, so look for it as well. (Also, if you speak/read Spanish then do explore the first-hand sources starting from the corresponding Wikipedia article.)
posted by msittig at 12:48 AM on May 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

The Profumo Affair (though you may have seen the film Scandal).
posted by patricio at 12:55 AM on May 14, 2010

The Dreyfus Affair

Also, see Lists of Political Scandals by Country.
posted by marsha56 at 3:52 AM on May 14, 2010

Cod wars, Icelandic anti-NATO riot, Knut Hamsun's obituary of Adolf Hitler, the West Lothian Question, the "Rivers of Blood" speech, the kidnapping of Aldo Moro and finally a surprisingly little known episode in American history, Puerto Rican independistas' assassination attempt on Truman and shooting inside the House of Representatives chamber.
posted by Kattullus at 5:22 AM on May 14, 2010

I found the story of Kakuei Tanaka (田中 角栄) quite interesting, and it fits well within your criteria (politics, corruption, scandals, scandals, scandals...). Understanding his career can also help in understanding modern Japanese politics, I think.

There is a more detailed article about him and his amazing career linked at the bottom of that article (http://www.rcrinc.com/tanaka/). Well worth a read.
posted by dubitable at 9:19 AM on May 14, 2010

Oh, and for a complete different continent, read about Argentina's Dirty War and los desaparecidos. In Argentina, people are still trying to locate missing persons, and identify former war criminals and bring them to justice.

Of course, Argentina isn't alone in this...
posted by dubitable at 9:28 AM on May 14, 2010