I recently read of an exchange between a pro-Second Amendment advocate and a gun control proponent. Needless to say, neither was going to change the other’s mind anytime soon.
However, the conversation ended amiably enough when the pro-2A guy said plainly enough, “Just do me one favor, research the history of people who’ve been disarmed by their own governments.”
I thought that was in interesting proposition. So much like the Ty-D-Bol man, I’ll work hard so you don’t have to.
But first, with the exceptions of Cambodia and the Ottoman Turks, I’ve left out the death tolls.
As well, I haven’t cited any present-day European nations yet. After all, they aren’t done killing each other yet.
Besides, the alleged democracies of Western and Central Europe are still liberating themselves out of existence. After all, it’s known that by 2070, Europeans will be a minority on their own continent.
In the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, from the Russian history site Russian7.ru;
Requirements for the acquisition, storage and carrying of weapons in the Soviet Union during the existence of the country were softened and then tightened. However, ordinary citizens for the most part still could not count on the official acquisition of any other “barrel” except for a hunting rifle.
Nagants and pistols were allowed only to the Bolsheviks.
After the revolution, during the Civil War, many of the most diverse small arms and edged weapons walked around the country. The young Soviet government had to take measures to immediately remove it from those who were not entitled to it. The December decree of the Council of People’s Commissars in 1918 “On the surrender of weapons” ordered the population to surrender any small arms, as well as sabers, bayonets and swords, regardless of the degree of serviceability.
Otherwise, they threatened to be imprisoned for up to ten years.
However, members of the RCP(B) [Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks)] were allowed to have one unit of military weapons—a pistol (nagant, Mauser, etc.) or a rifle—and a special permit was issued for it, and the right to possession was confirmed by a party card.
The ruling Khmer Rouge of the Marxist-Communists who lorded over Democratic Kampuchea (Cambodia), according to American Civil Rights Union notes;
“[T]he Khmer Rouge never bothered to write their own gun control laws, relying instead on a number of statutes left over from the French colonial government.
A series of 1956 laws, Articles 322-28 of the Penal Code, required licenses for ‘guns, owners, ammunition, and transactions,’ complete with photo ID and fingerprints.”
In fact, “[g]un confiscation was at the top of the agenda for the Khmer Rouge. As soon as the Khmer Rouge took power, they immediately set out to disarm the populace.”
Over one million were killed in the infamous “killing fields” of Cambodia.
In the now collapsed Ottoman Empire, as cited by us.archive.org, Article 166 of the Penal Code, the fourth addendum of 4 June, 1911;
Whoever, without obtaining permission from the department concerned, manufactures within the Ottoman territories gunpowder or other explosive substances or prohibited weapons or cartridges for them or imports into the Ottoman territories from foreign territories gunpowder or other explosive substances or prohibited weapons or cartridges for them… in addition to the confiscation of such, put in prison for from two months to two years, and a fine of from five Mejidieh gold pieces to fifty Mejidieh gold pieces is taken.
Within just a few years, the Ottoman Turks attempted to erase the Christian Armenians from both history and existence. In the process, the Turks slaughtered one-and-a-half million unarmed Armenian men, woman and children.
In the Communist-ruled People’s Republic of China, from the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) controlled sd.xinhuanet.com via web.archive.org;
The State strictly controls firearms. It is forbidden for any unit or individual to possess, manufacture (including alteration, assembly), buy, sell, transport, rent or lend firearms in violation of laws and regulations.
The state severely punishes illegal and criminal acts that violate gun control. Any unit or individual has the obligation to report violations of firearms management. The State protects whistleblowers and rewards those who have made meritorious contributions in reporting criminal activities that violate gun management.
The following criminals who seriously endanger public order may be sentenced to death up to the maximum penalty provided for in the Criminal Law.
In the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, from GunPolicy.com in conjunction with the University of Sydney;
Article 5. Prohibited actions related to management and use of weapons, explosives, explosives precursors and combat gears;
1. Personal possession of weapons, explosives and combat gears, except for cold weapons used for exhibition and heirlooms.
In North Korea, the Yonhap news agency cites the Firearms Control Acy of 2009;
Under the regulations, guns are allowed only for its “primary purposes” including executing official duties such as keeping guard and training.
Institutions, businesses, groups and the public are prohibited from possessing or transacting firearms according to the law, which also banned lending, smuggling, destroying and self-producing firearms.
Those who violate the rules, resulting in “stern consequences,” are subject to administrative and criminal liabilities, the North says in the law
When it comes to supposedly free and democratic nations such as the narco-state better known as Mexico, from the Federalist Society;
There is only one firearms store, UCAM (Unidad de Comercialización de Armamento y Municiones). It is owned and operated by the military, and located in Mexico City.
Private sales of long guns are legal, but the buyer must register the gun within 30 days with the military’s arms registry.
By police fiat, possession of firearms above .22 caliber is severely restricted.
Then there’s the thug-ran Republic of South Africa, according to a government site titled Firearms Control Act 60;
- Required to obtain a [government] license per individual firearm
- May possess a maximum amount of only four firearms
- A maximum of 200 rounds of ammunition per license