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The National Question The National Question Decolonizing the Theory of Nationalism James M. Blaut with a Foreword by Juan Mari Bras Zed Books Ltd. London and New Jersey The National Question was first published by Zed Books Ltd. , 57 Caledonian Road, London N19BU, UK, and vi 171 First Avenue, Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey 07716, USA, Acknowledgements in 1987. Foreword Juan Mari Bras vii Copyright © J.M. Blaut, 1987. Preface 1 Foreword copyright © Juan Mari Bras, 1987 Purpose 1 Plan 2 Cover designed by Andrew Corbett . 5 Typeset by EMS Photosetting, Rochford, Essex. Limitations Printed and bound in the United Kingdom 1. Introduction: Six Problems for the Theory ofNationalism 8 by Biddies Ltd., Guildford and King's Lynn . The Theory of Nationalism and the Practice of National All rights reserved Liberation 8 `The National Question' and `Nationalism' 13 First Problem: Is Nationalism a Form of Class Struggle? 17 Second Problem: Is Nationalism Appropriate Only to the BritishLibrary Cataloguingin Publication Data Bourgeois-democratic Revolution? 26 Blaut, James M. Western The national question : Decolonizing the Theory of Third Problem: Did Nationalism Diffuse from Nationality. Europe to the Third World? 29 1. Nationalism Fourth Problem : Does Nationalism Bear Some Special I. Title 320.5'4 JC311 Relationship to Fascism? 33 ISBN 0-86232-439-4 Fifth Problem : Is National Struggle Out of Date? Is the ISBN 0-86232-440-8 Pbk National State an Anachronism in the Era of Multinational Capitalism? 38 Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Sixth Problem: What is the Theoretical Status of the Concept Blaut, James M. (James Morris) `National Minority', and Why Do Some Immigrant The national question. Minorities Remain Unassimilated? 48 Bibliography : p. Includes index. 2. Nationalism as an Autonomous Force 57 581. Nationalism and socialism. 2. National liberation The Classical Critique. movements. I. Title. Post-classical Variations 60 HXSSO.N3B53 1987 320.5'4 87-13281 ISBN0-86232-439-4 The Modern Theory and its Critics 63 ISBN 0-86232-440-8 (pbk .) Some Concluding Comments 69 3, Diffusionism and the National Question 76 Nationalism and Diffusion 77 Nationalism and Fascism 83 Neo-Nationalism and Counter-Diffusion 88 Neo-Marxism and the National Question 97 4. Hobsbawm on the Nation State 101 Hobsbawm's Theses 103 ANote on Terminology 105 Are National Movements Irrational? 106 International Capitalism and the Nation State 112 Hobsbawm and the Marxist Theory of Nationalism 121 5. The Theory ofNational Minorities 142 The Theory of Minorities in Classical Marxism 144 Stalin's Theory 146 Minorities in the Era of Imperialism 151 6. The Myth of Assimilation 159 Rafi Cintr6n, Rudy Lozano, Assimilation 160 Dedicated to the memory of . Ghettoization 163 ~ and Ed Marksman, colleagues and compaiieros Resistance 169 7. Class Struggles across a Boundary 172 The Problem of Eurocentrism in the Marxist Theory of Colonialism and Nationalism 172 Internal and External Class Struggle 176 National Struggles and History 195 National Struggles and Culture 197 8. In Place of a Conclusion 212 Bibliography 214 Index 227 Foreword Acknowledgements Good theory is the accurate generalization of practice . That is why there is no good theory, social, political or whatever, ifit is not predicated on aprofound and Four of the chapters in this book have been adapted from published articles ; extended practice of the matter uponwhich one is theorizing. permission was kindly given by the following publications to reprint them here : This book is an outstanding contribution to Marxist theoryconcerning national Science and Society (Chapter 2); Antipode : A Radical Journal of Geography struggle . The author is very well equipped for the task . In the first place, he has (Chapters 3 and 6); Monthly Review (Chapter 5); and the Puerto Rican been for the last 15 years an activist in the liberationstruggle ofPuerto Rico. Thus, pro-independence newspaper Claridad (the original version of Chapter 6). Many he has been practising national struggle in one of the last frontiers of colonialism people contributed in important ways to the writing of this book and the ideas it in the world today. Secondly, as a professional geographer, he is sensible to the contains (but not its errors) . I wish to express my special gratitude to Abdul significance of physical location in affecting the course of social and historical Alkalimat, Jose Alberto Alvarez, Ramon Arbona, Gini Blaut Sorrentini, the late processes. This is certainly most important in this case . The geographical factor Rafi Cintr6n, Otis Cunningham, Horace Davis, Loida Figueroa, Jose Lopez, springs from his definition of national struggle as "the form of political class Olga L6pez, the late Rudy Lozano, Manuel Maldonado-Denis, Juan Mari Bras, struggle which is associated, in general, with states which are externally Francis Mark, the late Ed Marksman, Robert Molteno, Jose and Mariana governed ." Navarro, Anselme Remy, Antonio Rios-Bustamante, Digna Sanchez, Chris This volume constitutes a critique ofpast Marxist theories of national struggle, Searle, Jose Soler, America Sorrentini de Blaut, Howard Stanton, David Stea, nationalism and, in general, Third World participation in international class Jose Villamil, Dessima Williams and Ben Wisner . struggle . The theories developed derive general concepts from particular experiences, as any piece of sound theory should . The particular experience here d. M. Blaut is the reflection of the debates and discussions in the Puerto Rican liberation movement, and specifically in the socialist current of this movement, as well as amongthe Puerto Rican emigrant community in the United States . Based on these experiences, the author moves with great intellectual lucidity and honesty through some of the most controversial themes of Marxist theory: whether national struggle is something separate from class struggle or an integral and prominent part of it; and even when recognized as a form of class struggle, whether it should be understood as something associated mainly with the bourgeoisie as a class and with the period of early capitalism as a stage of social evolution . In both cases, he proves his point in favour of a class struggle perspective and the universal significance of national struggle for the international working class. It is evident that Lenin has been, so far, the major theoretician for these propositions . Certainly, the political genius who led the first victorious socialist revolution in world history was himself a frontier man from a frontier nation, which made him particularly fitted for such a theoretical discovery. Probably one of his major accomplishments as a theoretician of the social evolution of human Foreword kind was his rupture with the Eurocentric conceptions of Marx and Engels inasmuch as it was necessary to translate Marxist theories into practice in a mostly non-European countrylike Russia. Preface Professor Blaut analyses the propositions mentioned above throughout his book. As for the discussions within the Puerto Rican Independence movement that led to these theoretical confrontations, they have, in my estimation, been largely transcended by history . It is now more evident than a few years ago for anyone, except those with very underdeveloped political minds, that the national liberation struggle of the Puerto Rican independence movement is of the essence of class struggle and that the achievement of independence for Puerto Rico is the major contribution that Puerto Ricans can make to the complete victory of socialism in the world. Yet, the theoretical elaboration of this fact, which some day will be self-evident, is still necessary . Few works can be as valuable as the present one forthe full clarification ofthese points . Purpose It is, however, in chapter seven of this volume that the author makes what I consider a real, outstanding contribution to Marxist theory . His ideas about In every national liberation struggle there is concern about the national question: Eurocentrism and geographical diffusionism as shortcomings of Marxist theory the question of how the fight for political sovereignty is to be carried out and what ought to be seriously considered and developed in the future by many other role it should play in the larger struggle for social justice. The issues are always thinkers. complex and difficult, and always there is a searchforgeneral principles, for theory, As a matter of fact, the creative, political focus of Marxist theory has moved to provide some guidance for practice . ~I will argue in this book that the Marxist substantially from Europe to the Third World throughout the present century. theory of national struggle can offer this kind ofguidance, provided that we adapt Little new is coming from Europe now to enlighten the theory of social evolution the theory to the conditions that are faced in Third World liberation struggles : based on historical materialism during the next epoch. All the dissident varieties conditions of colonialism and neocolonialism . I will also defend the basicor classic of current European socialist thought are rooted in the same theoretical paradigm theory, as it was formulated by Marx, Engels, and Lenin, against the charge that it is caused by the basic defect of Marxism, which is its Eurocentric conception of the not relevant to national liberation struggles in the Third World of the 1980s, and historicaland social processes ofclass societies . against the charge that it somehow defines these struggles as reactionary
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