Nationalism is completely arbitrary and illogical and is the cause of much evil. Although socialists’ sympathies are with the oppressed, they relate not to emerging nationalism but to the particular plight of twice-oppressed people who face both a native and foreign ruling class. Nationalist aspirations are dressed up, in part, as “socialist” aspirations, as they include the illusory hope of impoverished populations that they can improve their conditions through national independence. Yet national independence has not emancipated the working class. It will not do so. It is a red herring that takes time and resources away from the more worthy and pressing matter of establishing socialism.
Surely, it must be evidently clear to all decent people that the greatest evil afflicting this planet is Capitalism. Surely, people must recognise this senseless economic system is the root cause of almost all injustice, suffering and premature death. But to blinker people to the blatantly obvious the capitalist class makes use of many tools. One of its most efficient is nationalism. Many, even supposedly socialists, don’t realise just how dangerous nationalist thought can be. Nationalism is a crucial crutch for keeping capitalism standing upright. Nationalism in its countless forms permeates all societies and individuals. So powerful is the lure of nationalism that even socialists such as James Connolly have been preoccupied by it to the detriment of the class struggle. The very act of undermining nationalism will in itself severely weaken the capitalist class and will result in a heightened consciousness of the world’s workers. We have to remove the blinkers of nationalism to look upon a new vista and see the prospect of a new world, not a new nation.
Why are socialists and radicals exactly asking for and expecting from their call for independence for Scotland? Is it really a sovereign Scottish workers’ state? If England and Wales became the same at the same time why would the Scots want to be different? If on the other hand, Scotland became “socialist” in isolation how long could it withstand the inevitable assaults from the capitalist states surrounding it?
But, of course, the realistic and pragmatic Leftist does not envisage a genuine socialist Scotland being achieved. Capitalism will prevail and predominate. So the question is now, are Scottish capitalists somehow more attractive and amenable than British ones. Would they exploit Scottish workers less than UK employers? Now as economic competitors for jobs and livelihoods, would Scottish workers be content to see the English working class exploited perhaps worse than before, as bosses play divide and rule between the nations? Will class brothers and sisters turn their backs upon one another? Nationalist division further weakens the chances of solidarity between all workers.
There may well be a human impulse to join in groups and to favour one’s own group above all others if many anthropologists and sociologists are correct. Socialists can accept such findings. Bias towards our own group or tribe can be manifest itself in the rivalry between football fans. In its most extreme form such affinity becomes passionate hatred against other racial groups, religions and nationalities. But such prejudice is not a necessary aspect of human society. Rather, they can be deliberately inflamed by capitalist politicians, businessmen, religious leaders and anyone for whom such divisions are beneficial. Our instinct can be exploited and magnified. However, similarly, our intelligence can resist and thwart our instincts and this is what makes us human. We can, in general, overcome our instincts.(for example, our greatest instinct is to have children, yet people today have learned to overcome that instinct and use family planning to delay having children, for economic reasons.) We can put off pleasure and gratification when our rational thoughts advise it.
Imagine town councils waging violent wars for land and resources; sending young people to fight to the death to control landfill sites and greenbelt land. If this thought is absurd then why is it so accepted that two countries will fight over living space and material resources? Around the world many thousands are dying violent deaths at the hands of armies, militias, police, mercenaries, terrorists and simply gangster war-lords. The arms manufacturers, in the meantime, make ever more increasing fortunes. Every war in modern history has been fought with the benefit of the ruling class solely in mind.
Although today's global ruling class have been internationalised and already live in world without borders for the rest of us, we are to be very much restricted by borders. Nationhood and patriotism are to be fanned in our hearts as strongly as ever. The only threat to the status quo is an equally internationalised working class. When the working class of all countries recognise that their fortunes are all inextricably linked, and when they act on that recognition, then we enter the end-times of capitalism.
Patriotism with its flags and anthems, parades along streets and posturing on playing-field, keeps workers apart and weakened by exaggerating differences and not embracing diversity. Each nation believes it is the most deserving and dare a foreign worker set foot upon native soil they are immediately suspect and almost instantly hated, for they are seen as a threat to “us”. All rational thought evaporates, and like children fearing the bogeyman in the shadows, we run around crying out, ”Stop… Stop. Send them away…” No matter if experts say immigrants are good for the economy and create prosperity. Each immigrant who arrives is viewed as a danger. The indigenous native-born worker cannot be reassured over immigration with facts, figures or rational argument. The only cure is from experience.
Overcoming nationalism is intrinsically linked to the development of socialism. What is needed is to create a worldwide outlook amongst all the world's working class. This is why it is wrong for socialists to back independence movements for the sake of it. Imagine a nation oppressed by another power, perhaps Palestinians suffering under Israeli occupation. Their struggle for independence may move us emotionally but we must resist the notion that independence is the most compelling goal for the people of that country. A good socialist will not tell an oppressed people "you should fight for independence". A good socialist will say "you are not independent, comrade, and you should not be. You are dependent on the working class of the world and they are dependent on you. We all depend on each other." There is no difference between a group of workers oppressed by a foreign power or corporation and those oppressed by domestic rulers. The tactics and the message must remain the same, otherwise, our arguments become blurred. There is only one way we can defeat exploitation and there is one way we can make the defeat of capitalism a possibility. Labour organisations can become global and transform into the One Big Union. They must make the workers of their own country fully aware of the struggles of workers in neighbouring countries and beyond. Only international industrial action orchestrated by a global union network can possibly defeat the exploitation of the globalised corporations and banks. When unions bargain for wages and conditions on a national level the bosses now have the option of relocating production to another country where workers are being exploited harder. Unions already fully know that when dealing with a nationwide industry, national bargaining is the best chance for success. The bosses attempt to fragment union power with regional or local bargaining. Fatally, this basic knowledge is not applied on an international scale. British unions campaign to stop jobs moving abroad, which seems to send the message that Indians or Filipinos, for example, don't deserve jobs as much as we do. Whether or not British workers actually think this matters less than the fact that workers of different nations are frequently at odds with one another, fighting over the scraps of global employment. The only solution is for the union movement to forge physical links with foreign unions and educate its members as to why this is a necessity.
People must know that all local issues have global causes and global solutions. It is why the Socialist Party calls for world socialism.
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