The Socialist Party has been told that our critique of
nationalism is resented by many on the left-wing. We say it is a deplorable
mistake for any socialist to ally in any way with parties that deceive the workers
for their own interests. Deceived by the nationalist movements, workers will
discover, in some years’ time, that they have been most cruelly misled and have
been wasting their time. Workers must not be deceived by the supposed potential
progressive facade of nationalism. Instead of tragically wasting their time
fostering nationalism (in whatever form), they must equip the people with socialist understanding and
knowledge. The motivating force of revolution is not ’love of country’ but
class struggle. No amount of secession or separatism can ever succeed in
bringing freedom.
Nationalism is a powerful and poisonous force. Since its
foundation, the class-conscious workers of the Socialist Party have combated
the capitalists’ chauvinist appeals with appeals for the international
solidarity of the working class. The Socialist Party fought the attempts of the
ruling class to enlist the workers in its nationalist strivings with its appeals
for the workers of all lands to unite against world capitalism. The mouthings
of the nationalist contribute nothing but division and confusion. They ally
with the bosses and don the garb of “socialism” in order to reach the voting public.
Socialists are internationalists and seek to join with workers of other
nationalities in ending all oppression and exploitation.
It is nationalism that can divide the workers so that the
workers of one nationality are struggling against the workers of another
nationality for a few illusory crumbs the rulers throw out exactly for that
purpose! It is nationalism that can pit groups of workers against each other
with the most hideous rage, while their mutual oppressors skip off with both
their purses for sun and fun. Nationalism is a capitalist ideology which
developed with the emergence of nations and the rise and development of
capitalism. Nationalism serves the wealthy. Nationalism does not serve the
interests of the working class.
Any nationalism implies that those people are better than
all others. We are all victims of a nationalism that preaches superiority and
inferiority. By dividing and weakening the working class nationalists actually
set back the struggle to end capitalist domination.
The SNP is not a socialist organisation. Nor will it evolve
in that direction. True, some of its recent propaganda is embroidered with
radical sounding phrases but they are representing business interests.
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