Anti-Nationalism

Scottish separation would divide the working class along national lines. Who fosters division? In whose interest is it? No one but our common enemy, the capitalist class. To advance towards socialism, the working class must develop its consciousness of being a class with common interests radically opposed to those of the capitalist class. It must understand that nationalism serve the interests of the capitalists, not the interests of the workers.

Various little bands of quasi-Trotskyists in a patriotic effort try to persuade the working class that Scottish independence would mark a step forward towards its own liberation, a step towards socialism. Nothing could be further from the truth. The people who parade the banner of independence and socialism around are perpetuating a number of falsehoods.

The SNP is a capitalist party. It works on behalf of the capitalists. The difference between the SNP and the other capitalist parties is not that it is calling for a different social system. What’s different is that they are looking for a new sharing of powers. The sharing will just be between groups of capitalists. Keep it in the family. Those left-nationalists who dress up as socialists in order to push nationalism in the working class are the objective allies of the capitalists. In reality, they find themselves in the camp of those promoting division of the working class. The independence leads to socialism argument must be thoroughly demolished. Supporting Scottish independence in the name of socialism is a monumental hoax. It is up to the working class to show it will not be duped by their political nonsense and deceitful rhetoric of the nationalists and their Trotskyist bedfellows. Scottish independence is nothing but a dead-end road. It doesn’t bring us closer to socialism, only farther away from it. Whether they like it or not, the left nationalists who are pushing for Scottish sovereignty only end up supporting class collaboration. Promoting Scottish independence consolidates divisions rather than confronting and fighting them. It blocks the growth of class consciousness and instead it develops the idea among Scottish  workers that they have more in common with “their” employers than with the rest of the British working class. Instead of uniting the working class against the bourgeoisie, it divides them from the rest of the working class. It delays socialist revolution and unites the Scottish working people with the Scots bourgeoisie. Thus the working class would be sacrificing its struggle for socialism, which is the only way to do away with exploitation, in return for a few meagre changes, for crumbs.

To struggle for independence would not bring those in Scotland any closer to getting rid of capitalist oppression and exploitation. Instead it would divide the working class in the UK against its main enemy; it would weaken the struggle for socialism all across the land; it would hold back and retard the class struggle.