In feudalism, there were manors, which were self-sufficient economic units. With the
rise of capitalism, nation-states came about, defined by greatly expanded economic
linkages, that is a leap in the division of labor and socialization of labor. So, in
this sense the "nation" is a bourgeois entity. But it is not just , ideological, but a
material reality, a reality in the relations of production. This material reality
does not contradict your claim that it is in the interests of the bourgeoisie, and not
the workers of each nation. Marx and Engels reflected your sentiment below by their
doctrine of proletarian internationalism. However, to overcome the nation and
nation-state, it is necessary to recognize the material or economic as well as
ideological nature of them.
Also, there has been in the history of capitalism a partially progressive role for
organizing anti-colonial liberation movements on the basis of the unity of oppressed
nations vis-a-vis oppressor imperialist nations.
Today, the big bourgeoisie are becoming significantly transnationalized, which
introduces another complication. In other words, now it is in the interest of the big
bourgeoisie to promote the notion of no national boundaries in their pursuit of
neo-liberal free trade. So soon you may find the bourgeoisie promoting ideas similar
to yours that the idea of a nation is an illusion.
CB
>>> "George Pennefather" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> 12/26/99 03:25PM >>>
As I see it "nation" is an ideological construct. It is designed to mobilise a cross
class
unity in the interests of the "national" bourgeoisie". The nation as a community is an
expression of the reified nature of social relations among people. The nation is a
reified
community. It is a community formed in which there is absent any real direct communal
relations between people. Since it is not directly class based it is, in a sense, an
artificial community based on an idea or concept --the nation. Nation, then, is false
community. It is community based on imagination rather than objective conditions. It
is an
idealist community with, in a sense, no real basis in fact. Consequently the national
community is a very irrational community which is very obstructive in the development
of a
correct materialist conception of social relations and the nature of capitalism.
In short there never have been nor can be nations. It is merely an ideological
construct.
It is an idea or image used to regulate and control the behaviour of the masses in the
interests of capitalism.It is a regulative idea or image designed to obstruct the
working
class from organising along class line and thereby form a working class community and
its
corresponding solidarity.
To instill the illusion that there exist nations the bourgeoisie by means of the state
constrain the working class within specific form of culture and politics. They impose
on
the working class a common set of themes: language; sport; art; emblems; imagery and
pageantry. By the time the bourgeoisie are finished with them the working class are
brainwashed into believing that they form part of a particular nation. This national
consciousness is superimposed on class consciousness thereby suppressing any sense of
class consciousness and solidarity.
Warm regards
George Pennefather
Be free to check out our Communist Think-Tank web site at
http://homepage.eircom.net/~beprepared/
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