[Marxism] National questions and 'national questions'

[David Walters <dwalters@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Richard,
 I seems I share the same skepticism of the "oppression", nationally or
otherwise, of the Scotts. Yes, the SSP is, as you've pointed out, a
positive development. I believe what Phillip stated is true to a large
degree and in my view, the SSP has begun filling the role of the older
socialist Scottish Labour Party did for decades before it's native son,
Tony Blair turned it into the Clinton Democrats. Perhaps this is
unfair. That the SSP has it's origins among Trotskyists is far
different from the Scottish Labour Party and is a plus in my book (even
if they haven't figured out the national question in IRELAND yet, which
is their biggest ball-and-chain left over from their Labour Militant
days!).

A "SSP" lead movement for national independence, however, does
represent, as I see it, a huge potential crisis for capitalism, if the
goal is approached in a revolutionary way, and not via negotiation with
Europe, as some nationalist groups have done (Catalonia, Basque
country, etc.). To seek legitimacy via Europe is like...Bosnia
achieving it via the US military. Perhaps as "Scottish" thread out to
be started so more information can be solicited, especially from any
residents there on this list...

To Kosovo/Bosnia. Lou recently challenged me with the question of
"Walters, can you document ANY form of oppression by Serbs against
Albanians in Kosovo?"(a paraphrase but it's close to the question
poised). I didn't feel like buying books on this right now or spending
hours trying to find the documents, although I think the question is a
serious one.

I can however, raise the charges, and in some context. During WWII it
is believed that Tito promised the Albanians self-determination. I say
"believed" because this "near-myth" has been translated to mean
"...promised them a Republic". This never happened...the republic part.
He did promise self-determination and a referendum to support it. The
promise made was to counter the German's successful efforts there to
recruit some Waffen-SS troops (the Nazis were more successful in Bosnia
among Muslims, BTW, than Kosovo). Albanians (the majority Muslim, some
Catholic and Jews) made up about half the population then. There were
Kosovo Albanians then who joined to form  Partisan units.

At the end of WWII Tito, under pressure from Serb nationalists inside
his successful army, forced him to renege. A short, very short, civil
war erupted between Albanian and Serb partisan units. The Albanians, as
Albanians gained little and little autonomy was gained for much of
anything Albanian. However,  due to deaths during the war and
immigration to wealthier parts of Yugoslavia, Albanians became the
majority there. Despite Enver Hoxha stirring things up a bit, few
Kosovars wanted anything to do with Hoxha.

In the 50s, and again in the 60s, students and workers protested
against what they viewed as minority rule in Kosovo and WON extensive
rights, rights that increased through the 70s into the 80s actually,
where Albanians ended up dominating all sectors of Kosovar politics and
economy.

At this point, when the situation seemed reversed for Serbs, Serb
students started protesting what they perceived now as Albanian
oppression. It was Milosovich's witnessing of Kosovo Albania police
beating up protesting Serbs that supposedly set him off on his
nationalist push. I don't doubt for a minute this actually happened.

The controversy stems from his actions. After assuming the Presidency
he purged the police of all Albanians...and replaced them, of course,
with Serbs, and Serbs loyal to him it seems. At any rate, the Kosovar
Albanians claim that Albanian classes at the university were suspended,
all Albanian staff were purged and that a general purge of all things
Albanian occurred. It gets dicey because at the same time, the
Albanians were calling for a boycott of the University and advocating
Albanians "split" from Kosovar Serbians and form "parallel"
institutions. Chicken or the Egg. Honestly, I've never figured it out.

Louis can use his "Lexis-Nexus" access to locate the pertinent
reporting of this in the NY Times and British papers if he wants and
let us know what he finds. Louis is, in my opinion, in denial about
this because he seemed to dismiss these reports as fabricated. Could
be, of course the Albanians claim that the beating up of Serb students
at Presitina University was fabricated but Louis believes THAT. I read
about BOTH in the NY times at that time so who knows? Books on both
sides of this issue have covered it. I haven't read Johnson's book yet,
but I'm going to get it since it's peaked my interest as Louis relies
on this so much. Like most of the books on BOTH sides, I assume it's
deeply annotated.

I opposed national oppression and generally support self-determination.
But, I've changed my mind a lot in light of the experiences in Bosnia.
Assuming that everything Bosnian is sugar and spice and everything
nice, a "Titoist Yugoslavia in Miniature" as someone once described
it...it's been an unmitigated failure as an "independent" country,
transformed into a corrupt and virtual colony of both the US and
liberal NGOs. That any country in the region can conceive of "national
independence" within the context of capitalist Europe is simply insane.
Kosovo will forever be a large oversees office of UN foreign aid with
US advisors privatizing the economy. Only a regional working class
solution can solve the problem and such "socialist internationalism"
has never been so obvious in my opinion. That these countries tried to
achieve some sort of real independence has simply failed.

David Walters


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