lewislewis said:
That means nothing, you say the borders are 'artificial', fine, but people still think their Welsh, they have a national consciousness that is currently greater than their class consciousness. Again this may be a good thing or a bad thing, i'm undecided but will pursue whatever consciousness is more legitimate, i.e has a larger mandate amongst public opinion, so long as it corresponds to my personal principles.
Sure people think they belong to one nation or another. That national consciousness does indeed make it ‘legitimate‘ if one wishes to use such a concept. But all this tells us is that such a consciousness is a false consciousness that does not relate to the real divisions within this society.
It is a false consciousness in that it does not relate to class relations which are based on the real material conditions of existence. At bottom individuals really do constitute social classes based on their relationship to their means of production. Their situation within the process of production and relationship to it determines their education, schooling and everything else up to and including their funerals. That said class consciousness is, like the position of the individual worker within the process of production, subject to constant change and this ensures that it is extremely difficult for workers to develop an understanding (consciousness) of class society as a whole and their position within it. The propagation of that knowledge within the class is precisely the task of revolutionary socialists.
On the other hand national consciousness is imaginary and is not based on any authentic shared common experience. It is simply ideology based on an imagined community that in reality does not exist. It might be argued that it is common history, culture, ethnicity or some other factor that provides the basis of a common national consciousness but these ideas must be rejected. For example the history of Wales, like that of all nations, is a history of exploitation and oppression of the majority by the ruling minority. It is a history too of the majority waging a constant conflict against the majority in pursuit of its own material interests. A history then of class conflict. A common culture too as the basis for Welsh nationalism is lacking and has been for many centuries. Culture today is, as everywhere in the developed world, ever more based on the growing tendency towards a common culture within the imperialist countries. The linguistic divide in Wales is of little importance in this respect.
National consciousness, whether it be British or Welsh national consciousness, is imaginary and is not based on anything real and material. It is a political concept first and foremost. It does not correspond to the real material divisions within society and the solution of any given national question cannot even begin to solve the problems of that part of humanity imprisoned within the borders of any given nation. In fact national independence, genuine independence, will exacerbate many of humanity’s common problems.
Anyhow I accept that you are acting according to your principles in advocating a national policy. But such a principle is opposed to the objective needs of the working class for class unity against the boss class. The only principles that I can recognise as legitimate are the principles of class war. Sorry to go on a bit but I have to admit it’s actually very funny to read that you don’t want to force people to belong to a nation. I can only presume that a Welsh census would carry an option to opt out of declaring one’s nationality? Would I be permitted to travel where I will regardless of borders that mean nothing to me? Will that right be available to non-Welsh citizens wishing to come here?
Anyway i fear we're about to go around the same circle again so for now....
, but I can't imagine kids actually saying that - could they not be paranoid or oversensitive?
there was no Welsh version available, and she refused to sign - now she has to appear in court on the 30th as well.
