[Marxism] Kosova and the right of nations to self-determination | Links

[Jim Farmelant]

For those people who assert the right of self-determination
as a fundamental principle, what do they think of
the right of Southern states to secede from the
United States back in the 1860s? If they
didn't have such a right, why not?  People
might wish to keep in mind that the French
anarchist, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, defended the right
of the American South to secede from
the Union precisely on the grounds that
his federalist principles implied both
national and regional rights to self-determination
(even if that meant supporting a regime like
the Confederacy's that was committed to
upholding slavery). Marx & Engels 
on the other hand supported the Union.  
It seems to me that those Marxists
who are placing such great emphasis on 
Kosova's right to self-determination are
taking a stance that is closer to Proudhon's
than to Marx's.


On Sun, 02 Mar 2008 09:42:26 -0500 Louis Proyect <lnp3 at panix.com> writes:
> At 03:40 AM 3/2/2008, you wrote:
> >This article will tackle the general question of the right to 
> national
> >self-determination, and why Kosova's situation fully accords with 
> this
> >right long supported by the revolutionary left. While much more 
> will be
> >said of the role of imperialism and other factors in the following 
> parts
> >­ including imperialism's role precisely in /limiting/ Kosovar
> >self-determination ­ understanding this aspect is primary to 
> developing
> >an overall position.