On the question of the contemporary movement of the Celtic peoples within
the British state for independence from English rule and the opposition of
the English 'communists' to same Engels again has some relevant comments.

"If members of a conquering nation called upon the nation they had conquered
and continued to hold down to forget their specific nationality and
position, to "sink national differences" and so forth, that was not
internationalism, it was nothing else but preaching to them submission to
the yoke, and attempting to justify and to perpetuate the dominion of the
conqueror under the cloak of internationalism."

Go bráthartha (Fraternally),
MC

"The English have been able to reconcile people of the most diverse races to their rule.  The Welsh, who cling so strongly to their nationality and their language, have been completely integrated into the British Empire. The Scottish Celts, although rebellious until 1745 and since then almost exterminated, first by the government and later by their aristocracy, have no thought of rebellion."

1) how does "complete integration…. And not thought of rebellion" square with a view of un-finished national business? And what is that un-finished business?
2) How  does the passage of time from circa 1890 to 2000 alter that business that Cmde Engels alleged had led to "compete integration"?
3) In the case of Ireland: No ML-ist would (or should) dare to challenge the best interest of the workers North & South of the "border" – demand the unity of the Irish nation.  How does the class interest of the worker in Shrewsbury and that of the worker in Lladudno demand nationhood for Wales in 2001?

From:  MC
Date:  Sat Feb 24, 2001  6:24 am
Subject:  National Question in the UK
 
Dear H,

        To recap on this discussion (and apologies in advance for not having exact
quotes) but some English members of the discussion list and indeed yourself
HK, expressed the view that there was such a thing as a 'British nation' as
opposed to the Marxist view that in fact Britain was made up of three
seperate nations - Alba (Scotland), Cymru (Wales) and England (and of course
the North of Ireland)

    Engels clearly states that the Welsh "cling...strongly to their nationality"
and "have been completely integrated into the British Empire". All this
means is that in the view of Engels the Welsh nation is part of the British
Empire (i.e. the British state and its posessions at that time).  It DOES
NOT mean that the Welsh have BECOME 'British'. I have not seen any quotation
where Marx or Engels state this. Whether or not Engels view is 'unfinished'
as you state H, remains to be proven..... perhaps you have some evidence
for this?

    In the text where the quotation comes from, Engels refers to the subject
nations in the British Empire and discusses the position of Scotland, Wales
and Ireland. It should be obvious that England is not included as a subject
nation within the Empire for the reason that in fact the Empire was centred
on the English nation, for the benefit of the English nation.  The fact that
the Scots and Welsh bourgeoisie collaborated with the English and accepted
their hegemony (under the bogus definition of being 'British') does not
eradicate the Scottish and Welsh nations.  At different times (right up to
the twentieth century) the majority of the Irish bourgeoisie defined
themselves and were happy to be known as 'West Britons'.
            So in reply to your first query HK, which seems to suggest a connection between the existence of a nation and whether or not a revolutionary
situation exists, in my view there is no connection. Ireland apart from
relatively small scale insurrections and agrarian terrorism in the 18 and 19
century was fully integrated.  Agrarian terrorism was a response to the
English system of landownership and also the laws regarding their own state
church and their demand that the Catholic peasants of Ireland support a
religion they did not believe in. The 'integration' of the Scots (i.e the
relative peacefulness of the Scottish peasantry) can be attributed to fact
that their Presbyterian church received recognition and status under the Act
of Union.
        In other words a nation may be revolutionary at one period and appear to be
'politically integrated' at another - both of these states depend on the
internal and external factors.

    Within the UK there has been a revival of the Welsh and Scottish national
movements, which now demand due recognition for Celtic culture.  It is my
belief that this movement will further erode the grip which national
chauvinism has had on the English proletarians. A grip mainly due to the
flag-flapping Tories and their ideology of a 'Great British' national
identity.  The end of the United Kingom as a state, its monarchy and feudal
remnants are a necessary step for the development of the revolutionary
movement in England itself.

    It is the obligation of Marxist-Leninists to promote good-will, mutual
respect and confidence amongst all the peoples engaged in the struggle for
social and national liberation. Consequently, Marxist-Leninists fight
against national oppression and national chauvinism, in order to unite the
proletariat and working masses in the struggle against capitalism and
imperialism. As a result, Marxism-Leninism resolutely combats both the
chauvinism of the dominant English nation and the national exclusivism of
the other nations and nationalities in Britain.

    Only the proletarian state will be able to fully solve the national question
in Britain. The proletarian state, led by the Marxist-Leninist Party, will
make its objective the elimination of the social and economic bases of the
continued subordination and oppression of the non-English nations and
nationalities in Britain. The objective basis for the rights of the nations
in Britain to self-determination will be guaranteed by the development of
proletarian state power in Britain. Without assisting in the abolition of
the present capitalist, imperialist state, the freedom of no nation is
guaranteed.

    The Marxist-Leninists in Britain are of the opinion that all the nations and
nationalities in Britain should unite together in a single union of
socialist states. Consequently, Marxism-Leninism advocates the free union of
the nations and nationalities of Britain. The division of the proletariat
and working masses between a mosaic of small independent states weakens
their mutual struggle against capitalism and imperialism. Equally, this
division opens the flood-gates to all sorts of reactionary, chauvinist
prejudices to enter into the ideology of the proletariat and working
masses.
    A free union of the nations and nationalities of Britain will allow the
proletarian state power to put an end to the cultural, social, political
and economic imbalances that presently exist between the nations and
nationalities of Britain. A revolutionary state poses revolutionary
solutions to the national question: assisting all nations and
nationalities, just in case they unite to struggle against the common
enemies of capitalism and imperialism.

    The right to self-determination is understood by Marxism-Leninism to mean
the right to secession. Whilst Marxist-Leninists in Britain advocate the
free union of all Britain's nations and nationalities, in the event of any
nation (England, Scotland, Wales) insisting on its right to secession (its
right to form an independent nation state), Marxism-Leninism will support
this claim, just in case the seceeding state(s) do not support imperialism
and just in case these states do not seek to oppose the interests of the
proletariat in Britain, or the interests of any nationality or other nation
in Britain.

    The proletarian state will consider a prime objective the economic, social
and cultural renaissance and development of all the nations and
nationalities in Britain. In order to be free of the inequalities of the
capitalist and imperialist past, this is a priority.

    Marxism-Leninism supports the demand of the Irish people for
self-determination and, specifically, an end to the British colony in
Ireland. The colonial division of Ireland is a principle source of reaction
in Britain itself. The re-unification of Ireland will be a significant step
towards the socialist revolution in Ireland, Britain and Europe. The
Marxist-Leninists regard it as the right of the Irish people to chose
whatever method is best-suited to fight against British imperialism.

    Marxist-Leninists in Britain advocate a socialist state in which the
national rights of all nations and nationalities are guaranteed. The
proletarian state will wage ruthless war against all those who seek to
hinder the solution of the national question in a revolutionary way.
Proletarian state power will allow the re-education of petty bourgeois
strata away from their nationalist, chauvinist prejudices and towards the
multicultural, internationalist stance of the international proletariat.

Foward to Socialist Revolution!
BJ, member Campaign for Marxist-Leninist Unity (Britain)