From: "George Pennefather" <poseidon-AT-eircom.net>
Subject: Nation
Date: Sun, 26 Dec 1999 20:25:55 -0000


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

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