From: shmage-AT-pipeline.com
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 1998 00:15:46 -0500
Subject: Re: M-I: on nation building


To get a perspective on this question I asked myself "Today, which are the
peoples one can, with at least minimal plausibility, cite as oppressed
nations struggling for national self determination?"  Casting the net as
broadly as possible (but excluding places like Scotland, the Basque
country, and Northern Ireland where a majority of the population is clearly
opposed to secession), I came up with this list:

-- Tibet
-- Israeli-occupied Palestine
-- Kurdistan
-- Chechnya
-- Puerto Rico
-- Kosovo
-- East Timor
-- Irian Jaya
-- Kashmir
-- Southern Sudan
-- Bougainville

I note that only one of these instances is a case of national oppression by
a "traditional"
imperialist (advanced capitalist) power.  What does this say about the
current importance of the "national question" as traditionally  perceived?

Shane Mage




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