Date: Thu, 03 Nov 1994 02:28:29 EST From: Pete Bratsis <aki-AT-cunyvms1.gc.cuny.edu> Subject: RE: the degenerated workers state and yugoslavia Tom, I did not know who wrote the message I responded to because you did not identify yourself at the end of it. Yes, we are in the same department, but that has never stoped us from arguing. While you may be right in noting that it was an effect of imperalism that brought about Yugoslavia to begin with, it does not in and of itself explain the current situation nor should it discount the culpability of the current actors. Furthermore, it is the same 'enemy of my enemy is my friend' logic that you evoke when you say any attack on Stalinism is a defence of imperalism that has resulted in many of the devastating effects of Western interventionism in Chile, Vietnam, Cuba, Haiti, Greece, etc. I see no implicit or explicit support of imperalism by attacking Stalinist regeims, even ite derivitaves - such as the one in Yugoslavia. I recognise that you do not want to discount the role of nationalism in all of this and that you do not want to defend the Serb's. But, by down playing of this and that you do not want to defend the Serb's 'ethnic cleansing' any more than you want to defend the Croat's in all of this. But, by discounting the role of domestic agency in all of this - you are obscuring the current antoginistic positions of the principle agents and, in turn, reproducing the kind of discourse that legitimizes and produces the power relations the allows for such ethnic conflict to come about. Nationalism needs a nationalist historiography, nationalist political phil., map makers, etc. - arguing that Yugoslavia was an artificial entity produced by imperialist western powers does nothing to stop the blood shed. It contributes to the identies and legitimizing arguments that nationalists of all side depend upon to make their actions desirable. Peter Bratsis. ------------------
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