Anti-nationalism
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Anti-nationalism is the idea that nationalism is dangerous in one form or another, and sometimes, though less often, the idea that all nationalism is completely dangerous and wrong. Anti-nationalism is, to varying degrees, the antithesis of nationalism.
Anti-Nationalism and
Anti-nationlalism is one of the fundamental principles of anarchsists.
Anti-Nationalism as Humanitarianism
Some antinationalists are humanitarians or humanists who pursue an idealist form of world community and self-identify as "world citizens" towards the ultimate goal of having all of humanity live in peace rather than be in perpetual conflict and war. This strain of antinationalism does not necessarily include being against the need for separate countries, nation-states, or national boundaries. It includes at its forefront the idea that one must reject all forms of jingoism.
Anti-Nationalism in the
Most of the antinationalists who do in fact believe that eventually the world should be one unified community (usually after a worldwide social revolution of some type) make a notable exception for the preservation of culture and often also identity politics by extension. These adherents also do not necessarily repudiate the need for national boundaries as such. Their argument is that nationalism is always bad when it leads to things like chauvinism, jingoism and militarism, but in some senses can also be constructive when its inherent passion and dedication are applied to anti-oppression contexts, such as national liberation movements, ethnic nationalist resistance movements (such as the historic United States Black Panther Party), and other similar contexts. Interestingly, most Marxist-Leninists around the world, mostly considered by the politically unaffiliated to be towards the left of the mainstream, advocate this position or something close to it, and have historically done so.
Anti-Nationalism That Opposes All Nationalism
There is a third strain of antinationalism that stands in firm opposition to both of the other strains. Confined almost entirely to the Radical Left, this strain argues that all nationalism, even ethnic nationalism among historically or currently oppressed minorities, is fundamentally politically reactionary. Antinationalists of this persuasion are generally communists who argue that no nationalism of any kind can ever lead to a true proletarian revolution that would establish a permanent and irreversible workers' dictatorship. This strain of antinationalism also typically advocates the physical elimination of national boundaries and the restoration of what could be termed a single Earth of harmony, cooperation, and free unobstructed movement of people, ideas, and goods and services.
Variations on this theme were historically seen in the Trotskyist movement, where they were regarded by those outside that movement (and some inside as well) as elitist and/or "armchair," i.e., ignorant of the struggles really going on in the world. However, more recently, certain communists descended from the Maoist tradition of Marxism have moved towards this fiercely anti-nationalist stance in a different way than the Trotskyists, saying that although it may be a painful and unpopular position to hear, ultimately opposing all nationalism strengthens internationalism and the hoped-for future international working class solidarity culture.
Often, the mainstream-Left antinationalist types, including many Marxist-Leninists, will lambast these particular anti-nationalists as crypto-racists, charging that they are intentionally ignorant of separate cultures, the need for nationalism to be used as part of resistance struggles despite a tendency in other contexts to divide and weaken; etc. But the anti-nationalists opposing all nationalism counter that actually, their position is the best way to be anti-racist, because it encourages what they term "multi-racial unity" rather than the separate-but-equal approach they say most other leftists, including most other Marxist-Leninists, advocate.
Because these adherents oppose nationalism so fiercely on all levels, in order to still have some practical outlet through which to display their anti-racism (which most others do at least in part by supporting self-determination), most choose to physically attack organized racists like the Ku Klux Klan and the Neo-Nazi organizations, as well as bringing up racism and race's links to class in contexts where most other anti-racists would avoid bringing the subject up. One group that has explicitly and publicly put foward this third strain of antinationalism for most of its history is the Progressive Labor Party, a transnational United States-based communist party.
There are also Left communist groups that appear to advance a similar position, but it is not always clear what those groups' positions are regarding identity, national liberation, or self-determination politics.
Certain strains of anarchism also claim to pursue an anti-nationalist political line similar to this third strain, evidenced in part by their self-proclaimed disgust with any cult of personality, and also by their claim to be inherently more authentically (and farther) to the left than any of the Marxist-Leninist movements.
Islamic Anti-Nationalism
Islam has traditionally been anti-nationalist. It was the sexism, racism and nationalism of various segments of Arabia that was abolished and outlawed when Muhammad took political power with Islam. Later the Caliphs ruled, and expanded a form of Islamic equality with the expanding transnational Caliphate state. This anti-nationalism did not last throughout the history of the Muslim world, as many Muslims have warred with each over tribe or nation, which seems to be at odds with Islamic teaching. The anti-nationalism of Islam is based upon many dictates of the Quran and Muhammads speech (Hadith). Muhammad is known to have made many references to the ills of nationalism such as:
'People should give up their pride in nations because this is a coal from the coals of hell-fire. If they do not give this up Allah (swt) will consider them lower than a lowly dung worm which pushes itself through feces.' (recorded by Abu-Dawood and al-Tirmidhi)
Some Muslims argue that the roots of nationalism are found in the original sin of pride by the devil shaytaan himself. [link]
Academic Anti-Nationalists (of the Humanist strain)
Articles on Islam & Nationalism
Most of the antinationalists who do in fact believe that eventually the world should be one unified community (usually after a worldwide social revolution of some type) make a notable exception for the preservation of culture and often also identity politics by extension. These adherents also do not necessarily repudiate the need for national boundaries as such. Their argument is that nationalism is always bad when it leads to things like chauvinism, jingoism and militarism, but in some senses can also be constructive when its inherent passion and dedication are applied to anti-oppression contexts, such as national liberation movements, ethnic nationalist resistance movements (such as the historic United States Black Panther Party), and other similar contexts. Interestingly, most Marxist-Leninists around the world, mostly considered by the politically unaffiliated to be towards the left of the mainstream, advocate this position or something close to it, and have historically done so.
Anti-Nationalism That Opposes All Nationalism
There is a third strain of antinationalism that stands in firm opposition to both of the other strains. Confined almost entirely to the Radical Left, this strain argues that all nationalism, even ethnic nationalism among historically or currently oppressed minorities, is fundamentally politically reactionary. Antinationalists of this persuasion are generally communists who argue that no nationalism of any kind can ever lead to a true proletarian revolution that would establish a permanent and irreversible workers' dictatorship. This strain of antinationalism also typically advocates the physical elimination of national boundaries and the restoration of what could be termed a single Earth of harmony, cooperation, and free unobstructed movement of people, ideas, and goods and services.
Variations on this theme were historically seen in the Trotskyist movement, where they were regarded by those outside that movement (and some inside as well) as elitist and/or "armchair," i.e., ignorant of the struggles really going on in the world. However, more recently, certain communists descended from the Maoist tradition of Marxism have moved towards this fiercely anti-nationalist stance in a different way than the Trotskyists, saying that although it may be a painful and unpopular position to hear, ultimately opposing all nationalism strengthens internationalism and the hoped-for future international working class solidarity culture.
Often, the mainstream-Left antinationalist types, including many Marxist-Leninists, will lambast these particular anti-nationalists as crypto-racists, charging that they are intentionally ignorant of separate cultures, the need for nationalism to be used as part of resistance struggles despite a tendency in other contexts to divide and weaken; etc. But the anti-nationalists opposing all nationalism counter that actually, their position is the best way to be anti-racist, because it encourages what they term "multi-racial unity" rather than the separate-but-equal approach they say most other leftists, including most other Marxist-Leninists, advocate.
Because these adherents oppose nationalism so fiercely on all levels, in order to still have some practical outlet through which to display their anti-racism (which most others do at least in part by supporting self-determination), most choose to physically attack organized racists like the Ku Klux Klan and the Neo-Nazi organizations, as well as bringing up racism and race's links to class in contexts where most other anti-racists would avoid bringing the subject up. One group that has explicitly and publicly put foward this third strain of antinationalism for most of its history is the Progressive Labor Party, a transnational United States-based communist party.
There are also Left communist groups that appear to advance a similar position, but it is not always clear what those groups' positions are regarding identity, national liberation, or self-determination politics.
Certain strains of anarchism also claim to pursue an anti-nationalist political line similar to this third strain, evidenced in part by their self-proclaimed disgust with any cult of personality, and also by their claim to be inherently more authentically (and farther) to the left than any of the Marxist-Leninist movements.
Islamic Anti-Nationalism
Islam has traditionally been anti-nationalist. It was the sexism, racism and nationalism of various segments of Arabia that was abolished and outlawed when Muhammad took political power with Islam. Later the Caliphs ruled, and expanded a form of Islamic equality with the expanding transnational Caliphate state. This anti-nationalism did not last throughout the history of the Muslim world, as many Muslims have warred with each over tribe or nation, which seems to be at odds with Islamic teaching. The anti-nationalism of Islam is based upon many dictates of the Quran and Muhammads speech (Hadith). Muhammad is known to have made many references to the ills of nationalism such as:
'People should give up their pride in nations because this is a coal from the coals of hell-fire. If they do not give this up Allah (swt) will consider them lower than a lowly dung worm which pushes itself through feces.' (recorded by Abu-Dawood and al-Tirmidhi)Some Muslims argue that the roots of nationalism are found in the original sin of pride by the devil shaytaan himself. [link]
See also
- Anationalism
- Anti-fascism
- Anti-German (ideology)
- Cosmopolitanism
- Internationalism
- Proletarian internationalism
- Situationist Antinational
- The Patriot Game
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