Rootless Cosmopolitanism

[Sky]

Cosmopolitanism is a reactionary bourgeois ideology that teaches the renunciation of national traditions and cultures, patriotism, and state and national sovereignty. From the time of its origin, the concept of “cosmopolitanism” has had different meanings, determined by concrete historical conditions. Ths crisis of the ancient city-state and the creation of the state of Alexander the Great led to the appearance of different cosmopolitan views. One of them provided the basis for the expansion of the sphere of exploitation (Alexander the Great, Marcus Aurelius). The cosmopolitanism of the Cynics Antisthenes and Diogenes of Sinope expressed a negative attitude toward the city state. The Stoics, mainly Zeno of Citium, sought in the cosmopolitan ideal a social form that would enable each many to live by a uniform universal law.

The Catholic Church was the principal bearer of reactionary cosmopolitan tendencies during the era of feudalism. During the Renaissance the ideas of world citizenship were directed against feudal fragmentation. The abstract humanist ideal of world citizenship in the era of the Enlightenment expressed the idea of the emancipation of the individual from the fetters of feudalism. In Germany, in opposition to feudal-particularist “patriotism” and the despotism of the princes, the ideas of world citizenship were developed in a peculiar unity with the ideas of Lessing, von Goethe, Schiller, Kant, and Fichte.

Bourgeois cosmopolitanism reflects the nature of capital, which strives to where it can expect the greatest profit. “The bourgeoisie has through its exploitation of the world market given a cosmopolitan character to production and consumption in every country” (Marx and Engels). Bourgeois cosmopolitanism does not exclude the nationalism of the oppressing nations but arises because of it.

Cosmopolitan ideas have become widespread during the epoch of imperialism, reflecting the objective tendency of capitalism toward internationalization, which operations at the same time as the tendency toward the formation of national stats. Cosmopolitanism is an inseparable part of the ideology of imperialism, such as in bourgeois political science (the preaching of world political integration and of supranational and intergovernmental monopolistic organizations), economic theory (reactionary-utopian projects for the creation of a planned world capitalist economy), and law (the theories of the subjection of the individual to international law and so-called international law itself, based upon a denial of state and national sovereignty). The cosmopolitan ideas of the creation of a world state or a world federation are also being advanced, at present, by representatives of humanitarian pacifism (as in the proposal to transform the UN into a world state.) However, such theories have an obviously utopian character, since they do not take into account the experience of states with different social systems and the struggles of peoples for national liberation.

Proletarian internationalism is opposed to bourgeois cosmopolitanism. Cosmopolitanism calls for the mering of nations by forcible assimilation. Marxists, on the other hand, envision the gradual and voluntary drawing together and then merging of nations because of the objective course of social development, which shows that this is a long process that comes about as a result of the emancipation and flourishing of nations.

[black magick hustla]

Actually, "patriotism" and "nationalism" as a cohesive ideological movement was put forward by the bourgeosie, and marked 19th and early 20th century capital. There is nothing progressive about it for us communists anymore, for it simply means returning to old, reactionary ideas.

I think you don't understand what "reactionary" means. It is just not some sort of "marxist insult", it simply means the refusal of progressive ideas, and the emphasis on old, outdated ideas.

Autonomous nation-states marked the emergence of the bourgeosie, and with it, the emergence of cohesive nationalist ideology. If anything, the glorification of the nation-state is nothing more than a return to 19th century bourgeois ideology. Communists seek the destruction of nations, and reject nationalism in its totality

There cannot be "flourishing" of new nations in this era of imperialism, seeing as the world economy is interconnected to the extent that even if imperialist agents are rejected from a certain nation, the nation is still uncer submission of the imperialists, simply because they lack the economic leverage. Communist opposition to capital should emerge from all the corners of the earth--cross class national liberation is simply sending workers to die for their national bosses.

[Sky]

Actually, "patriotism" and "nationalism" as a cohesive ideological movement was put forward by the bourgeosie, and marked 19th and early 20th century capital.
Nationalism in its heydey was a progressive ideology that helped to destroy feudalism and helped to consolidate the various principalities into a centralized, cohesive, bourgeois nation-state.

Patriotism is not interchangeable with nationalism. Socialist internationalism assures the conditions for the advantages of socialism to be realized by all peoples, thus helping them to flourish and to draw closer together. Thus, internationalism coincides with socialist patriotism. It is the opposite of cosmopolitanism and national nihilism. Internationalism in the contemporary era means the solidarity of the national sections of the working class.

[Guest1]

Actually, you're quite wrong.

Proletarian internationalism is the destruction of the bourgeois nation-state in favour of a world wide socialist federation. Much like the nation-state destroyed feudal particularism, internationalism will destroy the decaying nation-state.

[black magick hustla]

Socialist patriotism is an oxymoron.

[Die Neue Zeit]

Originally posted by [email protected] 31, 2007 04:43 pm
Socialist patriotism is an oxymoron.
^^^ Indeed. :(

A worldwide socialist federation SUCKS&#33; <_<

Now, a worldwide UNITARY workers&#39; state "granting" localities certain functions out of goodwill only (http://www.revleft.com/index.php?showtopic=67663) - that&#39;s something to fight for.

[Luís Henrique]

I would like to add, "cosmopolitanism" is a word used by antisemites when they want to have their antisemitism clearly understood only by other antisemites.

Luís Henrique

[BobKKKindle$]

Cosmopolitan ideas have become widespread during the epoch of imperialism, reflecting the objective tendency of capitalism toward internationalization, which operations at the same time as the tendency toward the formation of national stats.

You offer no empirical evidence to support this assertion! Imperialism has produced ideologies that are in direct conflict with what you describe as 'Cosmopolitan ideas' - scientific racism (racism which use scientific theory, especially darwinism, and anthropological surveys of dubious validity, to create an appearance of legitimacy) first arose during the initial period of British imperial expansion in order to provide a justification for the subjugation of the inhabitants of what we now call the third world - it was claimed that, through a combination of a lack of cultural development and genetic inferiority, these peoples were unable to rule themselves and so required the guidance of western masters. More recently, the latest phase of military conquest, in the form of the Iraq war, has coincided with a renewal of fierce nationalism in the United States, and, at least in the early stages of the war, it was seen as unpatriotic to refuse to support the troops through the display of visual symbols such as flags. How can you reconcile this clear correlation of ethnic-nationalism and imperialism, with your premise that 'Cosmopolitan ideas' are part of (perhaps the ideological expression of) Imperialism?

[Sky]

Patriotism is the love or devotion to one's fatherland, the desire to serve the interests of one's country through one's actions. "Patriotism is one of the most deeply ingrained sentiments, inculcated by the existence of separate fatherlands for hundreds and thousands of years." (Lenin, vol. 37, p.190)

Historically, elements of patriotism existed in antiquity in the form of attachment to one’s homeland, language, and traditions. In a class society patriotism becomes class oriented, for every class expresses its attitude to the fatherland through its specific actions.

With the development of capitalism, the formation of nations, and the establishment of national states, patriotism becomes an integral component of social consciousness. As class antagonisms sharpen, however, and the bourgeoisie becomes the ruling class, its patriotism ceases to reflect nationwide interests, as was the case in the period of the struggle against feudalism. The patriotism of the bourgeoisie allies itself with nationalism and chauvinism and is limited to exploitative interests, for “capital places the safeguarding of the alliance of the capitalists of all countries against the working people above the interests of the fatherland, of the people, or of what you will."(vol.36, p.328-9). The petite bourgeoisie is characterized by national narrow-mindedness and national egoism, and these features govern an attitude toward the fatherland and other peoples.

In bourgeois society the proletariat acts as the articulator of the people’s fundamental interests, and hence as the bearer of genuine patriotism. In his article “On the National Pride of the Great Russians”, Lenin remarked: “Is a sense of national pride alien to us, Great-Russian class-conscious proletarians? Certainly not! We love our language and our country, and we are doing our very utmost to raise her toiling masses (i.e., nine-tenths of her population) to the level of a democratic and socialist consciousness. (vol.26, p.107)."

In the course of the socialist revolution the social nature of the fatherland changes. It moves to socialism, which is the object of national pride and the real fatherland of the toilers. A socialist patriotism of all people develops; this patriotism harmoniously combines love for the best national traditions of one’s people with a selfless devotion to socialism and communism and with a respect for other peoples. Socialist patriotism is inseparably connected with proletarian internationalism. In Lenin’s words, “without this patriotism, we would not have succeeded in defending the Soviet Republic, in doing away with private property…This is the finest revolutionary patriotism." Socialist patriotism found its most vivid manifestation during the Civil War of 1918-20 in Russia and the Patriotic War of 1941-45.

http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1918/nov/20.htm
http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1914/dec/12a.htm
http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1920/8thcong/ch03.htm

[BobKKKindle$]

You still haven't dealt with my post - provide evidence that there is a material link between imperialism and 'cosmopolitan ideas', and rebutt the counterexamples that I ave given.

During the Second World War, the Soviet Regime was forced to use nationalist language so as to encourage the general population to defend against the invasion of the German armed forces; Socialism alone was not a sufficient source of inspiration, as Socialism was, for many people, closely tied to poor provision of basic services, harsh repression and other prominent features of the Stalinist regime. This is distinct from the Civil War, during which Soviet Russia was engaged in conflict with a range of different groups, the most important of which was the reactionary faction, comprised of three Tsarist generals, who aimed to reverse the gains of the revolution and the restore the power of the Monarchy. It was during this period that the Bolsheviks implemented their most radical policies with regards to the national question.

[Sky]

During the Second World War, the Soviet Regime was forced to use nationalist language so as to encourage the general population to defend against the invasion of the German armed forces

The Soviet Government reacted in a similar against the German offensive in February 1918.

The socialist fatherland is in danger! Long live the socialist fatherland! Long live the international socialist revolution!
http://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1918/feb/21b.htm

[BobKKKindle$]

That document is from 1918 - The Soviets entered the Second World War after Lenin's death, in 1941. Please deal with the problems in your argument I outlined in my original post.