Re: [OPE] England and Ireland

glevy@pratt.edu

Hi Bapuji:

When one considers the complexities of actual
national struggles, it is
often difficult to sort out the different
sides since national struggles for
self-determination often receive
support from segments of  different classes 
and also
receive opposition from segments of different classes.  It may
be the case, for instance, that workers outside of a region may
oppose
self-determination  in a region for national chauvinist
reasons. For Lenin,
the key question was which nation or nations are
oppressed nations
and which are oppressor nations. For the
former he supported the
right of self-determination, for the latter
her did not.  I think that's a useful way
to look at the
question (especially when placed within the historical 
context
of colonialism and imperialism) but it's not always so easy to
know
in a particular context which is the oppressed nation and which is
the oppressor nation.  There can, for instance, be role reversals
-
especially following national independence.

In
solidarity, Jerry

> While appreciating Paul Bullock's
and Jerry's observations, let me specify 
> a concrete example.

> In the province of Andhra Pradesh, India, there is a region
called 
> Telangana and there has been a 'movement' led by one
section of the 
> ruling class [composed of landlords, capitalists
of all kinds] but 
> supported by certain sections of the
'people': who demand 'fair' share 
> in governmental employment,
educational opportunities, river waters for 
> irrigation. The
demand is for a separate 'state' [= province] within the 
> union
of India. In fact a separate 'state' will not solve the problem of 
> unemployment and other forms of inequality among the regions but it
is 
> like a temporary relief from some problems. But the leaders
of the 
> movement assure permanent solution for the regional
imbalance and 
> backwardness etc. 
> Due to unevenness of
development and many other aspects of bourgeois 
> rule, there
have been contradictions between the people [certain 
> sections
of the people] of Telangana region and other 'relatively' more 
>
'developed' regions in the spheres of governmental employment, education

> and irrigation facilities etc. The leaders of both the leaders
whip up 
> regional chavenism and making all sorts of false
promises. 
> In this context, a Maoist group is supporting the
demand for a separate 
> state, while the Communist Party of
India: Marxist [popularly called 
> CPM] opposing it on the
grounds of unity of Telugu speaking people of 
> the entire state.
Another parliamentary party CPI is in dilemma whether 
> to
support or oppose: its leaders are split in to two opinions. 
>
For more information about Telangana movement, one may visit google 
> search engine. 

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