A Study On Nationalism Theories Of Classic Marxism Writers

Nationalism theories of classic Marxism writers constitute one part of the basic theories of Marxism. There is no consensus on the definition of nationalism and more than200views concerning it are expressed from different perspectives by scholars concerned both at home and abroad. The classic Marxism writers have never given a clear definition of it. However, through examining works, letters and reports regarding nation and nationalism of classic Marxism writers, it is easy to see that nationalism is not only seen as a feeling and mood with reference to nation but also defined as a thought and theory centered on national consciousness.However, nationalism is often referred to as the Bourgeois ideology and social movement in their eyes.The representative nationalism arose in the Western Europe in the17th and18th century, marked by the French Revolution. After the19th century, it developed more rapidly, giving rise to huge turbulence in some parts of the world, especially in the whole Europe. At the turn of the20th century, with the growing intensity of capitalism expansion, nationalism transcended Europe to reach Asia, Africa and Latin-America. In addition, the constantly increasing nationalism in Russia prompted Lenin and Stalin to attach more importance to nationalism. Based on the above-mentioned facts, we may conclude that there are a variety of discussions of the classic Marxism writers. Marx and Engels show harsh criticism for the German national egoism, anti-Semitism, national nihilism and national chauvinism. They pay special attention to nationalist movement in Poland and Ireland. They are for the national revolutionary movement in Germany, Italy and Hungary while being against Pan-Slavism thought and movement. Moreover, they recognize the national self-determination that represents the basic principles of the nationalism. Lenin urges against the federation-based party building principles held by Lithuania, Poland and the Russian Jewish General Workers union. He is against the state structure form of federal system in principle while drawing support from it in practice. He makes a systematic analysis of national self-determination, and criticizes the creed of national cultural autonomy aimed at replacing the national self-determination. He shows deep concern for and strong support for the nationalism movement of the oppressed nations in the national colony. He is opposed to the big-Russian-nationality Chauvinism and local national Chauvinism tendency within the party and the country. He mainly criticizes the big-Russian-nationality Chauvinism in particular. Stalin criticizes separatism of Lithuania, Poland and the Russian Jewish General Workers union and maps a clear picture of the Soviet autonomy. In his view, the right to national self-determination is the prerequisite of solving national problems. He criticizes the creed of national cultural autonomy and shows support for the east nationalism movement such as the Chinese revolution. He voiced his opinion of the big-Russian-nationality Chauvinism and local national Chauvinism tendency within the party and the country.The views with respect to nationalism held by Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin constitute the nationalism theories of the classic Marxism writers, which acknowledge various forms of nationalism, oppose the narrow nationalism, support nationalism embracing factors such as democracy and progress, deem the right to national self-determination as the effective way to achieve the national equality and unity and the proletariat self-determination, and advocates proletarian internationalism. The text of the nationalism theories of the classic Marxism writers implies the basic features which contain polemical, class nature, specifcity.Despite the formation and perfection of the nationalism theories of the classic Marxism writers in the19th and20th century, they are very valuable and meaningful at present. Analysing the nationalism with class view is of value. The method of distinguishing nationalism in morden times is applicable. The criticism of Pan-Slavism contributes to identifying the current extreme Pan-Slavism. The propositions of the right to national self-determination provide referential principle for the application of the right to national self-determination. The definition of patriotism becomes the important standard of evaluating the rationality of seeking the interests of the nation state. The binary analysis of national assimilation helps to resolve contradictions between the integration and nationalism.Studying the Marxism-nationalism can not be separated from the relationship between socialism and nationalism. On the one hand, socialism is the lower phase of the communism that classic Marxism writers are devoted to achieve, which is under the guidance of Marxism and accepts the thought of the international solidarity regardless of nation, the unification of the proletarians and oppressed nations, and the realization of the complete liberation of all mankind naturally. On the other hand, the development of socialism is under the framework of national states, so socialism can not exist without nationalism. The former Soviet Union and Eastern European socialism countries and China are the socialist countries under the guidance of Marxism, and they have faced or are still facing the problems of understanding and dealing with nationalism. The two contrastive cases of the collapse of the former Soviet Union and Eastern European socialism countries and the boom of socialism with Chinese characteristics indicate that coordination f the relationship between socialism and nationalism should be taken as the important task of the socialist construction and at the same time people are required to make new explanations for the class attributes and real connotations of internationalism.