13 October 2017

Catalonia, Kosovo and Crimea: Separatism, Hypocrisy and the Tenuous Status of the Nation State

Aleksandar Vučić is of course absolutely right. There is a double standard and we also see it at work with regard to Crimea. It is simply unthinkable to the Western Establishment that the people of Crimea would voluntarily and democratically seek to ratify the Russian annexation. Of course the history of Crimea has been all but ignored by Western media. I'm referring to its Imperial history, its Soviet history and even the attitudes and political maneuvers taking place in the 1990s.


The simple fact of the matter is... might makes right. And in this case I'm not referring to the Russian annexation but rather the West... America, the EU and NATO. Their narrative is the 'right' one, the so-called 'international consensus', 'being on the right side of history' as it is said.
In the case of 1990'sYugoslavia it was dominated by Russophile Serbia and thus according to the NATO agenda, it would have to be destroyed by means of partition. The Serbs were to be reduced and punished and even now the Belgrade government (of a much reduced Serbia) is largely subservient. And yet the hypocrisy with regard to Catalonia especially when compared to the US sponsored secession (i.e. theft) of Kosovo... it's a little too much and even someone as pliant as Vucic had to speak out. He knows the Serbian street is abuzz with the analogy. To have any political standing, he must speak.
As Christians we have no interest in nationalist aspirations but considering the genesis of many of the political entities on the map, the boundaries of our modern states, it is no great surprise that there are regions that want independence.
The nation state itself is a fairly tenuous and certainly a modern concept. Upon closer examination one realises that its basis is not so much in reflecting any particular reality but is rather based on a series of pragmatic considerations often dressed up in idealism. Ultimately it stands dependent on whether or not someone can back up their claim with military might.
Culture, language and national identity are all fairly slippery. The United States in its geographic and cultural isolation has been able to create a fairly coherent society and cultural identity... but then again, that's only been a reality for some brief periods. It was not the case early on and while many seem to think the concept and reality of a unified America is tried and true.... in all actuality it's something that became manifest in the twentieth century and was only brought about through great controversy, deliberate and often forced propaganda and was aided by the crisis of two world wars.

The fact that today it's beginning to disintegrate is hardly shocking. In fact it's really in keeping with the historical norm. Localised and regional identities represent the historical pattern. When cast in political terms these represent small or even microstates... a concept completely at odds with the planning and proclivities of all modern political, economic and even strategic thinkers. This is part of the tension of the moment and its playing out in places like Ukraine, Crimea, Spain and the Middle East. It's only going to spread especially as the nation state let alone this generation's voluntary empire the trans-national democratic experiment known as the EU is already beginning to crack.

2 comments:

  1. Like you, I put no stock in nationalism, but I'm sympathetic to those who look at it as the last bulwark from globalism, which is many times a veil from the growing corporate-state of the US. Fragmentation and localism is not necessarily anti-capitalist. Like identity politics, the breaking down into subgroups can be a means of control. Infinite differentiation can be a subtle form of homogenization. I've not looked much into the Catalonia situation, but I'll be interested to see how it will be interpreted in the US. Some certainly want to break the EU, while others want to put a bit in its mouth. And, as Spain's cashcow, a loss of Catalonia will throw Spain at the mercy of EU bailouts, which will only strain its financial system even more.

    I don't know if you have any more to speak to any of this, but the future of Europe is certainly an opaque one.

    cal

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    Replies
    1. I have the same feelings. I don't like nationalism but I don't like globalism either. And so it's an endless dynamic. When the one weakens the other... good.

      Localism isn't anti-capitalist but it can (maybe for a season) correct some abuses... but then it opens the door to plenty of others.

      I think most of the time over the past 25 years or so the US has been uneasy and even sometimes unfriendly to the EU project. But right now given the many issues and problems facing the US project... they want the EU as a strong ally.

      Yeah, Madrid is not going to let Catalonia just slip away. That's like New York City and California trying to leave the US. No way.

      I am just continually amazed by the course of the EU. It pains me to say it but I haven't been there now in almost twenty years. But well do I remember the optimism and the sense of possibilities in the 1990s. It was exciting. The borders were just starting to open wide etc...

      Those days are gone.

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