Didn't we once fight a World War at least ostensibly to defend this, historically our principal ally and trading partner on the Continent, an entity not unlike our own United Kingdom, even headed by a monarch of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, and with a social democracy based on Christian principles? Yet now cheer, laugh or both as certain people seek to carve her up into neoliberal statelets. Including at least one party with SS roots on the Western Front all the way to the Channel ports.
See quite how small a country is nevertheless intolerably indigestible by global capital. Those who see themselves as Thatcherites and who are now in favour of English independence, take note, for this as for several other reasons: England has five times as many people as Belgium, and covers a vastly larger area. If Flanders and Wallonia are to be the preferred size of unit, then let the thoroughly global-capitalist ruling faction of the SNP ponder that Scotland covers a much greater area than either, and is not far off twice as populous as Wallonia.
What started with the dismemberment of Yugoslavia has still not come to an end. When will it ever? Where will it ever? How will it ever? Will it ever?
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I agree that the emergence of tons of petty states, high Middle Ages Holy Roman Empire style, is a big and overlooked story.
ReplyDeleteWhat I miss is how this matches with the neoliberal or corporatist agenda. Surely its easier to corrupt or coopt just a few very powerful governments, such as China and the US?
Nor would I count on China and the US being immune to the statelet trend, though it may take some time.
And that is what global capital wants. Look at the incitement of secessionism in America, and its encouragement in Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I like the idea of localism, the facts indicate that Mr. Lindsay is right about most secessionist movements. He is also right to point out the often nasty people associated with such movements. Besides fascists, we also have Sunni Muslim extremists in the Balkans, Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, China and Russia.
ReplyDeleteI think devolution within a national framework might be right for some countries (although not all) and if done for the right reasons. But sadly, too many secessionist movements have unsavory intentions and play into the hands of capitalists that benefit from weakened national institutions.