Josef Stalin: Marxism and the National Question

[kanethenotorious]

Marxism and the National Question

This is a classic writing by Josef Stalin, who people wrongly say didn't contribute to theory that he just inherited Lenin's positions.

He influenced my current anti-Zionist stance, because Jews are not "a nation" as defined by Stalin. See this quote:

It must be emphasized that none of the above characteristics taken separately is sufficient to define a nation. More than that, it is sufficient for a single one of these characteristics to be lacking and the nation ceases to be a nation.

It is possible to conceive of people possessing a common "national character" who, nevertheless, cannot be said to constitute a single nation if they are economically disunited, inhabit different territories, speak different languages, and so forth. Such, for instance, are the Russian, Galician, American, Georgian and Caucasian Highland Jews, who, in our opinion, do not constitute a single nation.

It is possible to conceive of people with a common territory and economic life who nevertheless would not constitute a single nation because they have no common language and no common "national character." Such, for instance, are the Germans and Letts in the Baltic region.

Finally, the Norwegians and the Danes speak one language, but they do not constitute a single nation owing to the absence of the other characteristics.

It is only when all these characteristics are present together that we have a nation.

There's a difference between an ethnic group, a tribe, a religious community and a nation. Things like common territory, common language are required to be a nation. If one of these characteristics is missing, as Stalin said - the nation ceases to be a nation.

This part writes about the Bund: https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1913/03a.htm#s5