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A lot of the seeming angst over Scottish independence seems ruled by a sort of nationalist schematism.I find the purported 'left' arguments for 'No' absolutely depressing, primarily because it is clear that the Scottish secessionist dynamic is driven by a very keen rejection of austerity and neoliberalism in the context of striving for something better -- options open to debate. It wasn't forgone that that would be its driver...but there you have it. And the more Cameron and co intervene...the more that feature of 'Englishness' is exposed..Voting No! is voting for the status quo. Aside from any number of possible theoretical arguments that could be had, about nationalism and the bourgeois state, I'm wondering how the unfolding Scottish experience relates to the question of Localism. "Localism" has a core anarchism thread running through it --and generally has been an abject failure despite its cooperative pretences -- but I'm wondering if there's not a new localism in the mix? Indeed if you strip the Scottish impetus of its nationalist rhetoric aren't you getting a localised response to austerity? Bernadette McAliskey hammers this point home ..and I think she has an argument that warrants consideration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGddHDoOeno My experience of Marxism and Marxists --post sixties anyway -- is that they don't do 'local' very well at all. Indeed you can see the excuses embedded for this failure in some of the left No! arguments over Scottish independence.But go check your history books: a lot of Marxian successes in the past were localised experiences, esp from among ye olde Stalinist parties. Here in Australia some of the Communist Party's major success in terms of popular support occurred in regional areas. I'm not saying I have a novel POV nor am I offering a new template. I am saying that we should watch the Scottish events with that aspect in mind, rather than simply be blinkered by any coarse take on nationalism. dave riley ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.csbs.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
