India : Romila Thapar on "The Nation and History" Then and Now

Lecture by Romila Thapar in support of JNU students on 6th March  2016



Harbans Mukhia informs us that the concept of nation is still evolving in Western Europe. 

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Democracy and Class Struggle welcomes JNU bringing history and the national question to the wider public.

While of course the lectures are specifically Indian they also have universal lessons on the national question for us all.

Democracy and Class Struggle has been addressing the national question in Western Europe and rejects ethnic and religious nationalism but supports all inclusive Civic Nationalism - we agree with our late Welsh Historian John Davies that secular Civic Nationalism is the hallmark of the revived Scottish Nationalism.

Secular Civic Nationalism is a base from which Class Struggle can be waged in the struggle for Socialism - but it is important we expose the fascistic mythology associated with ethnic and religious nationalism.

Therefore in the spirit of  Georgi Dimitrov we will take up the battle for socialism and demolish the foundational myths of ethnic and religious nationalism and create the basis of civic nationalism and socialist revolution in Western Europe in 2016..

We remind comrades of what Comrade Dimitrov said in 1935


"Under no circumstances must we underrate fascism's power of ideological infection. On the contrary, we for our part must develop an extensive ideological struggle based on clear, popular arguments and a correct, well thought out approach to the peculiarities of the national psychology of the masses of the people.

The fascists are rummaging through the entire history of every nation so as to be able to pose as the heirs and continuators of all that was exalted and heroic in its past, while all that was degrading or offensive to the national sentiments of the people they make use of as weapons against the enemies of fascism".




SEE ALSO : 

http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/the-mass-psychology-of-fascism-by_20.html

http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/free-pdf-book-menace-of-hindu-fascism.html

http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/the-revolutionary-proletariat-and-right.html