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Marx's Theory Of Proletarian Internationalism

793 Words4 Pages

Question: How does Marx’s theory of ‘Proletarian Internationalism’ critique the notion of patriotism and nationalism?
Hypothesis: Proletarian Internationalism reformulates the idea of a ‘nation’ by founding it upon class antagonisms and relations of production. Of Proletarian Internationalism and Nationalism

One of the most significant contributions by the founders of historical materialism — Marx and Engels — was in formulating the theory of ‘proletarian internationalism’. The existence of a modern proletariat which possessed the potential for self-emancipation from bourgeois oppression was the foundation for the establishment of internationalism and world communism. The worldwide spread of capitalism led to powerful movements of resistance and revolution. Capitalism created an international working class which Marx believed would revolt against the international capitalist class to form a stateless, classless communist society. The revolt of workers and peasants in countries suffering from imperialism and bourgeois oppression took the form of ‘socialist patriotism’ — a form of patriotism that differed from bourgeois nationalism . The relatively imprecise positions taken up by Marx and Engels on the national question fostered a series of debates and discussions on the topic, making it crucial for socialists to understand how to address nationalism and the various struggles for national liberation. This paper aims to review the extent to which Marx’s theory of

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