Trotsky on the national question

Submitted by martin on 23 April, 2011 - 8:31

Two articles by Trotsky on the national question.

One, a critique of the Third Duma (1907-12), concluding: "The bourgeoisie of the dominant national does not want equality of national rights. The bourgeoisie of the oppressed nation is not able to fight for equality of rights. The national question... falls with its entire weight to the proletariat...

"For workers the Russian Empire is alien fetters placed upon them by history... We stand here, on this ground sown by crimes... we wish to cleanse it of blood and filth and make it fit for the peaceful cohabitation of peoples..."

Two, an imagined dialogue between two young Communists, from Pravda no.95, 1 May 1923. "You say that the class criterion is the main things for us. This is quite true, but only inasmuch as this really is a class criterion, that is, inasmuch as it includes answers to all basic questions of historical development, including the national question also. Class criterion minus national question is not class criterion, but merely the stump of it, inevitably drawing closer to shopfloor sectionalism, to trade-unionism, etc."

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