Marx held that capitalism heightens rather than dissolves national antagonisms
Evidence
For example, addressing the national question with specific reference to Ireland, Marx argues that the bourgeoisie not only maintains but heightens national antagonisms. National hostilities are engendered by + The struggle to control world markets, which creates conflicts among capitalist powers; + The exploitation of colonies, which creates antagonism between oppressed and oppressor nations; and + The use of nationalism as an ideological tool to deflect proletarian attention away from class antagonisms (Marx and Engels 1972a, 1972b; Lowy 1976). — Michael Omi, Howard Winant, Racial Formation in the United States, 97
Categorization
Category: Contrarian or Surprising Claims
- QUESTION: This reverses the common reading that Marx simply expected nations to wither with capitalist development — the Ireland case suggests a more complex stance worth chasing.