Nationalist ideology cannot shield backward economies from advanced capitalism

Evidence

With the colonial relationship broken, the newly independent states were expected co combat imperialism with their nationalist ideologies, regardless of what classes were now in power and irrespective of the utter inadequacy of the nationalist ideology as such, even at its best, to protect a backward capitalist country against the countless pressures of advanced capitalism, so long as the confrontation takes place within an imperialist structurewhich is to say, on capitalist terms. — Aijaz Ahmad, In Theory, 183

Categorization

• QUESTION: This is worth chasing: the claim that nationalism fails ‘so long as the confrontation takes place on capitalist terms’ bears directly on whether strategic essentialism can be sustained — Ahmad is effectively arguing the essentialist nation-identity move is structurally inadequate against class structure.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Aijaz Ahmad, In Theory: Classes, Nations, Literatures, 183
• XREF: connects to: State welfare cannot challenge market dependence without undermining capitalism itself — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 78; Systemic economic transformations require a legitimising ideology to offset their cruelties — Yanis Varoufakis, Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism, 219

Broader Connections

• State welfare cannot challenge market dependence without undermining capitalism itself #corroborates (0.85) — Clara E. Mattei, Escape from Capitalism, 78
• Systemic economic transformations require a legitimising ideology to offset their cruelties #expands (0.80) — Yanis Varoufakis, Technofeudalism, 219