Mr Woodis's pamphlet is of the greatest importance to all Scots since it represents the most detailed Communist Party statement on the National Question for many years.
Like "Scottish Marxist" the factors behind its publication are primarily the success of the U.C.S. work-in and the need to respond in a positive way to the challenge of Scottish and Welsh Nationalism. Like "Scottish Marxist" however, it reveals a contradictory and often schizophrenic attitude to the question under consideration.
This confusion is underlined by the ambiguous use throughout of the terras Britain, country, nation, etc. In the section entitled "Communists and Patriotism" Mr Woodis assures us that "Communists,in fact,do not pose their internationalism,their solidarity with other peoples struggling for their freedom, against their patriotic duty to assist their own people to defend their national freedom and secure their own social emancipation."
He also informs us that "In Britian'',one of the greatest dangers for the working class movement has been bourgeois nationalism and racialism,expressed often in racial prejudice and the toleration of blatant discrimination's well as in the defence of imperialism. Not only right-wing labour leaders but but many rank and file workers are prone to defend the imperialist actions of "our troops" even when they have been engaged in repressive actions whether it be Ireland, Cyprus or Aden".
All good, hard hitting comment - and sentiments with which every radical or liberal-minded Scot will wholeheartedly agree. Having thus isolated the dangerous jingoistic and pro-facist elements in our midst| Mr Woodis turns to examine the reactions of the working class movement to such elements,and finds much to criticise.
"In understandable if incorrect,reaction to this jingoist nationalism,these has often been expressed in Left-wing circles,especially among the extreme Left, notions of contempt for any form of national feeling. For this reason such people scorn the just struggles of the peoples of Scotland and Wales to secure satisfaction for their national
aspirations."
Least any dastardly Scottish Nationalist has the temerity to impute such attitudes to the Communist Party Mr.Woodis continues by declaring roundly that "Indifference to one's own nation,its historic achievements and its future,has nothing in common with socialist principles." Since Mr Woodis is an Englishman it would be consistent with a logical train of thought to assume that in the above quote, he is reffering primarily though not exclusively to England. It is therefore singularly disconcerting to discover in the next paragraph that Mr Woodis has apparently a totally different nation in mind i.e. 'The British Nation !
We are informed that "The British Nation is not Heath,Home,Carr and the rest of the Tory pack. Neither is it the gang of industrial magnates,bankers and landlords who rob and betray the people.
Source United Scotsman 1973
