On the National Question

Colorful Classics #17

by İbrahim Kaypakkaya

Written in a time when the left in Turkey was divided on the question of a nation’s right to self-determination (i.e. the right to secede), Ibrahim Kaypakkaya’s essay was a concrete study of the Kurdish question and, more broadly, an analysis of the revolutionary standpoint towards national minorities. Still relevant today, this essay can help us understand current and ongoing national liberation movements.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Theory, History

140 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2020

Reviews

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, if perhaps a bit repetitive and slightly pedantic in spots, application of Marxism and the National Question to Kurdish struggle in Turkey.

[kz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this text is a great dive into expanding the National Question that both Lenin and Stalin have written about. With a nice added caveat of explaining some of Turkeys domestic political history in the time of writing (1971). I like how in Turkish there are two words for Nation, Ulus and Millet. Ulus refers to an actual Nation State, Millet refers to the cultural implications of a people as one nation. This text gets to be repetitive at the end, thoroughly explain a precise point of the National Question. There are lots of quotes of both Lenin and Stalin. Enjoyable read

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happy 2023 book freaks🎊🎉🥳🍾

[Hasan]

Reading this alongside An Era Of Darkness was kinda funny because of the difference of standpoints resulting in slightly different takes on oppression.

[Salvador Nogales · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really more like 3.75. I agree with most of the conclusions reached on the topics but wasn't a fan of how the evidence is built or presented as it felt a bit circular several times. Nevertheless, does a good job of distinguishing and outlining:

- national and popular movements
- the *right to* self-determination of nations as opposed to unconditional support for self-determination
- some conditions and examples for when the vanguard parties should support nation's self-determination and what that entails
- why the right to self-determination can ONLY mean the right to form a separate state (as opposed to the "right" to annexations as supported by colonialist parties and movements in Puerto Rico)
- how revisionists muddy the waters and how their "support" usually just masks their own chauvinism and conflicting interests


Very digestible writing if a bit mechanical and stiff (read the Spanish version so not sure if it applies for other languages)

[Meriam Issa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaypakkaya helped me understand the concept of nationalism in depth, its origins in capitalism, the trajectory it takes in national movements, and when its good vs bad. This book, written in the 70s about the Kurdish Nation in Turkey, is still just as relevant in the region and translatable to other global examples of ethnic/racial oppression today.

[muhammad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly useful in understanding a very orthodox Marxist leninist perspective on National Liberation with a material example of Kurdistan provided to converse on alot of nuances as well.

Alot of comrade Ibrahims conclusions drawn on Kurdistan can also be applied to Azad Balochistan in my native country of pakistan,

Not that I am a Marxist Leninist nor do I think marxism Leninism is applicable in todays world especially in the orthodox way mls adhere to it but still it is a necessity for communists to understand progressive movements & ideologies from specific epochs of society and marxism leninism is one such ideology.

Eternal Glory to Comrade Brother Ibrahim, May He Rest In Peace

[Uğur Şen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kürt sorununun leninist perspektifle en iyi ele alan metinlerden biri. Yazılalı 50 sene olsa da Kürt ulusal hareketi üzerine Kaypakkaya'nın tezleri güncelliğini muhafaza ediyor. Bu tezlerin 2000'lerin başında Saklanmaya Çalışılan Bir Meşale: İbrahim Kaypakkaya kitabındaki kapanış yazısıyla günümüze (tabi birtakım güncellemeler geçmek gerek, zira bu kitap yazılalı da 20 sene olacak) uyarlanışını gördük. O kitap bu platformda olmadığı için bu metine dipnot olarak düşmek zorunda kaldım.

[lulu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is silently not acknowledging Kurdish people's right to own their own nation in cooperation with the ruling classes and imperialists in regards to Türkiye? Is it not clearly oppression and tyranny of a dominant nation towards the subject (and indigenous) nation? Kaypakkaya questions it all very well.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very important summary of what the attitude of the Communist movement's attitude should be towards the national movements of oppressed nations within their own countries

[Ismail Omar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fruitful read when applying Marxist debate to the question of nation state / self-determination, especially within the context of North Kurdistan.

[Carles Bertí · Rating 5 out of 5]

interesante libro sobre la cuestión nacional visto desde la perspectiva de un partido comunista turco

[John Ledingham · Rating 3 out of 5]

some marxist propaganda i mostly forget about. it was given me by a guy with all sorts of communist books and laboratory lsd he has a university research plug for. he was a cool guy and i was reading this out of an attempt to be friendly. unforutnately both of us being interested in the same woman was a wedge in that friendship