Stir the flames of nationalist consciousness
At first, this note pays tribute to those whose nationalist consciousness meant resistance against tyranny and injustice.
For driven by the desire for national rebirth, these folks, with iron will and sheer determination will continue to unwavering in their principles, even in the face of battle, torture, or even death. They may be old or young as they join and engage in this struggle, and true to their oaths that from their sacrifices and contributions this will always be remembered and emulated by those who are truly concerned- for they know that through their actions born out of love must give the nation itself a new substance!
For in a century wherein the country is exploited by various entrenched interests, the folk had to endure the repression what the order described as means to create a docile, disciplined, and cheap working force that’s contented in meager wages. Education remains tied to the “demands of the market”, that agriculture has to deal with “international demands” over “local needs”. The entrenched interests that the order supported and rake profits had to “invest” in this kind of stability as that of its predecessors.
But this “orderly” setting and its appeal for “unity”, no matter how it tries to create an atmosphere of stability failed to suffice the problems brought by corruption, rent-seeking, the lack of social justice, failed agrarian reform, and others that is further aggravated by state-sponsored terror.
Such scenarios reflect that a struggle between the haves and the have-nots still occur even in this atmosphere where words like “unity”, “justice”, and “nationalism” been rung most. But in order to be able to admit that Karl Marx's assertion that all history is the history of class struggles is at least wholly accurate to this current setting, individuals must first undoubtedly disagree with it. Reality, however, demonstrates that all conflicts, whether they be of a foreign policy or domestic political nature, occur on the level of economic conflict.
Especially in today's global capitalist system, it is clear that the ruling order means bondage, as the nation's subjugation to anonymous powers has resulted in a disenfranchised, oppressed, and exploited entity that is duped by words like "unity", "change", and even "nationhood" or "nation-building." It is not surprising, however, that the current order exploits the word "nationalism" and the people's love of country the consciousness becomes distorted while the very people who composed the nation as exploited.
And it's not unexpected that this rejection extends to established values like "proletariat," "bourgeoisie," and "class struggle." But reality forces individuals to face such proven facts, even if it is for the benefit of the nation, the national unity that certain sectors of the populace formerly held so dearly, a unity that the current order itself have squandered via their actions.
If national unity is enough, how come national consciousness is not driven just by a desire for "nationhood"? Why not acknowledge that people who battled for independence were motivated by a desire to solve a variety of social injustices? Bonifacio, despite his almost privileged background, had to organize the revolution's mass base from the proletariat and peasantry, and take the field when the principalia, ilustrados, and insulares faltered? Call it Marxist, but the struggle for national liberation, or nationalism itself, does not end with independence alone as that of having flag, anthem, and a constitution; but also with the emancipation of the majority--for that the destiny of this nation, to whom its passionate love is dedicated, can in the future only be shaped by that class which rightfully calls itself the proletariat.
Perhaps as time goes by, rekindling nationalist consciousness includes affirming the class struggle, which was simply imposed upon the working masses by the other side, as a fact. The idea of national unity cannot just be mellowed down to that of accepting the order thinking the order can be ‘reformed’ or downplaying the systemic socioeconomic problem as that of a question of leaders and voters. The working masses, being creators of society and of history must take the nation, unity, change, and future away from the order that exploits and distorts in the name of interest.
The people want national unity, as well as a prosperous and free homeland. Reality has become evident that this purpose is the same as that of the proletariat, albeit with slightly different nomenclature. The antagonistic posture taken against the current semifeudal-semicolonial order, its supporters and guardians, automatically places those concerned with the proletariat at the top of the list. After all, to rephrase Mao: “Who are our enemies? Who are our friends? This is a question of the first importance for the revolution. The basic reason why all previous revolutionary struggles achieved so little was their failure to unite with real friends in order to attack real enemies.”
As a result, this note applauds this united front with the working class. It is only natural that this unity also affirms the route towards the common objective, the path of the proletariat, by which alone the nation lives today, consciously and unconsciously. This path is known as the class struggle. The nation is the goal.