A Load of Wee Wee !

In school we are taught the history of the kings and queens of England, and of the wars in which the ruling class has been involved in over the centuries. The news media reinforces this identification with “the nation” via identification with “our” team – the English football team. So people say such things as “we beat the French at Waterloo” or “we won the Second World War” or , more recently said ,“we drew with the USA in the World Cup”. Music to the ears of the ruling class as they know it means they have succeeded in getting us to identify with them and their interests. Wage workers, instead of seeing “we” as our class, have come to see “we” as “the nation”. The outlook of “us and them” is a strong notion in the lives of many people. The idea that the world is naturally divided into nations is widespread. The ideas of national differences has taken a firm root in so many of the minds of the ordinary people. It was not always so. Before most people would usually identify themselves by religion and home region or village. The idea of “we” as in the people who live in the land called England are collectively joined and looked after by our rulers is the most profound falsehood.

The notions of nationality were irrelevant during the time of feudalism, just as they are today where the capitalist class, not the people of “England”, own the means for producing wealth. To say “this is our country” implies that we all own it collectively, where we most certainly do not. It is an interesting observation that people are actually admitting the logic of common ownership when they refer to “our country” as if it really does belong to all of us. When they “our street” it is an expression of affinity more than a statement regarding ownership, “our town”, “our city” and “our football club” likewise. If this inescapable logic one day becomes clear in the minds of the workers, they will find socialism.

Class existed before the nation state. Throughout history one ruling class or another has attempted to impose its view on those they ruled over, manipulating their passions and pretending that its interests and their interests were the same. So the masses spilled their blood fighting amongst themselves, believing their interests and the interests of their rulers are linked. The invented and historically-accidental entities known as countries have become the focus of so many workers’ loyalties, as if it really matters which patch of the Earth people were born in or “belong” to. Frontiers are accidental and have been determined by a number of key battles amongst dynastic rulers in feudal times. Had the outcome of these battles been different, then southern England might have been part of the same state as northern France, while northern England might have been part of a state with Scandinavia. That's not how things turned out, but the point is that they could have done. A nation is not a natural community that existed before the state, but that it's the other way round: the state existed first and then proceeded to impose on those it ruled over the idea that they formed a “nation”. States pre-existed and in a very real sense created “nations”. A “Nation” is a group of people ruled by a state (or a would-be state) . National divisions are a hindrance to working-class unity and action, and national jealousies and differences are fostered by the capitalists for their own ends. Football reinforces nationalism. It has also been suggested that it has become a substitute for religion because it supplies the follower with a meaningful cause, an emblematic focus, a sense of allegiance and belonging. Each country sees the other as an enemy. People competing under national flags only helps in keeping them disunited. Football entrenches petty, myopic nationalism and chauvinism. Tying nationality to football and sport sustains this backward nationalist mindset. People can hate other peoples or nations simply because they are rivals on the pitch. This can lead to acts of violence, since people, having no meaning in their work life, put great passion and meaning into following football. Since the team and the collective meaning and support of the team tends to become their life, supporters of opposing sides and nations may seem like a threat to all they hold dear. This seeming threat to the very meaning of their lives can cause them to explode into open fighting. With no meaning from work, football, and sense of identity that comes with it, becomes their lives, and they defend it accordingly. With no meaning in the world of modern capitalism for them, they find meaning in other things. This search for meaning and identity can often be found in the notions of “us and them” even though this is profoundly illogical. It is no coincidence that a person with an alienating job, repetitive work, will emotionally cling desperately to this collective idea of nationality, as they find meaning and comfort in this idea. The illusions of nationality and “national team” are yet another tool of the ruling class, intended to trick workers into thinking that this really is some kind of collective society, and to misplace their passions that could otherwise be directed into the class struggle. Indeed "football nationalism" is of tremendous value to the capitalist class as it makes supporting your country socially acceptable. It not only diverts workers minds away from the problems that surround them, it allows politicians to reap the rewards of any "feel good" factor that springs forth from a good result.

What we need is a single world without boundaries. Many socialists play and watch football but it's a great shame that nationalism has to taint what should be a wonderful event such as the World Cup. People in socialism will he free to create sporting festivals. Hosting visiting teams from other parts of the world would bring diversity and richness to local life.