New Century, New Ideas, New Wales

It is impossible to be an internationalist without being a nationalist, as the "inter" part is the interblend and interactivity of the nationalists. In a world of nations and nationalists you simply have to choose your allegiance. If you want political independence for Wales then you are a 'Welsh nationalist' whether you completely buy into the ideology of nationalism or not. The alternative is that you accept your British nationalism and continue with the UK state system. If you wish to reject them all then perhaps Marxism or Anarchism should be your bag.

Good article. Your not necessarily a nationalist to want your country to be an independent nation, it is to be liberated from imperialism. This is what Vietnam was fighting for in the 1960s and into the 1970s. The Vietnam people's movement was socialist, independent and internationalist. The same can be said for Cuba and elsewhere. Those examples are from developing countries and are still in the process of change. For Europe countries, the role of colonialism has largely past except in the case of the unchanged UK system which has remained a legacy from the nineteenth century with its class system politics. Europe has seen the collapse of the Soviet Union with its centralised top-down control system yet the UK still remains much of the centralised, rigid top-down system it has always been. Power that should be in the people's will. Power also means economic power, the right to wealth, that means ownership access to company stocks, shares, and dividends. and with power comes responsibility and to take part in decision in governance. The European Union was formed as an economic community, to give European nations a combined voice in the world. Then developed into a confederation of independent European states which should always be its future. Every EU member has its own taxation, courts, law and full decision making government. In Cymru, we still don't have this power as a nation, our budgets, taxation, news media, courts, police are all controlled from another country and one that often has differing political ideas from our own country. In 2026, Plaid Cymru will present the new Cymru. We must take that opportunity to vote and elect Plaid Cymru for our path to a free, liberated and independent Celtic nation, and naturally internationalist. This is our destiny. We need our rights as an independent nation like every other nation on our planet.

Love reading stuff like this. Its part of what makes Nation Cymru so very different. Maybe there are some things to pick holes in, but it would be weird if that wasn't the case. Interesting, provocative and important words

What it doesn't need is to be run by a 'gang'...

On 'nationalism'... I really don't think Plaid or the SNP are 'nationalist' parties, I see them as national liberation parties, they have nothing in common with English or Flemish 'nationalists' who are in fact 'ethno-nationalists'... It isn't just the political difference between left & right wing policies, it is also the difference between 'a better future for our society' and 'a privileged position for our ethnic group'... ANC rather than NASDP... Naturally, political unionism does its absolute best to try and paint the Celtic independence movements as the latter rather than the former, that this often comes from English nationalists who tend to the latter is somewhat ironic...

Gwern, I don't fancy being a reactionary cultural warrior, living in a toxic cesspit or an echochamber. It sounds very bad. It also sounds (maybe) the same as a Drakeford nationalist. As opposed to the OK Nia James sort of nationalist, obviously. Can you help? Wales needs a very strong 'Why' and an equally strong 'How' to break away from the UK.Wales is hopeless on the 'How'. The free world has many examples of 'How' both in the Commonwealth and from the USA. But I have never, ever, heard a serious discussion of 'How' despite being a member of Plaid for years. But you only look at 'How' if you secure on the 'Why' - and we aren't. I love the language and distinctiveness of Wales. It leads me to look very hard at the way its run, and here is what I seewe are behind in economic and cultural developmPrent because one party based in London needs us to be tame and dependent. This is a 100-year old story about Labour.the new threat is to our ability in Wales to do free-thinking and enjoy civil liberties. Reason enough to wake Wales up and break away.It all fits. When at last we arrange a Constitutional Convention for Wales, to write the Wales we choose together, we get a bonus. We can do what 50 States did in the USA (+ Philadelphia) and add a Bill of Rights as well. Our own, written by us. It'll be fresh, up to date and Welsh and protect us. Well worth waking Wales up for, Gwern?

'Love reading stuff like this.' [Comments > James Wilson]. I heartily agree with James here.  The linear comparison of today's social, economic, and cultural values and political discourse with those in 1960s UK is of particular interest to those of us with lived experience of that time. I read this article before leaving my room in Machynlleth early this morning. Later, reflecting on it in connection with Owain Glyndŵr's Senedd in Machynlleth, thinking what an interesting project it would be to consider linear research on changing political thought and expression in Cymru from the time of Glyndŵr's Senedd in 1500 say, to 2100 CE. But then again, perhaps our future is more certain or knowable, than our past.  The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) near to Mach, have an MSc program of study in Sustainability and Behaviour Change. Perhaps in Cymru we could also become leaders in the provision of political and cultural awareness education, training and research. All predicated on the urgent need for behaviour change in a changing world. The implication of Gwern's article here is that the electorate in Cymru are ill prepared at present for the non-negotiable changes yet to show their full force to us. Climate change, AI, changing demographics, colonial extractive economy, and so on. Behavioural change while we still have time to prepare for it, could be a lasting and beneficial legacy for future generations. 

'extra voters and a downward trend will almost certainly result in a Senedd election with a turnout under 40%, it may result in an election with a turnout as low as 30%. This will be a huge blow to the democratic credibility of our government in Wales.' But there is the argument that one may not support any of the parties on offer and so not vote. That's a legitimate choice. Surely parties have to work harder to motivate turnout - so perhaps the parties might be more inclined to find out the concerns of the population rather than telling the population what they should think. It's a common problem in western countries - the mass of voters are tired of being told what to do and what to think. Consider smoking in pub gardens. Classic nanny state annoy the people ...