" But what they ask for is self-determination understood as the right to separate from the rest of the country . . . I mean, when they created this right to self-determination, they thought about colonies. Catalonia is not a colony. "
This is not only incoherent, it is factually wrong. Self-determination has never been about colonies only. The nations that formed in Europe after the great empires broke up following WWI were not former colonies.
The West has taken a completely incoherent approach to who is allowed to secede and have their own ethno-state. Muslims of Kosovo want to break away from Serbia? Great, the West is all for it. Serbs of North Kosovo want to break away from Kosovo? Well, we can't have that. Let's not pretend we are trafficking in high-minded principles here.
Bravo Yasha, this is a very nice conversation with a really smart and understanding person. Thank you for the insight!
" But what they ask for is self-determination understood as the right to separate from the rest of the country . . . I mean, when they created this right to self-determination, they thought about colonies. Catalonia is not a colony. "
This is not only incoherent, it is factually wrong. Self-determination has never been about colonies only. The nations that formed in Europe after the great empires broke up following WWI were not former colonies.
The West has taken a completely incoherent approach to who is allowed to secede and have their own ethno-state. Muslims of Kosovo want to break away from Serbia? Great, the West is all for it. Serbs of North Kosovo want to break away from Kosovo? Well, we can't have that. Let's not pretend we are trafficking in high-minded principles here.