ABSTRACT

Formerly,theprincipleofself-determinationofnationswas usuallymisinterpreted,andnotinfrequentlyitwasnarrowed downtotheideaoftherightofnationstoautonomy.Certain leadersoftheSecondInternationalevenwentsofarastorepresenttherighttoself-determinationasmeaningtherighttocultivateautonomy,i.e.,therightofoppressednationstohavetheir ownculturalinstitutions,leavingallpoliticalpowerinthehands oftherulingnation.Asaconsequencetheideaofself-determinationstoodindangerofbecomingtransformedfromaninstrumentforcombatingannexationsintoaninstrumentforjustifying them.Nowwecansaythatthisconfusionhasbeenclearedup. Leninismbroadenedtheconceptionofself-determinationand interpreteditastherightoftheoppressedpeoplesofthedependentcountriesandcoloniestocompletesecession,astherightof nationstoindependentexistenceasstates.Thisprecludedthe possibilityofjustifyingannexationsbyinterpretingtherightto self-determinationtomeantherighttoautonomy.Thusthe principleofself-determinationitselfwastransformedfroman instrumentfordeceivingthemasses,whichitwas,intoaninstrumentforexposingallandsundryimperialistaspirationsand chauvinistmachinations,intoaninstrumentforthepolitical

education of the masses in the spirit of internationalism.