”King Aliyev the Second” of the ”Kingdom of Azerbaijan” has inspected his conquered land. The ”king” inspected the former government buildings of the Republic of Artsakh, the name of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic that existed from 1991 until October this year. Although the separatist republic is to be dissolved on 1 January 2024, reality is that with the Armenian population gone the new rulers have raised their flag and simply took what was left.
Ilham Aliyev walked over the separatist Artsakh banner in a clear signal that Azerbaijan reconquered Nagorno-Karabakh. The separatist emblem has already been replaced by the state emblem of Azerbaijan on the government buildings in Stepanakert, now renamed Khankendi. Although ”King Aliyev the Second” said that the Armenian population can stay, the 120.000 people of Artsakh knew better then to trust the lies of a man, who is the head of a dictatorial monarchy. Azerbaijan is a kingdom, disguised as a democratic republic.
This is why the 120.000 people choose to flee after the Artsakh Defense Army surrendered. They knew that they would not be allowed to criticise nor oppose the regime in Baku. Azerbaijan is a brutal nationalist dictatorship that has poisoned generations since 1991, with anti-Armenian sentiment. The victory of ”King Aliyev the Second” was possible due to Turkish support and the fact that Nagorno-Karabakh was always recognised as part of Azerbaijan, even Armenia never accepted the government in Stepanakert.
The end of Armenian minority rule is a sad story. It is the final proof that capitalism has failed in the Caucasus. Nationalism led to ethnic wars and forced so many out of their homes. The Armenian minority are not the only ones. Georgians were forced out of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by separatist forces allied to Russia. Armenians themselves also forced many ethnic Azerbaijani’s out of Nagorno-Karabakh in 1994. This shows us that ethnic nationalism is a poison that has caused so much suffering.
Socialism is the only alternative that can end ethnic cleansing and poverty. Ironically the early Soviet-Union was responsible for creating an autonomous oblast for the Armenian minority in Soviet Azerbaijan. But the Stalinist degeneration led to an increase in nationalist feeling. The first king of the Aliyev dynasty was in fact a Stalinist himself. Heydar Aliyev was the leader of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan from 1969 until 1982. He returned as a capitalist nationalist leader in 1994 and created a dynasty, by making sure his family would remain in power after he died.
In the ”Kingdom of Azerbaijan” you are always reminded of the deeds of ”King Aliyev the First”. His portrait is seen in many government buildings, despite that he died 20 years ago. Ilham Aliyev makes sure that the cult of his father remains, this not uncommon for family dynasties in the former Soviet-Union. Revolutionary socialists call on workers from both countries to reject nationalism and build societies free from capitalist exploitation. They need to reject the corruption and injustice that are part of their daily lives. Azerbaijan has used its oil wealth to modernise itself, but most wealth is centralised in the hands of a corrupt few around ”King Aliyev the Second”.
Armenia is more democratic then Azerbaijan, but even this former Soviet republic is plagued with corruption and inequality. What is needed is a workers party on a socialist program, that can lead the workers into a socialist revolution against the ruling class and those who support them. Nationalism has not resulted in social justice, it has divided the workers along ethnic lines, while capitalists enjoy the wealth workers create. This is why revolutionary socialists stand against ethnic nationalism and always take the side of the working class, who never benefit from wars caused by the poison of ethnic nationalism!
Revolutionary Socialist Media 