Thursday January 01 1970
PUBLIC MEETING: After the Troubles: where now for socialists and republicans?
antrim |
anti-capitalism |
event notice 
Wednesday June 03, 2009 10:16
by Irish Socialist Network
Public meeting in Belfast to launch new ISN pamphlet "After The Troubles" at the Linenhall Library.
TIME:
6.30pm, Wednesday June 10th
SPEAKERS:
Tommy McKearney (Fourthwrite)
Dan Finn (ISN)
VENUE:
Linenhall Library, 17 Donegall Square, Belfast
After many years of conflict, peace (of a sort) has arrived in the North of Ireland. But the post-ceasefire settlement has done nothing to address the dire poverty of working-class communities. The Stormont power-sharing executive will be required to carry out an economic agenda determined by London that rules out any redistribution of wealth. The movement that took up arms against the British state has been absorbed into the conservative political mainstream and now finds itself subject to a DUP veto.
The new situation poses many challenges for socialists and left republicans. Will the Sinn Fein – DUP coalition endure? What opportunities might exist for the development of class politics? How has Northern Irish society changed over the last decade, and how is it likely to develop in the coming years?
The Irish Socialist Network has published a new pamphlet, After The Troubles: Republicanism, Socialism and Partition which explores these issues. To launch the pamphlet, the ISN will be hosting a public discussion with former republican prisoner Tommy McKearney and Dan Finn of the ISN.
We hope you’ll join us for what should be an interesting discussion.
Comments (3 of 3)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3Troubles is a petty word for war the civil troubles of 1922 dont sound right eit her call it what it is.and end the imperial masters of it yes war
Can normal left-right politics take off in Northern Ireland post GFA? Probably not, as NI is not yet a normal state. It's actually a province, not possessing the national status of two other entities in the UK, Scotland and Wales. The UUP and the DUP are not ideological advocates of post-WW2 Butskellite social welfare policies. They simply accept these things as given by the UK state, as they have since 1920 accepted whatever subventions and grants for infrastructure that were shoved their way by the British state. SF has used socialist rhetoric and proletarian jargon during the past 35 years, but much of it rings hollow. One reason is that the core constituencies in urban centres like Belfast and Bogside Derry are not proletarian: they are sub-proletarian and therefore have never integrated into "working class politics" including trades unions.
Until NI slowly becomes a normal society the best that activists can do is work on local issues and promote community education and cross cultural initiatives. Forget about militant high theory - the people aren't ready for it.
Fair play to the ISN for opening this important debate. Militarism or mass action? Lets get it right and build an anti-imperialist movement the length and breadth of Ireland. I'll be there.
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