Our Emancipation & Liberation blog has posted articles about the EU and Migration since it was set up. The earlier postings covered the Republican Communist Network’s involvement, when it was a platform in the Scottish Socialist Party. The first debate was in 2002 over whether the SSP should back joining the euro in the event of a referendum over the issue. The majority in the SSP was anti-euro, although there was a small pro-euro minority. The RCN formed another minority, which was for a campaign of active abstention.
The next set of discussions involved the SSP’s relationship to the European Anti-Capitalist Left, which had been formed in 2000. The RCN welcomed this development. The declining influence of the EACL after the Iraq War, and the downturn in the Anti-(Capitalist) Globalisation Movement, had its effect. The crisis in the SSP, caused by the Sheridan Affair, also lessened the SSP’s involvement. Nevertheless, the SSP stood as part of the EACL alliance in the 2009 Euro-elections.
The issue of migrants has been very important for the RCN. The RCN was central to getting the SSP to support the free movement of people and affiliating to ‘No One Is Illegal’. After ceasing to be a platform in the SSP on June 22nd 2012 (http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2012/02/11/the-rcn-platform-and-the-ssp/), the RCN continued placing emphasis on the importance of work in supporting migrants. It raised the issue of migrants in the Radical Independence Campaign.
The post-2008 Crisis has had a huge impact on the EU. Emancipation & Liberation has covered the EU’s role, particularly in relation to Ireland, Greece and Catalunya. A major effect of this prolonged crisis has been the growth of opposition to the EU in the UK. This contributed to the EU referendum held on the 23rd June, 2016. RCN members became involved in the debate, both internally and externally (in the SSP and RISE) without coming to any specific conclusions over which way to vote in the referendum. A majority of the RCN, as individuals, voted to Remain.
The RCN ceased to be an interventionist organisation on 29th May 2016 (see http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2016/08/29/new-rcn-statement/). Since then, some RCN members, along with others from England in the Republican Socialist Alliance, have become involved in the Campaign for a European Republican Socialist Party. The Emancipation & Liberation blog continues to cover its activities.
These debates and discussions have always included contributions by other organisations and individuals and were posted on this blog. Below is a guide with links to these debates and discussions.
Allan Armstrong, 6.12.16
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1. The debate in the SSP over whether the UK should join the euro
Boycott Any Euro Referendum, Matthew Jones http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2002/03/24/boycott-any-euro-referendum/
The Euro Referendum: The case for an active boycott, Allan Armstrong, 25.7.02
2. The European Anti-Capitalist Left
Statement from the Conference of the European Anti-Capitalist Left, 12-13 December, Brussels, 2001 http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2002/07/25/statement-from-the-conference-of-the-european-anti-capitalist-left/
The Declaration of the Anti-Capitalist Left
Strengthening the Anti-Capitalist Analysis, Rayner O’Connor Lysaght, http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2004/03/02/strengthening-the-anti-capitalist-analysis/
Another Europe Is Possible, Allan Armstrong
The European Anti-Capitalist Manifesto
Supplement. The 2009 European Elections – a political assessment– Allan Armstrong
3. Migrants and Defending Migrant Rights
No One Is Illegal
Marching in the footsteps of immigrant workers, Sharat G.Lin
It’s a Free World, Corinna Lotz reviews of Ken Loach’s film
http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2007/09/27/its-a-free-world/
Internationalist Spirit, Allan Armstrong reviews of The Road of Tears by Battlefield Band and La Radiolina by Manu Chau
http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2007/09/29/internationalist-spirit/
To Tame the City, Grzegorz Rybak http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2007/09/29/to-tame-the-city/
The SSP Gives Its Support To The No One Is Illegal Campaign
The SSP Gives Its Support To The ‘No One Is Illegal’ Campaign
Workers, Serf and Slaves: Managed Migration and Employment from No One Is Illegal
Workers, Serfs And Slaves: Managed Migration And Employment Rights
Workers are Not Blame for the Capitalists’ Crisis, Statement issued by the Campaign Against Immigration Controls
Foreign Workers are Not to Blame for the Capitalists’ Crisis
Brown’s Appeal to British Chauvinism, Mary McGregor
Blame the bosses not ‘foreign workers’, SWP
Letter from a Contract Worker, Antonio Jacinto
Migrant workers at the heart of our fightback, the commune, no.6
Highland migrant workers, Bill Scott
Let Them In, Mary McGregor
The Refugee Crisis, An Outcome of Capitalist Barbarism, Socialist Democracy (Ireland)
3. The EU after the 2008 Crisis
a) from Socialist Democracy (Ireland)
Lisbon Treaty passed the second referendum
http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2009/11/14/lisbon-treaty-passed-in-second-referendum/
A New Tyranny Over Europe, Socialist Democracy (Ireland)
Latvia in the Race to the Bottom, Socialist Democracy (Ireland)
Apple and Ireland – Who Would Have Thought It? Socialist Democracy (Ireland)
b) Greece
A Report on the Situation in Greece, Eric Chester
Merkel Is Unwanted in Greece, Antarsaya
What is happening in Greece and why, Lina Christou
From Syriza to Scotland, Eric Chester
Athens Calling: Unite Against Fascism, Sophia Lycouris
Greek Voters Ignite the Flame for Democracy, Paul Feldman
Defend the Greek People Against the Troika’s Coup D’Etat, World To Win
A Very Capitalist Coup, World To Win
The Limits To Reformism and the Greek Crisis, Eric Chester
http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2015/08/02/the-linits-of-reformism-and-the-greek-crisis/
c) Catalunya
When Will We See Tanks in Barcelona? International Viewpoint
Catalunya, Freedom Come All Ye, Duncan McCabe
RIC and the Catalan Struggle, Adam Majos (CUP)
http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2013/12/10/6374/
Catalonia prepares for independence, Liam O’Hare
http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2014/09/21/catalonia-prepares-for-independence/
4) The debate over the EU referendum and the Brexit vote
The Debate on the EU Referendum, Allan Armstrong & Eric Chester
EU and Internationalism From Below- Scotland Remains, England Abstains, Steve Freeman
EU AND ‘INTERNATIONALISM FROM BELOW’ – SCOTLAND REMAINS, ENGLAND ABSTAINS
Socialist Democracy (Ireland) Statement on the EU Referendum
SOCIALIST DEMOCRACY (IRELAND) STATEMENT ON THE EU REFERENDUM
European Democratic Revolution – A Statement from the Republican Socialist Alliance
EUROPEAN DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION – A statement from the Republican Socialist Alliance
Racism, Nostalgia and the EU Referendum, Brendan McGeever, Nadine El-Enany and John Tummon
An Open Letter to Lexiters, Allan Armstrong
June 24th – The FUKer’s Black Friday or Red Friday for the European Democratic Revolution, Allan Armstrong
JUNE 24th – THE FUKers’ BLACK FRIDAY OR RED FRIDAY FOR A EUROPEAN DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION?
Brexit – Views from Ireland, D.R. O’Comor Lysaght and Socialist Democracy (Ireland)
If Not Now, When? Murdo Ritchie
Scotland in the Aftermath of the Referendum, Eric Chester
5. The European Democratic Revolution and the Campaign for a European Republican Socialist Party
The EU and the European Democratic Revolution, Steve Freeman
Report of Republican Socialist Alliance Meeting in Stockport, 12th March
REPORT OF REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST ALLIANCE MEETING, STOCKPORT, 12th MARCH
European Democratic Revolution – A Statement from the Republican Socialist Alliance
EUROPEAN DEMOCRATIC REVOLUTION – A statement from the Republican Socialist Alliance
REPORT OF THE REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST ALLIANCE MEETING IN WAKEFIELD – 23rd JULY
The Reality of the European Democratic Revolution, Allan Armstrong
Report of the Meeting to Set Up the Campaign for European Socialist Party, Allan Armstrong
REPORT OF MEETING TO SET UP THE CAMPAIGN FOR A EUROPEAN REPUBLICAN SOCIALIST PARTY
FOR AN INTERNATIONALIST REPUBLICAN POLITICS THAT ADAPTS TO 21st CENTURY TERRAINS OF STRUGGLE
From Farage’s Brexit to Trump’s “Brexit Plus, Plus, Plus” and on to ‘Madame Frexit’,
Allan Armstrong, Alan Bissett, Brian Higgins, Paul Stewatt and John Tummon
FROM FARAGE’S BREXIT, TO TRUMP’S “BREXIT PLUS, PLUS, PLUS”, AND ON TO ‘MADAME FREXIT’?
Little England, Steve Freeman
Which Way Now – ‘Brexit’ or ‘Ex-Brit’, Allan Armstrong
http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2016/12/03/which-way-now-brexit-or-ex-brit/
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For a list of articles on the RCN and Scottish Self-Determination with links posted on this blog see:-
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