We are posting this article from Left Voice (USA) translated from the one which first appeared in IzquierdaDiario.es. The Left Bloc (along with the Portuguese Communist Party) had joined a coalition with Antonio Costa’s Socialist Party in 2015. The Left Bloc like Syriza in Greece and Podemos in Spain is an essentially Left social democratic…
National Maternity Hospital – time to get off the sidelines
We are posting this follow-up article from Socialist Democracy (Ireland) on the politics behind the new National Maternity Hospital in Dublin. NATIONAL MATERNITY HOSPITAL – TIME TO GET OFF THE SIDELINES On the 25th May 2018 Irish citizens in the 26-county state voted to make abortion a legal right for women. Although admittedly within certain…
Freedom come all ye – Why we need a truly human and democratic communism
The RCN/RCF has always seen the need to connect anti-capitalist activities with providing a vision of the type of society we want and the means of achieving it. To this end we were engaged in debates in the commune. One of the articles which Allan Armstrong, with assistance from Bob Goupillot, contributed proved too long…
Belfast City Council must rename streets named after alleged sex offender
Socialist Democracy (Ireland) received this letter about Prince Andrew Park and Prince Andrew Gardens in South Belfast. BELFAST CITY COUNCIL MUST RENAME STREETS NAMED AFTER ALLEGED SEX OFFENDER Dear Editor Two staples of Unionist politicians’ social media accounts are irritation at Irish culture and language and gushing praise of the English royal family. DUP…
EL&SD coverage of Migration
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 , the RCN continued placing emphasis on the importance…
‘From Pre-Brit to Ex-Brit’ update
EL&SD is posting a new conclusion to Allan Armstrong’s book From Pre-Brit to Ex-Brit FROM AN EX-BRIT END TO THE BRITISH UNIION AND EMPIRE IN AN ‘INTERNATIONALISM FROM BELOW’ CAMPAIGN FOR A EUROPEAN REPUBLIC TO A ‘UNIVERSALISM FROM BELOW’ GLOBAL COMMUNE Despite the claims of liberal EU supporters, the EEC did not bring peace to…
No to war – Russia and NATO hands off Ukraine
We are posting 2 pieces concerning the current crisis in Ukraine. The first is a statement. No to war – Russia’s hands off Ukraine! issued by the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign which the RCF has endorsed . The second is an article from The Canary, exposing the BBC’s role in stirring up war with its coverage…
Ireland’s reunification: prologue to democratic revolution
Allan Armstrong addresses some of the issues raised in Ireland’s Partition: Coda to counterrevolution by John McAnulty. Contents a) Introduction b) A Socialist history of Irish history but with some blind spots c) Unionism and British identities d) Building a coalition for Ireland’s reunification e) Under the guise of opposing Neo-Liberalism, a worrying accommodation to the…
No to war in Ukraine
We are posting the following two statements on the threat of war in Ukraine. The first is an appeal from the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign and the second is an statement from the Executive Bureau of the Fourth International. 1. NO TO WAR – RUSSIA’S HANDS OFF UKRAINE We, socialists, trade unionists, scholars, activists for human…