Allan Armstrong writes about John Manson, socialist, literary critic, translator and poet who died on August 3rd. It was with considerable sadness that I learned of John Manson’s death a month after it occurred on August 3rd. John had been a “a non-party Socialist since the dissolution of the CPGB”[1] and a significant literary critic,…
Recovering repressed memories from Scotland’s formative period
We are pleased to be able to re-open the historical debate which began in Emancipation & Liberation and which involved a number of socialists (see later links). Johnnie Gallagher of the Republican Socialist Platform takes us back to the period of the Covenanters and the clans. And the illustrations are so much better this time…
Riding Two Horses At Once – The SWP and Scottish independence
The following extended review of Keir McKechnie’s pamphlet, Scotland – Yes to Independence: No to Nationalism, was started before the most recent crisis in the SWP became public. Until the SWP resolves this crisis, its political interventions are likely to have more limited impact on the Left than in the past. Socialists should support those…
Lyrical Delicacy and Political Toughness
Allan Armstrong interviews socialist activist and poet, Jim Aitken, about his life, politics and works. Could you please give us some background information about your life? I was born and raised in Edinburgh. My mother was from Wick, one of a family of six. She left Wick to work in service in London. She never…
Emancipation & Liberation Index 14
Emancipation & Liberation, Issue 14, Spring 2007 Offering a Socialist vision, RCN Peak Oil, Oil Depletion, & Alternative Energies, Rod MacGregor One year on, Jim Aitken Against Imperialist war, for Iran’s workers, Yassamine Mather No War On Iran!, Hands Off People of Iran Naming women’s oppression, Catriona Grant The Sinn Fein Ard Fheis and the…
The Republic of the Imagination
The Republic of the Imagination In August 2006, Allan Armstrong interviewed the literary critic and poet John Manson about his life and works Could you please give us some background information about your life? I was born on a croft on the coast of the Pentland Firth in 1932. My mother was widowed in 1941.…
A few thoughts on literary matters
by John Manson John Manson is a Sutherland-born, Dumfriesshire-based poet, reviewer and translator. He has published a number of poetry collections including East Sutherland and Other Poems. He has also translated Victor Serges, Carnets (1944), available at Victorserge After reading Allan Armstrong’s Beyond Broadswords and Bayonets (E&L 5/6) he wrote making the following helpful comments.…
Emancipation & Liberation, Issue 10, Summer 2005
If you would like to buy this issue or subscribe, contact us. Comments are open, so until articles are online, feel free to discuss the articles below. When they are online you can discuss the article in it’s comment section. Make Poverty History, Make Capitalism History, Fight for Socialism Today, Nick Clarke Our day will…
INTERNATIONAL WOMENS DAY – MARCH 8th
In recognition of International Women’s Day (IWD) on March 8th, we are posting two contributions. The first is the introductory talk on IWD given by Linda Rogers and Cat Grant to the Edinburgh Radical Independence Campaign meeting on March 2nd. The second is a major contribution to the history of women’s suffrage, entitled Finland 1906:…