Socialist Republicanism And The Diamond Jubilee

The RCN is posting four pieces as a contribution to the debate on a socialist republican the Diamond Jubilee. Socialist Republicans and Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee Republicanism Socialism and Democracy The Crown Rules Britannia The Queen: Floating in the Stink 1. Socialist Republicans and Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee “Maud Gonne joined with James Connolly in…

RCN – What We Stand For

The Republican Communist Network (Scotland) What We Stand For – From Theory to Practice As a network we regularly review our tactics and strategy in view of our principles of emancipation and liberation and our vision of the global commune. We discussed and updated these at our annual weekend away, held this year in Perthshire,…

Price Demonstration Shows Growing Anger At The Return Of Internment

The Belfast demonstration in support of Marian Price on the 27th of May should give pause to the British government and to local politicians. The size of the demonstration; 4000 to 5000, and the number of young people involved shows the growing levels of concern and anger at the internment of Marian and a growing…

Even The Rain

Paul Laverty’s Even the Rain is a very powerful film that works on several levels. As a piece of drama, with a compelling musical soundtrack, it captures and holds your attention. You would not have to be politically engaged to enjoy this film. However, for anybody at all concerned about the present state of the world, and…

A New Tyranny Over Europe

A crisis of capitalism, a threat to democracy The leaders of Europe spent much time and ingenuity in designing the Financial Stability Pact so that it would not require a vote. The fact that Britain and the Czech Republic did not sign meant that it could not be formally part of European structures. The major…

What Do The May 5th Local Election Results Mean In Scotland?

This article was first written for socialists in England and Wales. It has been published on the commune website, and issue 23 of Permanent Revolution, in slightly edited forms. The Scottish local council elections, held on May 5th, have attracted much wider interest than would normally normally be the case for such an event. The primary…

Northern Ireland – Education Case Study Illustrates Sectarian Reality

John McAnulty of Socialist Democracy (Ireland) provides an example, from the Stormont administration of education, to show how the reformed set-up helps to maintain sectarianism in Northern Ireland. The journey from republicanism to administration of the Northern state rested on two main planks. One was the thesis first advanced by Michael Collins in relation to partition…

The Scottish Independence Referendum Debate, Part 3

This section of our continuing debate on the Scottish Independence Referendum addresses the British Left. The commune asked Allan Armstrong and Bob Goupillot to submit an article on the issue. This article, The Scottish Independence Referendum, appeared in the April, 2012 issue of the commune. Barry Biddulph replied to this in the June issue with…

Socialism Militant, Socialism Triumphant: thoughts on communism and the workplace inspired by William Morris and the IWW

An important topic for discussion by the Left today is labor organization as we know it under capitalism, and as it could be under socialism and communism. Below are statements from our radical history, and one that is an outgrowth of that history. Taken together, they offer guidance. In the conclusion to his commentary on…