EL&SD coverage of republicanism

The Republican Communist Network and the Republican Communist Forum have been at the centre of the campaign to build support for republicanism in Scotland. his has involved upholding republicanism as the  sovereignty of the people against the UK’s  sovereignty of the Crown-in-Westminster. We have  criticised those who limit republicanism to anti-monarchism, which can provide cover…

Scottish nationalism and class politics: a long term view

The following article by James Foley was first posted on the Conter newsletter. It displays elements of a greater understanding of the nature of the UK state than was shown in Foley’s Left social democratic Britain must break, written for IndyRef1. This new thinking reflects the views expressed in Foley’s forthcoming book. Scotland after Britain,…

Why has Putin invaded Ukraine?

Allan Armstrong has written a two-part article, Why has Putin has invaded Ukraine?  The first part was  posted on bella caledonia and the Irish Left Archive.  This has now been amended following the helpful comments from Connor Beaton, Nick Steff and Sairah Tariq. Part 2  has been posted on Allan’s Intfrobel blog.  The contents of both…

The radical history of English republicanism

The following article by Martyn Rush (Labour Momentum) on the history of English Republicanism, to coincide with the Elizabrit’s platinum jubilee, was first published in The Tribune. In modern Britain, the republican movement is largely a forgotten cause. That forgetting comes at the expense of a proud history attested to by writers like Clive Bloom…

A flag for a future republic

The following article by George Gunn was first posed by bella caledonia. It oulines a planned challenge in Golspie on June 4th to  Elizabrit’s platinum jubilee. In this it follows the footsteps of James Connolly’s protest in Dublin against Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee in 1897. A FLAG FOR A FUTURE REPUBLIC On Saturday 4th June Yes…

The price of ‘selective inattention’ – Iraq, Ukraine, Libya and the climate apocalypse

  This is the second article we have posted from Media Lens since the Russian imperial invasion of Ukraine  the very selective attention given by the western media, when it comes to the crimes of US, British and French imperialism THE PRICE OF ‘SELECTIVE INATTENTION’ – IRAQ, UKAINE, LIBYA AND THE CLIMATE APOCALYPSE Humanity’s great…

The odd couple: Ruaraidh Erskine and John Maclean

We are posting this article by Johnnie Gallacher, who provided his own introduction:- As society stands hesitating at the ecological fork in the road to either ecosocialism or suicide, reflecting upon the unlikely political alliance between John Maclean, the revolutionary socialist, and Ruaraidh Erskine, the aristocratic Gaelic nationalist, can offer valuable insights. These relate to…

May Day – a Ukrainian tradition

On May Day 2022 we are posting this  article from the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign about the tradition of celebrating May Day in Ukraine,   MAY DAY – A UKRAINIAN TRADITION Ukraine Solidarity Campaign extends May Day greetings to the labour movement and all working people in Ukraine. May Day 2022 is taking place in circumstances…

When the Bolsheviks created a Soviet Republic in the Donbas

This article written by Hanna Perekhoda (translated by David Broder) first appeared in The Jacobin. It examines the history of the creation of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, during the 1916-21/3 International Revolutionary Wave    WHEN THE BOLSHEVIKS CREATED A SOVIET REPUBLIC IN THE DONBAS The Donbas is at the heart of Vladimir Putin’s claim…

Putin’s war and Jewish history

The history of Ukraine is inextricably linked with antisemitism, from the pogroms of the Russian Civil War to the Ukrainian nationalist complicity in the Holocaust. Such historical connections have once more come to the fore during Russia’s invasion of the country, now lead by a Jewish president. Here, historical sociologist Brendan McGeever writes on this complicated past, and…