The cultural is political: Gig for Gaza and the rebirth of Irish cultural activism

Padraig Mac Oscair wrote this article for Rupture, the ecosocialist quarterly of RISE – Revolutionary, Socialist, Internationalist and Environment. He reviews  the recent ‘Gig for Gaza Fundraiser’ in the 3Arena, as well as highlighting the clear link between the cultural and the political in expressions of solidarity from Ireland. THE CULTURAL IS POLITICAL – GIG…

Silent Singing and John Maclean

 George Gun has written this article first posted on bella caledonia.  It commemorates the 100th anniversary of John Maclean’s death on November 30th 1923.  It argues against Maclean’s death being viewed mainly as a historical commemoration for academic historians, but that his politics in the last year’s of his life are highly relevant to the…

EL&SD Coverage – Looking at the world through non-campist lenses

Many on the Left still view the world through lenses dating from when the US was the all-dominant global power. Countering this was the USSR, which assisted many national liberation struggles (although some could abandoned if it better fitted USSR state needs).  The USSR  was viewed to be superior to the USA because of its…

Gerrard Winstanley: Christian communism

The following article on Gerrard Winstanley outlines how Winstanley became to be seen as a key  figure in a linger historical ccommunist tradition. It was written by John Gurney and first posted by The Tribune. GERRARD WINSTANLEY: CHRISTIAN COMMUNISM For Diggers leader Gerrard Winstanley, any Christianity which focused on individual salvation was bankrupt – Christ’s…

EL&SD coverage of Palestine, Zionism and Israel since 2002

EL&SD COVERAGE OF PALESTINE, ZIONISM AND ISRAEL SINCE 2002 2024 How Keir Starmer placed his political image over the lives of those in Gaza Ed Balls accidentally admits to Labour’s weaponisation of anti-Semitism I mean, we already knew, but still… The counter-narrative to Zionist and US/British imperialist backed genocide The killing of Gaza’s environment –…

Remembering the Battle of Holbeck Moor

This article by Tom Winterburn was first posted by The Tribune. It describes the little known challenge in Leeds to Mosley’s Blackshirts, which preceded the much better known Battle of Cable Street in East London. REMEMBERING THR BATTLE OF HOLBECK MOOR On this day in 1936, Blackshirts led by Oswald Mosley organised a rally in…

William Cuffay – the Chartists’ black leader

The following article was written by Tom Scriven, a historian of Chartism, socialism and 19th century radicals. This article first appeared in The Tribune. WILLIAM CUFFAY- THE CHARTISTS’ BLACK LEADER The son of a freed slave, William Cuffay played a key role in the struggle for democracy in Britain. A country which respected its history…

On Super Ally and ‘God Save the King’

  The following article by Mike Small was first posted by bella caledonia. ON SUPER ALLY AND ‘GOD SAVE THE KING’ We’re all in silos whether we know it or not. Our whole digital algorythmic culture nurtures this state. In recent weeks we’ve seen the Short Term Let lobbyists come to realise that they are…

Love and magical thinking: from the Province of the Cat

The following article by George Gunn was first posted on bella caledonia,. LOVE AND MAGICAL THINKING FROM THE PROVINCE OF THE CAT Next year in September will be the tenth anniversary of the 2014 referendum campaign. Although the result was gut-wrenchingly disappointing those who were 16 then and first-time voters will be 26 in 2024,…

Remembering Wave Hill: when Australia’s indigenous fought back

The following article, written by Chloe Koffman was first posted by The Tribune.  It looks back to an inspirational struggfle which linked Australis’s indigenous workers with Australian labour movement and the key role played by the Australian Communist Party and on te winning of land rights by the Guirindji people. REMEMBERING WAVE HILL: WHEN AUSTRALIA’S…