Belfast Flag Riots

John McAnulty of Socialist Democracy (Ireland) writes about the Loyalist rioting in Belfast over the council’s decision to restrict the number of days the Union Jack flies over the City Hall. UNIONISTS UNITE TO REJECT CONCILIATION FOR SECTARIAN DOMINANCE “They are taking everything” proclaimed a Belfast loyalist, marching back from the trashing of the city…

A Debate On The Way Forward For The Radical Independence Conference

On 24th November over 800 people attended the Radical Independence Conference in Glasgow. Gregor Gall has written an article looking at this major event for the Word Power Bookshop Platform, entitled Scottish Independence & Letting a Thousand Flowers Bloom. It can be found at:-  http://www.word-power.co.uk/viewPlatform.php?id=607

Terry Liddle, 1948 – 2012, Comrade

We are reposting the following tribute to Terry Liddle by Andrew Coates. A number of RCN members met Terry in a variety of political organisations, and we can agree with Andrew that “Terry’s contribution to the left was outstanding. He was a great bloke. He will be much missed.” Andrew’s tribute was first posted on his own…

Freedom Come All Ye

The magazine version of Emancipation & Liberation has contained a Republic of the Imagination section, which has provided articles about historical and ongoing cultural resistance against capitalism and other class-based societies. Our blog intends to look at the cultural debates which have arisen, and which will arise in the future, within a Scottish society looking for…

Radical Independence Conference

The Radical Independence Conference (http://radicalindependence.org/), being held this Saturday, 24th November in Glasgow, is likely to be the biggest gathering of the Left in Scotland for many years. The RCN has been covering this event since the first open organising meeting in June. We have produced a special issue of our magazine, Emancipation & Liberation,…

Genuine Self-Determination Means Acting As Republicans Now

Allan Armstrong will be introducing the workshop on Republicanism at the Radical Independence Conference in Glasgow on November 24th, along with Neil Davidson of the SWP, Graham McIver of Solidarity, and a speaker from Republic Scotland. He has been asked by the conference organisers to prepare an outline of his talk, so that those attending…

When Will We See Tanks In Barcelona?

The following article first appeared in International Viewpoint, the journal of the United Secretariat of the Fourth International. The Unionists’ Better Together campaign has invoked the Spanish state in its opposition to Scottish independence. Esther Vivas, an activist in Barcelona, highlights that the reason for the Spanish state’s attitude can be found in the unreformed Francoist elements still…

Beyond the Saltire and St. Andrew – Flying The Red Flag on John Maclean Day

Allan Armstrong argues that the saltire is not a symbol nor St. Andrews Day a celebration which republican socialists, or indeed anyone committed to a multi-ethnic and multi-faith (and non-faith) Scotland can see as their own. However, he points out that Scottish socialists can still make November 30th their own, whilst flying the red flag.…

Michael Marra – A Tribute

Mary McGregor, who lives in Dundee, has written the following tribute to the acclaimed singer songwriter, Michael Marra, who died on October 23rd. Every obituary and tribute to Michael Marra seems to begin with I met Michael in… or I have known Michael since … and when I sat down to write about him, I…

The Republican Communist Network (Scotland) What We Stand For – From Theory to Practice

1) Another world is possible – a joyful, creative, new world communism which emancipates us all from oppression and frees us all from exploitation, and which forms a new sustainable relationship between humanity and the environment. Socialism is not the ultimate aim. It can either be a phase on the way to communism or a…