CAPITALISM AND WORKERS’ HEALTH – PLUS CA CHANGE

Karl Marx had something  to say about capitalism and workers’ health  in Capital, Volume 1. Chapter 15. (https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/download/pdf/Capital-Volume-I.pdf – page 316). We are posting this below. CAPITALISM AND WORKERS’ HEALTH  – PLUS CA CHANGE Nineteenth century factory Twenty first century factory What could possibly show better the character of the capitalist mode of production, than…

FROM ILLUSIONS IN A LEXIT BREXIT TO A DISILLUSIONED LEXIT FROM BREXIT POLITICS – THE DECEMBER 12th GENERAL ELECTION AND INDEPENDENT SOCIALISTS ACROSS THESE ISLANDS

Allan Armstrong has published an article entitled From Illusions in a Lexit Brexit to a Disillusioned Lexit from Brexit Politics (https://allanarmstrong831930095.files.wordpress.com/2020/06/socialists-and-december-12th-election.pdf)  The contents of this book are shown below, followed by the last two chapters and conclusion. This  article follows The Impact of the December 12th General Election across the Constituent Parts of the UK. (http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2020/01/24/the-impact-of-the-december-12th-general-election-across-the-constituent-parts-of-the-uk/)…

THE ENIGMATIC GILETS-JAUNES

Mike McNair of the CPGB (Weekly Worker) has written a critical analysis of the Gilets-Jaunes protests in France. He suggests that the politics stemming from this movement could move both Right and Left.   THE ENIGMATIC GILETS-JAUNES   We have just seen the ninth weekend of gilets jaunes (yellow vests) protests in France. Numbers were slightly up…

Review: Struggle or Starve: Working Class Unity in Belfast’s Outdoor Relief Riots

Tommy McKearney reviews Struggle or Starve: Working Class Unity in Belfast’s Outdoor Relief Riots by Sean Mitchell.      STRUGGLE OR STARVE: WORKING CLASS UNITY IN BELFAST’S OUTDOOR RELIEF RIOTS  Struggle or Starve by Séan Mitchell is an important book that deserves the widest readership among those interested in promoting progressive politics in the North of Ireland. The author…

VARADKAR ELECTION AS FINE GAEL LEADER SIGNALS FURTHER RIGHT SHIFT

Recently, in France we have see the election of Macron as President, with his new La Republique En Marche party winning a big majority in the French parliamentary elections. This represents one  attempt by the neoliberal Right  to  regain the initiative in the face of Left and populist Right challenges. In Ireland, the election of…

SCOTLAND AFTER THE WESTMINSTER ELECTION

Eric Chester (RCN) gives his perspective on Scotland after the Westminster election.    The Scottish National Party has become the dominant force in Scottish politics. Already a majority in the Scottish parliament, SNP candidates crushed the Labour Party in the recent elections to Westminster. Yet SNP dominance extends well beyond the electoral arena. Within the trade…

THE RCN’S UPDATED ‘WHAT WE STAND FOR’

Over the RCN weekend away from November 7th-9th 2014 held near Dunfermline and our aggregates held on January 11th in Edinburgh and February 21st, 2015 in Glasgow, we updated our What We Stand For in the light of our recent engagement with the struggle for Scottish self-determination and our ongoing discussions on communism, secularism and…

DEFYING WATER CHARGES IN IRELAND

Will the campaign against the Water Charges be the Irish equivalent of Anti-Poll Tax campaign? Anne McShane examines the political situation after massive demo against  in Dublin, on December 10th. This article was first published in Weekly Worker. We are also posting earlier articles by Eddie McLaughlin (Socialist Democracy – Ireland) on the  political fall-out after the demonstration…

THE CURSE OF NATIONALISM

Eric Chester (RCN) outlines his view of the political dangers represented by the SNP   The independence referendum has substantially changed the political landscape of Scotland. With 45% of the voters supporting independence, and many others deterred from joining them by a last minute fear campaign, there is a widespread belief that the election was stolen and that…