AFTER THE SEPTEMBER 18th REFERENDUM VOTE – A socialist republican response

In the aftermath of the September 18th Scottish independence referendum, Allan Armstrong (RCN) updates his  earlier piece (http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2014/09/03/up-to-and-beyond-the-september-18th-independence-referendum-a-socialist-republican-perspective/).   A Movement-in-the-making The campaign for Scottish independence has been the largest movement for popular democracy seen in these islands since the Irish War of Independence. In terms of electoral participation it was unprecedented. Voter registration was 97%…

Exploitation, Oppression and Alienation: Emancipation, Liberation and Self-Determination

The RCN has based much of its analysis of capitalism on the notions of exploitation and oppression, to which we counter the ideas of emancipation and liberation – hence the name of our main publication. However, we have been conducting discussions on capitalism’s third prop, alienation, and its antithesis, self-determination, understood in its widest sense. In the article below, by…

What May Day Means In The Ukraine Crisis

In the second article from the RCN’s May Day Special Bulletin, Allan Armstrong (RCN) outlines the significance of current events in Ukraine, the dangers of inter-ethnic conflict allowing imperialist intervention, with the growing threat of inter-imperialist conflict. “Take a neighbour of ours {Germany}. Our relations are very much better than they were a few years…

‘Emancipation & Liberation’ RIC Special Bulletin, March, 2014

The RCN produced its first Emancipation and Liberation RIC Special Bulletin for the National Forum in March. It included the following articles: Let’s all end our abusive relationship with the UK state The Republican Communist Network and the Radical Independence Campaign A Republican perspective is important for Scotland’s future LET’S ALL END OUR ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH…

The Party We Need

Bob Goupillot (RCN) makes a positive response to the article, The party we need, by Moshe Machover, founder member of the Israeli Socialist organisation, now living in England. I was really heartened to read Moshe Machover’s article The party we need (WW November 7th 2013) as it succinctly summarises important aspects of our classes experience around…

Socialist Unity – The RCN Asks 12 Questions

The RCN has been involved in preliminary discussions with Frontline, the International Socialist Group (Scotland), individual members of the International Socialist Network and Defense of Our Party faction in the SWP, as well as other individuals mainly from an SSP background. Frontline published the views a number of socialist organisations, which we reposted at Socialist Unity. Stemming…

Allan Armstrong (RCN) replies to David Jamieson (ISG) – part 2

Since I wrote the first part of my reply (Allan Armstrong (RCN) replies to David Jamieson (ISG) – part 1) I have met David for the first time. Face-to-face discussions are a better way of trying to understand the thinking and positions that others hold. They can also help to overcome some preconceived notions. In the…

Communist Relations Today, Capitalist Relations Tomorrow

The article below is written by RCN member, Iain Robertson. Iain is a mountaineer and rock climber. This article represents a continuation of the work the RCN has been posting, not only on what communism could look like in the future, but on how many elements of such cooperative practice already exist today. However, under capitalist domination such beneficial…

Radisson Blu Or Post-Radisson Red?

This blog has already commented on the earlier organising behind the Radical Independence Conference. It has also provided a fraternal critique of Britain Must Break, written by James Foley for the International Socialist Group (ISG), the organisation which initiated the RIC. Many others have commented on the conference itself (see end of articles below for…