Secularism, Socialism And Religion

The issue of secularism was discussed at the RCN weekend away in Fife on 22nd February. Allan Armstrong introduced the session using the presentation he had made to Edinburgh RIC. The following discussion extended beyond the scope of the introductory talk, and brought up issues which Bob Goupillot had written about when the RCN was a platform…

New Issue of ‘resistance’ from the Irish Socialist Network

Issue no. 18 of resistance the Irish Socialist Network (http://www.irishsocialist.net) for the Winter of 2013-14 is now out. The articles include:- Labour Goes From Boom to Bust – by Kevin Quinn (ISN) Demanding a Future for Young People – S. Fitzgerald and M. Murphy Roma case exposes state racism – Aindrias O’Cathasaigh Greeks Bearing Lessons…

Freedom Come All Ye – The New RCN Banner

The four portraits on the Republican Communist Network banner provide good examples of the historical tradition we come from. These people have been chosen as representative of many others, whose names have often gone unrecorded, yet who have contributed to the struggle for human emancipation, liberation and self-determination. Each individual highlights different aspects of our…

An Ex-Soldier Responds To The Jailing And Dismissal Of Protesting Soldiers

The class-divided nature of the British Army is made very clear in the draconian treatment of fifteen soldiers jailed for staging a sit-in protest directed at senior officers in the Yorkshire Regiment (see article posted on BBC online at Yorkshire Regiment soldiers jailed for sit-in protest). Alan Boylan (RCN) is a former serviceman in the…

Nelson Mandela – Two Views Of His Legacy

MANDELA WILL NEVER BE YOUR MINSTREL Dear revisionists, Mandela will never, ever be your minstrel. Over the next few days you will try so, so hard to make him something he was not, and you will fail. You will try to smooth him, to sandblast him, to take away his Malcolm X. You will try…

RIC and the Catalan Struggle

The RCN supports an ‘internationalism from below’ perspective within the campaign for Scottish self-determination. Edinburgh RIC branch proposed the workshop The Break-up of the UK: the Case for ‘Internationalism from Below’ for the very successful RIC conference on November 23rd. Dundee RIC branch proposed the workshop to address the denial of Catalan (and Basque) self determination by…

The Ghost Of James Connolly – Book Launch

THE GHOST OF JAMES CONNOLLY James Connolly and Edinburgh’s New Trade Union, Independent Labour and Socialist Movements(1890-96) James Connolly’s role in Irish history is well known and celebrated. However, Connolly also played a prominent part in the ‘New Union’, independent Labour and Socialist movements in Edinburgh. Allan Armstrong, who conducts Radical Walks in the city, has…

2nd Radical Independence Conference – ‘After The UK: The Future Of 4 Nations’

The RCN received the unanimous backing of the Edinburgh branch of RIC to ask the RIC National Steering Committee to organise a session at the second national RIC conference on November 23rd in Glasgow, entitled ‘The break-up of the UK – the case for ‘internationalism from below’’. This was then unanimously agreed by the Steering Committee, subject to…

2nd Radical Independence Conference ‘Emancipation & Liberation’ Special

Our Emancipation & Liberation Radical Independence Conference Special will be available at the conference on Saturday, November 23rd.     CONTENTS   Editorial(also posted below) Scottish Self-Determination: For a Scottish Wannabe Ruling Class or for Scotland’s People? – RCN Why is Venezuela relevant to Scotland’s Radical Independence Movement? – Ewan Robertson Women and Independence –…