The following exchange is an update of a discussions on the Republican Socialist Alliance list, in the aftermath of Sir Keir Starmer’s ‘Damascus road’ conversion to Brexit and the SNP leadership’s continued commitment to the EU. The exchange is between Allan Armstrong (RCN) Murdo Ritchie (RCN) and Miguil Martinez (RSA) 1. On 4 Jan 2021,…
Promoting Republicanism
Murdo Ritchie addresses the Left’s failing to understand republicanism. This is deeply rooted in the Left’s acceptance of the UK state for as a vehicle for its various economic and political projects. Murdo’s article is an update of his earlier piece (PROMOTING REPUBLICANISM) The advocacy of socialist republicanism has very few current precedents in the United…
WHY WOMEN HAVE BETTER SEX UNDER SOCIALISM
Murdo Ritchie reviews the book, Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism and other Arguments for Economic Independence by Dr Kristen R. Ghodsee. WHY WOMEN HAVE BETTER SEX UNDER SOCIALISM Inessa Armand “If women’s liberation is unthinkable without communism, then communism is unthinkable without women’s liberation.” Inessa Armand The collapse of “socialism” in…
RESISTING THE LIBERAL ORDER
Murdo Ritchie, who has been an advocate of Leave vote on this blog, continues with his review of The Left Case Against the EU by Costas Lapavistas __________ A REVIEW OF THE THE LEFT CASE AGAINST THE EU BY COSTAS LAPAVISTAS “You can vote for any government you like in Europe pretty much. But…
WHAT VOTING LEAVE HAS REVEALED
Murdo Ritchie, a contributor to this blog, who has been an advocate of a Leave vote, argues what a Leave vote represents. WHAT VOTING HAS REVEALED The loud vote of no more in the United Kingdom against remaining in the European Union has been one of the most successful protest votes in history.1 …
NO VOTE WASTED – FOR PURE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION
Murdo Ritchie argues that Socialists should support the purest form of proportional representation. NO VOTE WASTED – FOR PURE PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION The outcomes of all elections are the resultants produced by misshapen class struggles. The consciousness of the participants and the audience are formed in the policies. But the institutions as well as…
CATALONIA: A NATION THROWN FORWARD
Murdo Ritchie reviews Catalonia Reborn. How Catalonia Took on the Corrupt Spanish State and the Legacy of Franco, Chris Bambery & George Kerevan, Luath Press, 2018. CATALONIA – A NATION THROWN FORWARD When exiled Catalan minister Clara Ponsati spoke recently in Edinburgh she had to explain why the Spanish Constitution was not a mechanism…
WHAT NOW FOR THE INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT?
. Murdo Ritchie raises questions for the Scottish Independence Movement. WHAT NOW FOR THE INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENT? The issue should never be in what direction the Scottish national independence movement should go but what is the best way a new Scotland can be created. It is from this approach that the future political movements…
IF NOT NOW, WHEN?
The RCN has been debating the EU referendum both amongst ourselves and in wider arenas. Here Murdo Ritchie provides an argument in favour of voting ‘Leave’. This was first posted as a Comment after the article by Allan Armstrong at:- http://republicancommunist.org/blog/2016/07/03/an-open-letter-to-lexiters/ This is followed by an extensive commentary by Steve Freeman (RSA and LUP) 1. IF NOT…
AFTER MAY 7th
Emancipation & Liberation will be posting a series of responses to the new political situation after May 7th. The first comes from Murdo Ritchie (RCN), the second from World to Win. 1. MOVING WITH THE FLOW Never have so many nations been divided by a common government. The glaringly obvious result when Scotland…