Joe Conroy appraises Erich Fromm’s 1955 work. This article first appeared in Red Banner Issue 39 The United States in 1955 would hardly seem a propitious time or place for condemning capitalist society outright and advocating an entirely different way of living. With millions buying into the consumer society and no end in sight to…
The Only Boss I Ever Liked
Rod MacGregor follows Bruce Springsteen’s political development through his music Now I been lookin’ for a job but it’s hard to find Down here there’s just winners and losers And don’t get caught on the wrong side of that line —Atlantic City, Bruce Springsteen It was nearly three decades ago, in May 1981, that I…
Remembering Charlie Rees
Militant Trade Unionist, Republican, Communist, Artist and Poet RCN members recently heard of the death of our comrade Charlie Rees. Charlie, together with his partner Deidre McCartin, was one of the founding members of the Scottish Socialist Party. He had been an active socialist in the south of England, but also remembered his family’s Welsh…
Around the Time of Aitken
Around the Time of Aitken Andy McPake reviews the latest book of poetry, Around the Time of Michael from Jim Aitken. Jim has become a regular contributor to Emancipation & Liberation, and he credits us in his preface. Around the Time of Michael is Jim’s ninth published volume of poetry and, as the quote above suggests, a…
Edwin Morgan 1920-2010
When I left school in 1975, Edwin Morgan had not yet pushed his way on to the syllabus for Higher or sixth year English. When I returned to school 4 years later as a student teacher, he was taught to all years and has stayed there for the best part of 30 years. When he…
Word Power – an interview with Elaine Henry
WORD POWER – “A veritable flea market of books and ideas” Allan Armstrong interviews Elaine Henry who set up the Word Power bookshop in Edinburgh, Scotland’s only independent Left and radical bookshop Why did you decide to set-up Word Power? I’d been a volunteer in the women’s bookshop, Womanzone, and was aware of other radical…
White Pete
To give it this obscene nickname is to make it seem attractive and much less harmful than it is like calling cocaine simply ‘ coke’ or the atom bomb ‘ Little Boy’ to render the screams of children the impotence of their parents their frantic hope for remedy without mention whatsoever and to still light…
Savings in the Down-Turn
Savings Efficiency ones or just savings Public sector restraint And reducing waste New realities demanding These new measures For we all have to tighten our belts During this down-turn Which refuses to say What we are all saving for And who we all are While we still fight wars And order Trident Mark 2 As…
Book Review: A Celebration of the Life and Work of Robert Burns 1759-1786
A Celebration of the Life and Work of Robert Burns 1759-1786 An Independent Revolutionary Radical By James D. Young; Printed and published by Clydeside Press; £3.95 What does Robert Burns mean to me? Edinburgh People’s Festival Published by WP Books; £3.00 It is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns and we have…
Edinburgh People’s Festival: Inspirational and Educational
Colin Fox speaks to Allan Armstrong about the vision and mission of the Edinburgh People’s Festival What made you revive the Edinburgh Peoples Festival after almost 50 years? We didn’t start off with the intention of reviving the Edinburgh Peoples Festival (EPF). At Hamish Henderson’s funeral in 2002, a group of us, including Bill Scott,…