Recent discussions

["D OC" <donaloc@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

A chairde,

Although I've been very quiet recently I've taken some great enjoyment from
the list over the past week to ten days. Gone was the pretty inane (to my
uncultured mind) discussions around the Matrix. Instead, we had Ed George
giving a tour-de-force on Spanish politics - of some serious merit.

This was followed up by a re-engagement with the key issue of imperialism,
on which I felt Louis Proyect said everything needing saying. The subsequent
discussions with what might be considered to be luminaries of the academic
marxist world was also very enjoyable although I would have much prefered
the antagonists to have enjoined a useful discussion as opposed to engaged
in pretty sad allegations about not discussing because of name-calling.

I certainly agree that academics have their uses - in particular, I found an
article in the (only free on-line) SR on Mature Socialist Economies to be
massively informative and this has went around quite a few people who also
considered it very innovative and useful. That for me is the end of it all -
is it useful to people engaged in day-to-day struggle? If not, then I don't
really care to waste my time reading it. When academics produce mental
product which can serve to 'arm' revolutionaries then that is what I
consider to be useful.

The situation over here is completely upside-down. The RM are very
disallusioned with everything although I get the feeling that leadership are
ready to reengage but feel that's not on the table or even in the
foreseeable future. The questions will start to get asked when the Brits
have to decide whether to cancell democracy a third time in August. In those
circumstances, the GFA might well be considered dead and another agreement
will have to be sought. Meanwhile, the UUP leadership protagonists are at
each others throats in advance of the election. My guess is that unless
Trimble plays a very good hand he's out of the leadership this side of the
current election date.

Meanwhile, the 26 Counties' economy is sinking in inflation and poor fiscal
receipts. It is the worst of all worlds: no control over monetary policy
(which is being decided by the Germans and French to stimulate their own
economies) which is pouring petrol on the already burning inflationary
flames, the tax receipts are far too low as this is the only way to attract
inward investment, hence the whole public sector is ruined (even worse the
sector is hugely inefficient with the inflation biting there too). Meanwhile
completely uncontrolled development in Dublin has led to a huge housing
inflationary bubble (which is about to burst) and in the West, well it still
remains completely untouched by the 20th Century - roads are third world in
most places and they get brown-outs every week. No chance of inward
investment there then.

So the next time some ignorant TINA merchant starts pushing the Celtic Tiger
as a model of economic development in a dependent country, tell him to look
at what's happening now.

Is mise
Domhnall.

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