[Marxism] (no subject)

[Philip Ferguson <philip.ferguson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Donal wrote:

>Fred, a chara,

>I will step through your arguments - they are deserving of a detailed
response. I have to say however that prognostications from people like
Phil Ferguson from afar that the IRA would wind up in x months, or that
SF would be coalition or on Police Boards in the near future made over
the past have all been proven wrong with time. These statements arise
from an idealistic approach to understanding what is a very complex
situation in Ireland at present. It is unique and cannot be correctly
analysed by applying catch all theories as many intellectual activists
like to do. We have to get into the nitty gritty of detail and concrete
analysis of circumstance to understand exactly where we stand and what
is likely to happen.


My Digests are very intermittent at present, so I didn't receive this
one with Donal's comments but had it forwarded to me by another comrade.

Firstly, this is a bit naughty of Donal.  Firstly, I have never made any
prognostications that the IRA would wind up within any certain number of
months.  

Secondly, my comments about the direction of the Republican Movement are
basically the same as those made by people like Bernadette McAliskey, by
the IRSP and by the veteran republicans involved in the
Fourthwrite/Blanket grouping, some of whom spent 15 years or more in
prison.  They are not merely idle chatter from someone on the other side
of the world.


Donal (in response to critical copmments by Fred about IRA
parliamentarism):

>The IRA is not involved in parliamentarism or any form of collaboration
with British rule.



The leadership of the Republican Movement (or, at least, that section of
the leadership which runs SF) participated in a coalition government in
the six counties only a few years ago, administering partition and
capitalist austerity programmes.  They presently wish to return to their
posts carrying out these functions.

The masses, in contrast, are used as a 'stage army'.  When the
republican leaders run into difficulty in the negotiations they consider
having a little bit of mass mobilisation.  When things are going well in
the diplomatic games, the people are put back into their boxes. 

Although Donal argues that the Irish process is unique, I would argue
that it has a great deal in common with what has happened in South
Africa, Palestine and El Salvador (and Nicaragua, with the eventual
evolution of the FSLN).  Indeed, the course taken by the ANC and the
Arafat leadership in Palestine were becoming an influential part of the
thinking of the republican leadership, from what I directly observed
when I was a member of SF.

What we've been seeing over the past two decades is the systematic
'breaking in' of national liberation movements, or at least of the main
components of their leaderships.  What used to be revolutionary
nationalist movements are being transformed into liberal-capitalist
political parties.

Fred, if you want some good critiques of what is happening in Ireland,
check out the Fourthwrite/Blanket people, Bernadette and also the IRSP.

Philip Ferguson




























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