A Defeat Not A Peace Process
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Transcript of A Defeat Not A Peace Process
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In groups
Why is the British Army in the north of Ireland?
Is a peace on the imperialists’ terms ever durable?
How does one describe a government headed by the Democratic Unionist Party?
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Starting point
Northern state is a colony Only principled position for workers’
movement in Britain is withdrawal It’s a defeat not a peace process
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1921
Defeat of revolutionary nationalist movement
Northern colony created with pogroms and threat of war
Neo-colony established in south
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1968
Prague Spring, US Civil Rights Movement, France, Vietnam
Inspired rebellion against sectarian state Three strands of movement – non
Stalinist left, feminist currents, Civil Rights Association
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First defeat
Labourism, CP, own programmatic weakness
Burntollet Unions incorporated into state Bloody Sunday
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National Liberation Movement Strong unionist culture in northern
workers’ movement Republicans were autonomous from
workers’ movement Struggle to end British rule a legitimate
democratic struggle against oppression
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Second Defeat
Hunger Strike 1981 Coalition of revolutionary nationalism Links created with Fianna Fail and
British that led to current settlement
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New Ireland Forum
Irish bourgeoisie established programme of Good Friday Agreement
Renounced sovereignty claim End of national question Some rights for Catholics in north
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Third defeat
Sinn Fein in government – normal for defeated movements to be incorporated
Now has programme of former foes SDLP
Rights are gained by belonging to Protestant or Catholic community
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Unipolar world
South Africa, Gaza, Ireland Erosion of space for national liberation
movements Republicanism’s only ideology has been
militarist methods
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Armed struggle
Bonded disparate movement Democracy subordinated to Army
Council Fantasy that 200 fulltime volunteers
could defeat British Army Sat alongside mass uprising
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Free State
Republicans did not develop critique of southern bourgeois state
Its politicians indistinguishable from mainstream
Saw southern ruling class as part of solution
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Good Friday and St. Andrew’s Colonial settlement – obliges Irish to
renounce claim over national territory Sectarian settlement – divides politics
and society along religious lines All decisions of assembly must be
ratified by Unionist controlled Executive
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Why is settlement popular People have stopped dying Drop in unemployment – due to retail Expansion of Catholic middle class in
state sector
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Limitations
No one believes settlement will lead to united Ireland
Power of the Catholic Church greatly increased.
Positions in public service earmarked for confessional groups.
Sinn Fein cadre of 'community workers' paid by the state.
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Loyalism
UDA and UVF represented on policing boards
Still involved in extortion, prostitution and drugs
DUP is party of hard right to which Republicans accommodate to stay in office
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Dissidents or true believers? Minority of republicans have rejected
Sinn Fein and the settlement. Failing due to fragmented movement
and lack of support. Absence of any programme beyond
shooting “Betrayal” explains failure armed
struggle
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What’s emerging?
Sinn Fein has clientelist, electoralist and reformist politics
Working class youth don’t see promises delivered.
Growth of a new infrastructure of supporters
Riots are significant.
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Conventional wisdom
The militarists have no support The political process in the North of
Ireland is secure. Republican militarists have nothing to
offer.
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Mainstream
Trade union demonstrations called for unconditional support for the sectarian status quo
Downgrading the political tasks of the working class in favour of purely economic struggles
Phony options of bloodbath or sectarian state
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Future
Which state and which class rules Youth don’t remember past defeats Socialists raise separate, more
immediate and concrete demands Working class achieves liberation with
its own programme including democratic solution to the national question