Case for the Formation of a Republican Socialist Party
| Date: | 1999 |
|---|---|
| Organisation: | Official Republican Movement |
| View: | View Document |
| Discuss: | Comments on this document |
| Subjects: |
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Commentary From The Cedar Lounge Revolution
13th September 2010
Many thanks to the person who forwarded this and the accompanying overview of the document.
This internal document was a proposal on the future of the ‘Official Republican Movement’ (ex members and supporters of the Workers Party) at the ORM conference attended by over 120 members in the Ulster Peoples College 1999. Calling for the launch of a new political party to be titled ‘Republican Left’, the motion was one of two on the table and, should it be available, it would be worthwhile putting up for some context as its alternative, as I recollect the formation of a ‘society’.
The document looks to be the work of a committee as it is a little ‘choppy’ and goes into tremendous detail in some areas and skims others. The proposal document is quiet long, 7 sections, starting with an introduction that places it firmly as a ‘tactical’ way forward for the ORM and begs delegates to listen to both arguments as both “are by comrades genuinely committed to our organisation.” Then, as with all internal republican debates, it harks back to the past to give some historical justification for its core rationale.
In this case the starting point is the ‘failed’ 50’s campaign is the starting point followed by a cramming of the 1970’s and 1980’s Official/WP transformation, essentially stating that within this process the baby was thrown out with the political bathwater particularly the WP analysis of Irish Nationalist aspiration (counter productive and reactionary) and British Nationalism (must be understood and respected) rather than the rejection of all nationalisms for socialist unity of the working class.
More interesting is the point mooted that the split in the Workers Party was basically a split in the leadership without much involvement from the general membership. It backs up this assertion with a breakdown of the various ‘factions’ and names some ‘leading lights’ associated.
After that, in a section about the political bankruptcy of the WP, it asserts that the WP lost the working class in the Republic when it refused to engage with the Concerned Parents Against Drugs campaign and was openly hostile to it. The document rounds off returning to the introduction putting forward a case for a Socialist Republican Party.
The proposal/document was endorsed at the meeting by over two thirds of the attendees. However, it was noticeable that few of the ORM ‘Leadership’ supported it (possibly only two or three of the eighteen). After the Conference they shelved the proposal as “the time wasn’t right” failed to rebrand as Republican Left and, instead, implemented the alternative proposal.
JJ McGarrity (Jnr)
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Comments
The United Irishmen.
By: James coughlan | 20th March 2019, 5:15pm
I have been a member of the Workers Party since my early teens and campaigned on every social issue but I firmly believe that a newspaper with a United Irishmen heading would do more to popularise the party as it keeps alive the connection with Tone, Henry Joy etc this mixed with our socialist beliefs would propel The Workers Party to new heights amongst the youth of the working class while at the same time exposing The leaders of the Provisional Sinn Fein who have seduced working class people with false agendas.Go raibh maith what as leamh comradai.
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You can join this discussion on The Cedar Lounge Revolution
By: Garibaldy Fri, 17 Sep 2010 12:18:52
In reply to Joe.
The thing is Joe there is a funny tendency on threads like these for new names to appear and make the same points that other new names have made previously on similar threads in practically exactly the same language and using basically exactly the same “evidence”/”accusations”/”stories” (delete as you think appropriate). The word “trolling” was chosen carefully.
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By: Jock McPeake Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:00:02
As Poto noted above, I think the past is the past. As it happens I would have liked the new party/Republican left idea to have taken off. I am not bothered too much with commemorations etc now. Looking at the WP website I see a lot of the changes in policy presentation (ie republicanism) that people wanted now seem to be party policy (ironically). This might explain why some former ORM comrades have gone back to the WP. Does Gariblady consider that legitimate? As for trolls, I thought they were creatures that lived under bridges and scared children?
On a more serious point: I was not talking about the axis of evil ala Texas Bush. Garibaldy may not be aware that senior members of the WP visited Iraq on at least two occasions in the 1980s, (1981, 1984-85?). This was after Saddam’s massacre of the communists, of which we were aware. When asked about this we were informed a) Iraq was a progressive country b) there were opportunities for funding and support there. Support for the DPRK was also sold as a great opportunity for training, funding etc. I cannot remember anyone who went there (apart from the leadership) who actually thought the place was anything but a weird madhouse. The USSR was a different matter.
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By: John O'Neill Wed, 22 Sep 2010 08:14:08
Garabaldy stated “AFAIK, elements of this document were lifted from one produced previously, at the time of the DL split I think it was (the stuff about the Student Princes etc).” I would reject this assertion and ask him to state what document he is referring to. I also believe the term “Student Princes” was actually from the Labour Party who were resentful of the USI WPers taking the cosy union jobs that were usually reserved for the Labour Party. Garabaldy has a tendency to make these throwaway remarks quiet often but as far as I am aware, he wasn’t even a member at the time of this split.
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By: Jock McPeake Wed, 22 Sep 2010 09:58:28
As the above notes that was a new document, not an old one. I see comrade Garibaldy has not bothered to respond to my questions about Iraq.
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By: Sticky Wicket Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:55:06
In reply to John O’Neill.
Did Harris or the Industrial Dept not put forth a document that called them ‘Student Princes’? This is what I always understood to be the case.
As for the Super-Sticks, the WP is still attempting to promote class politics and represent working class people whilst they(ORM) seem mainly concerned with giving out about the WP and the course of history.
I’d say more unites than divides and its heartening to hear some have returned to the fold both up North and down South
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By: john O'Neill Wed, 22 Sep 2010 19:32:40
Sticky Wicket is right, Harris put a document calling Rabbitt, Gilmore and others the student princes. Is that the ‘lifted element’ Garabaldy is referring to? Because it is misleading to say the least to trash a paper dismissively, making out its merely a rehash of something written before when it wasn’t. The subtext being, the ORM wouldn’t be capable of writing anything coherent.
The WP might still have a few student princes.
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By: HAL Wed, 22 Sep 2010 21:56:40
In reply to John O’Neill.
Did you write it ?,I fear thou protest too much.Either way its redundant.I mean the orm rejected what they voted for and they don’t seem that active on the drugs issue.Id say the main reason the WP struggled after the defections where financial ,huge debts and no TDs salaries.The media at that time was selective and only carried the DL side of things,an example of which was the DL claims of secret kitchen cabinets and nefarious goings on,and all the while they where the one’s actually plotting a secret coup against the membership.Hard times followed and bitching started,then the I told you so’s emerged and things just spiral’ed.Anyway as a previous poster said most are drifting back.
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