Ireland's Victory Means Britain's Defeat
| Date: | June 1980 |
|---|---|
| Organisation: | Revolutionary Communist Tendency |
| Series: | Revolutionary Communist Pamphlets, Number 7 |
| Author: | Mike Freeman |
| Collection: | The British Left on Ireland |
| View: | View Document |
| Discuss: | Comments on this document |
| Subjects: |
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Commentary From The Cedar Lounge Revolution
20th February 2012
This document, no 7 in the Revolutionary Communist Pamphlets series and published in 1980, was produced by the Revolutionary Communist Tendency, a precursor of the Revolutionary Communist Party and a split from the Revolutionary Communist Group which had emerged from the International Socialists.
This document takes a forceful approach to the situation in Northern Ireland. It argues:
This pamphlet is our response to the deadlock in Ireland. The success of any British solution depends on the defeat of the national liberation movement. The opposite is also true: Ireland’s victory means Britain’s defeat. The left’s middle way – a British scheme to bring peace and progress to Ireland – is an illusion which can only give credibility to whatever solution the government finally devises. Our object is to win the support of the British working class for the struggle of the Irish people. The labour movement is their most powerful ally in the struggle for national independence. This steaks demands more than stirring workers’ sympathies for the Irish. It means winning their active support for the defeat of the British state.
The document presents a rather brief overview of the roots and causes of the conflict, both political and armed. It also in answer to ‘Irish Questions’, including ‘What about the Protestants?’ – accepts that ‘The Protestant community in the six counties is solidly loyal to British imperialism’ and also argues in response to the question ‘Wouldn’t there be a bloodbath?’ that ‘we accept that given the determination of Britain to impose its will on Ireland this will mean death and bloodshed’.
It addresses the central slogan used by the RCT in relation to Ireland as follows:
The slogan ‘Bring the War to Britain’ is ambiguous. On the one hand it is a call to make the Irish War an issue in the British labour movement. We are fully in favour of raising our opposition to Britain’s war in Ireland and discussing and debating the political problems it gives rise to widely in trade unions and labour movement organisation. Nobody on the left disagrees with us on this. On the other hand the slogan also implies support for a violent attack on the British state – not only in the Six Counties – but in Britain itself. This is what the left cannot accept: Its rejecting of this slogan signals its abandonment of revolutionary working class politics.
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By: Michael Carley Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:07:05
In reply to Ed.
True, and I think that has driven him into some nasty company. While I think Cohen is decent but wrong, I couldn’t say the same about Aaronovitch.
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By: CMK Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:17:31
In reply to Ed.
Whether Cohen has learned anything at all since 2003 should become clear from his attitude to war against Iran. The description of him as ‘decent but wrong’ can’t survive if he backs strikes against Iran, which are looking increasingly likely. Has he made any clear statement in support of attacks against Iran?
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By: Paddy Doyle Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:34:38
Cohen is a worrying example of how you can agree with what someone writes, about say, Blair and then cringe when they write about something you actually know about. His stuff on Ireland is just terrible-the McGuinness election campaign being an example. He also wrote in ‘What’s left’ that the IRA organised the Irish Anti-war movement.
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By: Ed Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:34:47
Dunno what he’s said about Iran, if anything, but he wrote a piece a short while ago demanding military intervention in Syria. Had a quick scan down the comments page and there was a lot of people saying ‘Nick, Nick, Nick, haven’t we heard this tune before?’ or words to that effect.
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By: Mark P Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:09:57
In reply to FergusD.
The Discussion Group, Revolutionary Communist Party and Revolutionary Communist Group were all part of the same unnamed faction in IS. It was called the “Right Opposition” by the leadership.
It was only once they were expelled that they promptly split three ways themselves. How three such politically different groups all stemmed from the same faction is something of a mystery
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By: From the archive of struggle « Entdinglichung Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:06:14
[…] Revolutionary Communist Tendency: Ireland’s victory means Britain’s defeat […]
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By: David Miller Tue, 10 Sep 2013 20:01:21
@MarkP and @FergusD
Sorry I am late to this. Can you help me understand how the ‘revolutionary’/’right’ opposition came together and split. How did the Discussion Group figure in this vis a vis the RCG? And once the RCG had ejected the faction that became the RCT/P is it true that this faction split again before the RCT was formed (in early 1977) with the creation of the Committee for a Communist Programme?
I am trying to get the history of this period right. See where I am with it here: http://www.powerbase.info/index.php/Revolutionary_Communist_Tendency#Formation_of_the_RCG
Could either of you email me?
David@spinwatch.org
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