Europe

The message of this book is that the destiny of Ireland is a Workers’ Republic, a free Republic without landlords, bankers and capitalists. It is a message of hope, of confidence in the future of Ireland, the working class and socialism. It is non-sectarian equally addressed to all thinking people from different backgrounds, but especially to the cadres and the youth of the Republican movement, who have paid a very heavy price for the last thirty years and who are now seeking explanations.

The right-wing parties suffered an absolutely crushing defeat in the local elections in France. Never, in the entire history of the country, have the capitalist parties been so completely eradicated from elected institutions at any level. As we predicted the victory of the right two years ago was merely preparing an even bigger swing to the left at a later stage.
See the original in French: La déroute électorale plonge le gouvernement dans une crise majeure

Last Saturday March 19, in Brussels, three demonstrations were gathered in one huge wave of opposition to the plans of renewed militarism, increased deregulation, the dismantling of the social security system, increased job insecurity and other plans of the European Union. At the front of the demonstration marched the youth, followed by the heavy battalions of the working class and then the social movements.


In April a new book by Alan Woods is being published by Wellred Books. The title of the book is “Ireland: Republicanism and Revolution”. It looks at the history of the Republican movement from a Marxist viewpoint. Gerry Ruddy, Ard-Comhairle member of the Irish Republican Socialist Party, has written a preface to the book, which we provide here. As he says, “Hopefully, it will stimulate debate and analysis. Serious revolutionaries, genuine Marxists, committed Republicans will read this book with thoughtful interest.”

The London Hands off Venezuela campaign held an excellent meeting at the Walkers of Whitehall pub just off Trafalgar Square after the anti-war demonstration on March 19, 2005. Hands off Venezuela had a stall at the demonstration that attracted a lot of attention, where DVDs, pamphlets and leaflets were distributed on the revolutionary events in Venezuela.

We are very happy to publish this leaflet that has been distributed in West Yorkshire. The authors of the leaflet are a small but committed group of young Socialists who are based in the area.

On March 8th, Aslan Maskhadov was killed. There are currently conflicting reports as to how Russian forces killed the recognised leader of Chechen resistance against the Russian state. His death has been painted as a personal victory for President Putin, who was compelled to admit the weaknesses of the Russian state following the Beslan tragedy. But there is still no end in sight for the war of attrition between Chechen independence fighters and the Russian army.

Twenty years ago this month, the heroic twelve-month long struggle of the British miners to defend their jobs and their communities came to an end. The BBC drama Faith broadcast on February 28 on these events was like a breath of fresh air, an antidote to that earlier filth masquerading as ‘impartial documentaries’. For the first time in the national media the role of the state – its specially created national police force, its media, its secret services, and all the weapons employed by the ruling class to fight the miners – was vividly exposed.

Tony Blair has called the general election for May 5. He did this as opinion polls show a sharp fall in Labour support, down to 37% of the electorate, with the Tories close behind at 34% and the Liberal Democrats at 21%. This would indicate another Blair victory but with a much reduced majority and with significant layers of the working class voting for nobody. There will be no street parties this time.

Way back in 1959, the then Tory prime minister, Harold Macmillan, went into an election with the slogan that Britain has “never had it so good.” Now, according to Gordon Brown, the UK has enjoyed, under his stewardship, the longest period of sustained economic growth since 1701! However, it does not say much for capitalism and the British variety of it that the longest period of economic growth in its history is just seven years.

Jamie Oliver’s television programme has highlighted the scandal of junk food school meals being served up to British children by private firms. In some cases a pathetic 37p is being spent per child. This is the inevitable consequence of allowing profit hungry privateers anywhere near our children’s health and education.