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Monthly Archives: February 2013
Arundhati Roy
It is mendacious to make moral distinction between the unspeakable brutality of terrorism and the indiscriminate carnage of war and occupation. Both kinds of violence are unacceptable. We cannot support one and condemn the other. The real tragedy is that … Continue reading
My Clause IV moment
To secure for the workers by hand or by brain the full fruits of their industry and the most equitable distribution thereof that may be possible upon the basis of the common ownership of the means of production, distribution and … Continue reading
Posted in General grumpiness, History, Labour Party, Quotes, Socialism
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Being Green
A few days ago there was an interesting discussion on the Socialist Unity blog (I say interesting; lengthy and fractious more like) about a post from a young comrade in York University Green Party entitled Can the Green Party become … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Green Party, Left regroupment, Socialism, Theory
Tagged E. P. Thompson, Green, Green Left, Joel Kovel
3 Comments
Poor old Lenin
One of side effects of the scandal currently engulfing the SWP is that it seems to have stimulated a rash of debates about the nature and relevance of ‘Leninism’. In particular, the SWP’s Central Committee and its supporters portray its … Continue reading
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TudS48gNWOc Margaret Barry was born in Cork City in 1917, around a quarter of a mile from where my mum lived. She was from a traveller family and both her parents were street musicians. When she was fifteen she slung … Continue reading
More in sorrow than in anger
Marx famously wrote ‘History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce.’ In the case of the ongoing implosion of the Socialist Workers Party, the quote should be reversed. The collapse and fragmentation of the Workers Revolutionary Party in 1985 … Continue reading
Posted in Democracy, Left regroupment, Socialism
Tagged democracy, International Socialists, SWP
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A small victory for our woodlands – and for innovative campaigning
As a retired furniture maker (though I’m still happy to take on commissions, I’m very good value, parties catered for) one might be forgiven for thinking that my interest in trees begins only when they are sawn into boards and … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Internet, Wood
Tagged democracy, environment, Internet, Trees
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Shock news from the trenches
There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning. Warren Buffet
Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses?
Look, I don’t want to seem like a bitter and negative old git – indeed, I’m noted for my positive outlook and sunny disposition. So I don’t want to have to endlessly write denunciations of this Tory Government and its … Continue reading
Captain Jack 