Irish Left Archive: We are Red Action: A short history of Red Action, c. 1990s

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Many thanks to the person who forwarded this to the Archive.

This document although relating to Red Action in the UK was repurposed and reprinted for Red Action Ireland. Note the Irish PO Box address on the last page. The introduction notes that:

This document is an attempt to briefly explain how the organisation Red Action came into existence. and to try and explain some of the ideas and motivations behind it.

To this end many references will be made to the organisation  that its founders were formerly members of (Socialist Workers Party). However this should not be seen as an attempt to attack one particular organisation. 

Most of the criticisms made are general to most left groups, and in many cases apply far more to others, but our experiences occurred in the SWP and it is to them that we must relate. our story. For our part we are quite aware of the fact that without the SWP there would have been no Red Action· at thisme, and so we could be fairly said to be in their· debt.

As to the document itself, it will be immediately noticeable to anyone with· any. knowledge of the history of the left in this country that the parts that deal with this subject contain  implications and omission. This was done consciously and was the result of a wish not to bog down any read that may not be familiar with this subject…

The technical quality of this document is not of a very high level. This is not because we prefer  it that way, but it simply, the result of the fact that we are an organisa­tion that is constantly having to divide no finance by no resources. In this case production was achieved by what could only  be described as a particularly laborious home made method. 

The writing was· done by one person,. and so the views expressed are nt necessarily held by everyone in Red Action. It can be safely assumed, however, that  most of the members would endorse most of what is said .