About Us
Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,
Beasts of every land and clime,
Hearken to my joyful tidings
Of the golden future time
Addendum: Winter 2007/Spring 2008 – We’ve been termed ‘crypto-Provos’, ‘Sticks’ and whatnot. These are entirely contradictory charges (for those visiting afar look up the term “Sticks” and “Provos” to get some sense of just how contradictory). Vastly entertaining and completely incorrect. Read on to get an idea of the approach of the Cedar Lounge Revolution (and no surprise that the political situation has swerved away from our predictions below when this was first written in 2006. Someday we’ll get around to updating this, or perhaps we have in our posts). Meanwhile if you like the CLR then for even more politically focussed discussion and debate check out Political World here.
Okay, admittedly the last thing the world needs is another blog, let alone another ‘political’ blog. So, why are we bothering with this one?
Well, we believe that there’s room for an Irish blog with a unashamedly, but undogmatically, left-wing view of the world, and that’s what we’re trying to put together with ‘The Cedar Lounge Revolution’. As a group of individuals who have met on Politics.ie, arguably the single finest Irish political resource on the web, and continue to post there on an often daily basis, we’ve come to a conclusion separately, but simultaneously…
It seems that, on the internet (we hate the word ‘blogosphere’) as in the ‘real world’, ‘right-wing’ thought is on the ascendant. Whether it’s coming from Ayn Rand-worshipping libertarians, religious fundamentalists or 19-year old university students who love wearing suits and dream of growing up and becoming Richard Perle, the right is confident and unapologetic in putting forward its ideas. By contrast, left-wing opinion seems more divided than ever (never forgetting, of course, the truism that in every generation, left-wing opinion is always ‘more divided than ever’). Whether it’s Stoppers vs. Mongers, Trots vs. Stalinists, Revolutionaries vs. Reformers, Social Democrats vs. Democratic Socialists vs. those who are finding it increasingly hard to tell the difference, the left has always saved its greatest ire for those closest to it, and tends to spend far more time fighting amongst itself than against those on the other end of the political spectrum.
But that’s not the whole story. This seems to be the end of one period of recent history and the beginning of another. George Bush has only two more years in the White House. His legacy has largely been constructed. That means that new political choices are opening up across the Atlantic. Tony Blair, the architect of contemporary politics in the UK is moving towards the end of his years in power. Here in Ireland we have the prospect of the full implementation of the GFA in the next six months, or some new structure administered by the UK and the RoI. And there are less than twelve months until the next election to Dáil Éireann. All in all it seems timely for a new engagement by leftists with the events that, for better or worse, will shape the global and national political landscape for the next decade. There’s opportunity in them thar hills…
That’s why we think that it would be useful to take a step back right now, and think about issues in a somewhat calmer, less adversarial way. We don’t think that those who support the progressive political values should have to apologise for their beliefs in the face of opposition from those who disagree. On the contrary, we think that ‘now, more than ever’ (to use the cliché) there’s a need for those who consider themselves left-wing to assert themselves in the face of an increasingly ‘centrist’ consensus. This blog is our small attempt to contribute to this (although we might throw in a little leftie-bashing for good measure – splitters!). We’re also aware of that defining issue on the Irish left, the relationship between the left and nationalism and Republicanism and that relationship will be part of the discussion.
You’re not going to find a consistent line on here, as our contributors each have their own distinct perspective, some being members of political parties, others just sympathetic and others coming from the ‘Plague on all your houses’ school of thought. You’re not going to find a Drudge or Slugger-esque news digest, with immediate links to every political story as it breaks (as some of the members have lives outside the internet, and the ones that don’t are too lazy to do it).
What you will get, hopefully, is some interesting, but not too heavy or humourless, analysis and debate of Irish and international current affairs. You’ll also get reviews and discussions on books, films and music (oh, and maybe Big Brother as well). And every once in a while we hope to throw in a bit of commentary from people who don’t necessarily share the same values as ourselves, people from the conservative or libertarian right, in order to demonstrate that not all original thinking on economics, politics and society comes from the left side of the street.
We’re trying to make this a blog for those of us who’ll look in on indymedia, but wince at some of the comments; for those who cross their fingers when singing the Red Flag, but still know the words; for those of us who roll our eyes when we hear that the Irish media has a left-wing bias, but wish it were true; for those who dislike the use of the word ‘liberal’ as an insult, but don’t much like liberals either; for those of us used to being on the losing side but are too stubborn to give up yet.
Time will tell if we succeed or not but, for now, enjoy!
Fraternally yours,
The Cedars
Moderation Policy
The CLR is an open forum for discussion. But, it’s not Politics.ie, which is – to apply what splintered sunrise noted on another discussion on comments – ‘something of a bear pit’ and where various terms are bandied about recklessly.
The point is that the CLR is – and has to remain – a place where people can discuss and feel free to discuss but also a place where people can be heard respectfully.
To quote Andy and Louise from Socialist Unity…
We will delete racist, homophobic, sexist, and derogatory comments about people with physical disabilities or mental distress. Comments will also be deleted that are offensive and insulting about individuals. We will also delete comments by “trolls”, i.e those people whose purpose is to impede debate and who post comments with no regard to the subject matter of debate but whose sole purpose and intention is the baiting of other people
We expect comrades to behave in a comradely and fraternal way and to treat each other with respect. We will moderate comments in a way that a Chair moderates a meeting.
We’ll still keep it a light touch, and the balance will be towards retention rather than banning (short term or indefinite). But… again, this is about debate. So no trolling, no sock puppeting and no personalised criticism of others. Criticism is essential, indeed it’s what we’re all about. But fairness is crucial and respect is paramount. Call it courtesy.
One other small thing. In general cut and paste of statements is not appropriate on the site, unless accepted in advance. Please keep that to a minimum.
Comments
Sorry comments are closed for this entry
The Cedar Lounge Revolution 
Wow, it feels just like p.ie on holidays over here!
Congrats on a great blog and an inspiring manifesto. Good luck.
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Welcome! And thanks for the link!
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Ah, something decent to add to the blogroll finally!
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Thank feck.
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Feckin Great website!
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Happy Christmas from SW France lads – have looked quickly over your pitch but don’t see an explanation of the name. I assule it’s a reference to the Cedars in Raheny, am I right ? Or is it a gesture of solidarity to the poor auld Lebanese ??
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Hi Seán, to be honest it’s both, some of us having come from Raheny/Kilbarrack. Haven’t been there in a while though… 🙂
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“We’re trying to make this a blog for those of us who’ll look in on indymedia, but wince at some of the comments; for those who cross their fingers when singing the Red Flag, but still know the words; for those of us who roll our eyes when we hear that the Irish media has a left-wing bias, but wish it were true; for those who dislike the use of the word ‘liberal’ as an insult, but don’t much like liberals either; for those of us used to being on the losing side but are too stubborn to give up yet.”
Jeez, that’s me to a T. Don’t know what took me so long to find you!
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Interesting website you guys have there John.
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I’d not read that statement before. I’d say it was very much what I want to hear.
If I said the major problem with the left was not what line it takes on this issue or that, but its inability to discuss those issues fraternally, would that sound about right to you?
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I’d completely agree ejh, and I think everyone else who posts on here would take much the same view.
I’m not interested in a political competition as to who is ‘right’ but rather how we move forward collectively and individually and allow for space for people to do so as best they can.
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Is the Left Wing Bias – for or against the left?
I have tried for years to get the media interested in the corruption of SIPTU but to no avail, that is – until recently, when Utv did a programme on Belfast Dockers dying from asbestosis. The Northern Sunday World has taken up their plight.
We we ordered to discharge this deadly cargo without protection, to save the employers money.
SEE POSTINGS ON INDYMEDIA.
Actually, since indymedia were closed down they’ve become very conservative, with my postings anyway. Anything that attacks De Rossa, any TD or a SIPTU official – UNLESS it has been previously printed in the media, has been taken down.
My posting, about an hour ago noting my meeting with Joe HIggins and his refusal to help the Belfast Dockers was very quickly taken down.
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Have you gone to your local TD, or the political parties?
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I’ve gone to the very Top, Bertie, and worked my way down. No-one wants to know.
As stated on indymedia, I was one of the Belfast Dockers ordered to discharge asbestos – the result of this is the present day Dying Belfast Dockers.
I have the absolute proof that ITGWU became corrupt.
This union persecuted the Belfast Dockers with heavy fines, and ultimately sided with the Belfast employers to SACK its own members. They both formed an illegal COURT for disciplining and SACKING dockers.
To put a legal face on this corrupt court the union and employers put everything in writing. I still have these traitorous documents.
All the documentation relating to my sacking – along with proof that the union and employers refused to supply the Dockers with a Contract of Employment – even though ordered to do so by an industrial court – I passed to Bertie Aherne, Michael McDowell and all the other TD’s I’ve written to.
No-one it seems wants to expose this corruption because it’s just too BIG.
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That’s fair enough Hugh. All I’d say is that you have to take this again to a media outlet that has credibility. Show them the stuff you have and let them deal with it. Also it might be worth your while to get legal advice since you have written documentation.
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Dear WorldbyStrom,
I have tried them all, from The Irish Times, down.
I have told Vincent Brown, Fintain O’Tool and Kevin Myers, when he was with Irish Times, that:
“When someone whose job is to expose corruption… ignores corruption… than that is also corruption.”
I believe the right wing are protecting SIPTU because it’s keeping the work-force docile.
If SIPTU is destroyed then a myriad of smaller unions will dominate, Partnership will go out the window and the Capitalist Establishment will face a FREE FOR ALL in wage demands.
You wouldn’t call Vincent Brown or the others mealy mouthed, but none of them would take offence… WHY!
Reporters won’t often acknowledge letters, especially when ‘home truths are said about them’, but I did receive two replies from Irish Times, one from Paul Cullen and the other from the woman who was the legal correspondent, I can’t remember her name but she has a new job, something to do with children, I think.
The so-called independent MEDIA here is in the pocket of the government and Partnership. They are quelling a good story for political objectives.
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Okay, how about blogging about it on your own blog?
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No-one was reading it so I stopped, it’s called CORRUPT SIPTU.
On this topic, I just answered SIPTU MEMBER on indymedia and my comment was up for about 30 seconds.
Talk about Big Brother.
The truth about SIPTU’S cover-up of corruption will be aired in open court, as Arthur Rafferty, one of the Dying Belfast Dockers is taking a case against them.
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Well, although in a tragic circumstances, you and those you support will get a day in court.
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I am getting very angry.
The so-called socialists in indymedia have just taken down a posting I put on – Protests at Mayday in Belfast.
I related how Jack O’Connors ears seemed to turn bright red in the Mayday parade, when a contingent of Young Socialists behind him, from DUBLIN I think, took up the slogan of the widows and children of DEAD Belfast Dockers.
“What do we want for the Belfast Dockers, JUSTICE! – When Do We Want It– NOW!!!
I also stated that a Poster a lady was carrying, and which wasn’t in the photos as she was on the other side of North Street, SAID:
JUDAS
Got 30 picies of Silver
What did ITGWU
GET
I also related how, at the speeches part, when Jack O’Connor went to speak I climbed onto the platform and took the mike from him. As I attempted to inform the Trade Unionists present about the betrayal of Larkin and the betrayal of the Belfast Dockers, the mike was TURNED OFF.
As my voice isn’t as strong as it used to be, I told a few Home Truths and then left the platform to O’Connor and his lies, and DID he LIE.
When the parade passed the protesting Dockers and families of Dead Dockers nearly all were sympathetic and SHOUTED support, with MANY crossing the street to shake our hands.
It SEEMS that INDYMEDIA has joined the RIGHT WING CONSPIRICY which intends to keep SIPTU in power and THUS the working class in subjection.
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In DEED.
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…as in the ‘real world’, ‘right-wing’ thought is on the ascendant. Whether it’s coming from Ayn Rand-worshipping libertarians,…
Right-wing????
Ayn Rand?????
Urge to kill…… RISING
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Yup, ‘right-wing’, put in quotes to indicate that it’s an imperfect term, but one which I still broadly fitting when talking about the pretend philosophy of Objectivism.
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Just a thought, but might we want to consider a bit of a small rewrite of this in a wee while? Blair gone, possibly a new government in the South and a functioning Executive in the North.
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That’s a very good point.
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Hugh:”It SEEMS that INDYMEDIA has joined the RIGHT WING CONSPIRICY which intends to keep SIPTU in power and THUS the working class in subjection.”
Hugh, posts to indymedia are only removed if they break the guidelines there. In your case you’ve been posting the same few lines hundreds of times. That’s not news. It’s just repetition.Indymedia is there for new articles and so if your contributions amount to extremely little, extremely, often they you can’t expect them to remain.
We’ve asked you to write up something substantial, with as much evidence and coherence as possible. That’ll probably stay up, though frankly, I suspect the moderators will be somewhat skeptical given the frequency of your past posts. For what it’s worth, the bizarre remarks about indymedia joining right-wing conspiracies doesn’t help your credibility.
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Just noticed your posting James.
No-one from indymedia has ever asked me to write “something substantial.” But, as a matter of face I have. It’s a stage-play entitled ONE BIG ONION.
This is taken from Larkin’s slogan – One Big Union.
As for my remarks being bizarre – who would ever think that a LEFT WING UNION would collaborate with employers to sack its owm members, or drive these same members to their deaths, as proven by the DEAD Belfast Dockers who were forced by their union to discharge asbestos.
Also – who would think that Joe Higgins would refuse to help the still living Belfast Dockers who at the present moment are dying.
A comment I made on indymedia last night about Joe Higgins refusal to help was quickly taken down.
Anyone in any doubt about the BIZARRE CORRUPT behaviour of this ITGWU and the cover-up by SIPTU should see http://www.nvtv.co.uk where dying Belfast Dockers have their say about ITGWU and SIPTU.
The bizarre behaviour of Joe Higgins when I asked him to publicise the corruption of SIPTU IS WHAT IS BIZARRE!
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As my noteworthy comments on indymedia about the new newspaper have been taken down, I will just say on this site that it’s reassuring to see that the HSE has stopped the demolition of Ballymun Towers because of the threat of Asbestos.
If only the Belfast employers and the Dockers union had had the same concerns for the People of Belfast and the Belfast Dockers.
What is particularly disgusting about this whole issue, is – that the Human Rights Commissions, North and South DON’T see this as a Human Rights issue – OR if the TRUTH be told, they PRETEND not to.
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Dudes! Your RSS feed doesn’t work anymore. Did you turn it off or something?
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What’s an RSS feed? Nah, I know what it is. I’ll go and check. Cheers for that Pidge….
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I just spotted that you’re mentioned on an 18 Doughty Street as being a “top class blog”.
Nice one!
(http://doughty.gdbtv.com/player.php?h=a04f3fca4289ac83c797808cee5dde80)
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Most people hate left wing politics. look what happened to pat rabbit.Why dont ye just go a\wy.
AS for youth defence. At least the women are beatiful as appose to that pig called ivana and her gay bum boy norris
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Puerile and wrong… a combination one sees sadly all too often.
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I think that was the appeal to the intellect, as it were.
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Rubbish spelling too.
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Really nice site you have here. I’ve been reading for a while but this post made me want to say 2 thumbs up. Keep up the great work
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Thanks automated message generator…
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I was searching for info regarding the death of Monty Johnstone when I came across this blog. After reading the intro It is going to be my favourite. I have been in germany 25 years, so out of touch with everything.
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Very good.
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I am seeking consent to use the image of the burning earth
SER_27052007125123 on a CDROM for graduate students
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Consent granted.
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Oh, that image… Erm, I think it’s clip art… still what smiffy says…
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Oh, hang on. Was that a real request? I thought it was just spam.
Doh!
Consent revoked.
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🙂
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Hey you guys! Are any of ye interested in meeting up to discuss a few ideas about left-wing collaboration on d’interweb? At this stage, I’m just talking about meeting for a pint to throw out a few ideas and see if there is any interest. Let me know – chekov AT indymedia DOT ie
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http://irishpiratereview.wordpress.com/
ROFLMAO
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I like it… y’arrr…
okay, who’s behind it?
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I’m guessing Toss…
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It could be… it could very well be…
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Hello,
I’ve recently looked over your site and believe that your reader-base and visitors might be a possible advertising venue for us.
I am interested in traditional link advertising as well as using link “blurbs” on certain pages of your site, or on certain articles. Perhaps even submitting articles. This includes but is not limited to purchasing a post also. We are open to any idea that would allow us to capture interested readers, but would prefer to avoid the traditional “Ads by Google” and “Sponsored Links” sections.
Please let me know if you’d be open to discussing advertising possibilities further.
Thanks in advance,
Travis
Abazias.com
Stock Symbol: ABZA
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It’s all ABC1s on here…
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Any room in the Lounge for a wannabe Zippy?
Love the meteorite falling through the atmosphere…
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Can I write a message? Any room for an auld Zippy from time to time here in the Lounge?
For politics, you are all my teachers.
We must get a project going between here and there – something on the Left maybe – it looks like there are so many lefts that if you all got organised and got together that it’d be something to be reckoned with in Irish politics. Be prepared first though …
Nam et ipsa scientia potestas es
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There is of course Auditor. Again apologies, the spam filter is cruel on occasion. Incidentally, that ain’t no meteorite… it’s the healing light of the Left… or somesuch…
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-For several hundred years women in Ireland have chosen to cover their hair and necks to mark themselves as being of a particular religious observance. They have had freedom to wear these coverings in places of education and other work without censure from colleagues or politicians expressing fear for the future of Irish culture.
These women are called nuns.
According to the article in The Irish Times of Saturday June 14th headlined “Looking beyond the headscarf”, this freedom is in danger of being denied to Muslim girls in schools in Ireland.
Labour Party Education spokesman Ruari Quinn is quoted as saying that he finds the wearing of the hijab “divisive” and that “I also find there’s an element of male domination over females being enforced”. While he is subtly expressing his prejudice against Muslim men and women with this statement, he is also perfectly expressing his wish to dominate women by removing their freedom to cover.
He also makes reference to “Irish people of all classes”. Clearly, separation of Irish residents by class is acceptable to him, but separation by religion or culture is not! His stated desire is to “integrate newcomers”, but this will be done by stripping them of freedom of choice. After that I expect the Labour Party if it were in government would assign them to one of the “classes”.
As a newcomer to Ireland (from Toronto where the largely successful assimilation of immigrants- including Irish- is as the result of freedom, not curtailment, of religious and cultural expression, and schoolgirls wear hijabs without the sky falling) I was heretofore unaware of the the importance of classes in Ireland and their voice in determining political platforms, at least for the Labour Party.
An article in The Irish Times on this subject could be most helpful for my future as an Irish person. Heaven forbid that I assign myself to the wrong class by wearing the female equivalent of a cloth cap or top hat or a headscarf tied in a way that is anathema to “Irish people of all classes”.
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Can’t disagree with that. Although you wouldn’t be the first to note a certain issue of class politics and the LP… or indeed much/most of the Irish left… 😦
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Cedars — I don’t have a scanner, but I would like to pass along issues of a newsletter (Northern Ireland Report) that I helped publish in the states in the early 1990s. Although it reeks of Adams-cheerleading (I was young and dumb), it did contain some interesting interviews with Trimble, Hume, McCann and others.
Send me an address and they’re in the mail.
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If you send an email to worldbystorm AT eircom.net AT being the @ I’ll email you an address out. Many thanks, much appreciated John.
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Here, deadly blog. I only found yis. Is it ok if I link you in mine, so I can feel less lonely? It’s remarkably amateurish compared to yours, but I mean well. (I won’t publish the name of it here so I’m not spamming you, maybe you could mail me a response and delete this comment?).
Thanks
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If you’re genuine fine, if not, no. But sure if you’re not you won’t pay a blind bit of notice to what we ask.
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Done, thanks!
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I picked up on this perhaps via Slugger O’Toole, and I am curious to probe its philosophy. I have tried several time to get dug in, but am frustrated by an elementary flaw in the basic editing: contrast of typeface against background, making it hard to read. This message I am typing looks OK when typing it, but when absorbed into the system not douby will become as illegible as the rest: faint type on an off-white background. Why can’t we have basic black on white, so as to make it easy to read?
RoyJ
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Let me add a political point. what do people think of the role of the EU relative to that of the US? Does the EU perhaps need some sort of Fed existence, fit to develop global policies independent of the US, and to declare its independence of NATO? The latter is clearly being used as a tool of US oil-imperialism. It no longer serves any visible EU interest. Might this be what Lisbon is about? Would this perhaps explain why Ganley effectively led the opposition to it, acting in the interests of the US?
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Hello Mr. Johnson. Welcome to the Cedar Lounge.
Are you the Roy Johnson who wrote the fascinating
book “Century of Endeavor” ?
I don’t have a problem with the typeface,but maybe
you could ask the moderators about it if it is
causing you difficulties.
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RoyJ, can I echo Starkadders welcome. Did you get the email I sent to you in response to yours? Regarding the typeface you’re the first one to raise a concern but if this is a general problem I’d be happy to look into it…
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Hey guys, great blog. I only discovered it tonight but it’s good to see an active left-wing voice of the sort that often gets drowned out by the crazies that usually inhabit P.ie!
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As I race towards towards Old Age at an ever increasing speed – I’d like to pose publicly, a question I posed, to the so-called Left Leaning Leaders of the – ‘left with a small lean’ Parties.
To these leaders [named elsewhere] I asked – “Why don’t you inject some Socialism into Capitalism?
Why don’t Trade Union Leaders, instead of just taking members money and doing nothing with it except pay themselves large salaries – use the money to buy so-called ailing industries and keep their members in work?
Slowly but surely they’d acquire more and more business and would be able to pay the workers a good fair wage as they wouldn’t have shareholders to look after. These business would obviously make a profit as they’d have the whole working class doing business with them.
Workers would shop in Union Supermarkets – fly in Union Airlines and go on Union Holidays…etc…?”
The so-called Left Leaders laughed at this suggestion, claiming “We are not and don’t want to be employers”. I asked them – “Would you do so to save members Jobs”?
The Narrow Minded fools who are only interested in their own pensions – are at this moment in time trying to get fair deals for airline workers who are losing their jobs – are ignoring the fact – that in Ireland and on a world wide scale, workers taxes are bailing out Big Business and they are getting Nothing out of the Big Business which they save.
The world has changed: James Connolly was right when he said Capitalism would devour itself, but you can bet he never envisaged the scenario where the workers would have to save the people who sack them and deprive them of a fair living wage.
Trade Unions in Ireland, and the world over, should be demanding a true partnership – one of equality and prosperity for union members because its their members money which is being used to keep the status quo and the employers safe.
None of this will happen because the Trade Union leaders will Sabre Rattle and safe-guard their own cowardly little pot.
A new era has been reached. It’s obvious that none of the financial institutions of the world will collapse and World Socialism be declared – so Union members should now demand they are no-longer slaves to a defunct capitalism -which uses their own money to enslave them – and demand the union millions are used to create jobs and to keep jobs.
Union Leaders – many who are not even working class and therefore have an affinity with employers – must be made to look beyond their cosy relationship with employers, and live in the real world – the world of today where their members TAXES are power, and to wield it for the benefit of their members and not the employers who exploit them.
If its beyond the union leaders ability or intellect to inject Socialism into Capitalism then they should be removed.
I hope I live long enough to see union members demand that their union dues are used for more than paying fat officials fat salaries.
Hugh Murphy
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Dear Hugh I see our are mentioned on DCU BLOG kEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
Dan
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Hi!nvbw! http://cvfamwki.com ysihm xvovq http://begzgpfm.com yzpjx kvqpb
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Hi! phhpk rtcma xvhbv pmdlp
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Hi,
Could you add PANA (www.pana.ie) to your list of links. I don’t think it is there.
Regards
Jim Monaghan
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Surely Jim.
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Dude,
What happened to “For Lefties too Stubborn to Quit” in the banner?
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Ah, I was bored and thought I’d try out various formulations, many of them tongue in cheek. Why, do you or others like the original line?
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I preferred the old one myself.
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Me too. That’s what attracted me. Think it sums it up for many here and has ATTITUDE.
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Okay, okay… I’ll change it back a chairde… 🙂
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“The people’s flag is deepest red,/Oft shrouded it the martyred dead/But ere their limbs grew stiff and cold/Their heart’s blood dyed in every fold”
From memory, better google it now to see if I’m remembering it right. I like your manifesto, comrades, I’ve rss-ed your feed
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Appreciate that Cormac…
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I tried to contact cedar lounge by e-mail on 01/05/08 but got no reply. I re-discovered it when someone sent me the recent encounter with Brendan Clifford and the Aubane and IPR scene, which I scanned, and found interesting. Observing the cedar lounge structure I detect a significant record of wide-ranging experience, worthy of serious indexing. I feel a need to interact with someone who might help me enter the blog culture, so as to contribute and participate. I have been in hands-on computing since 1964 and into e-mail since 1988, but I find myself somewhat leapfrogged by the blog culture. I think I probably have some material worth contributing to the record. Perhaps you have someof it already?
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Roy,
The best person to contact is World By Storm, whose address is
worldbystorm@eircom.net
I’m sure he would be very grateful for any material, as I can safely say would the audience.
I’m not sure if you are looking to start a blog of your own, or to become a regular contributor to discussions on sites, but the wordpress system makes it very easy to start and maintain a blog, put up pictures etc.
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Roy, I sent you a response directly after your email, I was particularly concerned as regards your advice about indexing and as you’ll see we’ve implemented a form of index, although it could be better, but as with everything else concerned with the internet, it’s more than possible it got swallowed up… if you can email me at the email above as Garibaldy suggests I’ll happily respond… many thanks for the offer of material.
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Dear Sir, dear Madam,
In a contribution on Heinrich Boell’s 1957 travel book ‘Irisches Tagebuch (Irish Journal)’ Dr Hermann Rasche used the picture of ‘Swastika Laundry’ (article from April 22nd 2007) which he found through google on your webside ‘https://cedarlounge.wordpress.com’. Could you please let us know whether there would be any copyright problem if this picture is printed in an academic publication (Irish-German Studies 5, focussing on Heinrich Boell’s ‘Irisches Tagebuch’, edited by Dr Gisela Holfter; it will appear in the Wissenschaftlicher Verlag Trier at the end of the year)? If you could let us know by the end of the month we would be very grateful.
All good wishes
Sabrina
Sabrina Schoenherr
Centre for Irish-German Studies
University of Limerick
Limerick / Ireland
phone: +353 (0)61 202395
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Hi, great site. Discovered it through the excellent Irishelectionliterature. Nice to see some unapologetic west-side opinions on this Island.
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I see this blog has subsided; I made a couple of efforts to communicate meaningfully with it, but no creative contact emerged. I will e-mail ‘world by storm’ with some further thoughts. I must say I prefer to deal with ral names.
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Roy, it’s Christmas day. the blog hasn’t subsided. Apart from you and, erhm, me, everyone else in the English-speaking world has better things to be doing.
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Womens Issues from the CPI
Seminar of Communist and Workers’ Parties on the Role of Communists in the Struggle for the Parity and Emancipation of Women
Brussels, 26 March 2010
Lynda Walker, National Chairperson, Communist Party of Ireland
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Introduction
The Communist Party of Ireland welcomes the initiative by our Greek comrades in organising this seminar. We also thank the Workers’ Party of Belgium for their hospitality. The fact that we are here today is an important development, and we feel that this is an opportunity for us as communists to examine our common positions and the ways that we can work together to build the world communist movement.
In the past the Women’s International Democratic Federation (NGO) provided women from progressive organisations with the opportunity to share our experiences in the struggle against imperialism, apartheid, racism, fascism, and exploitation. The WIDF still exists, and maybe it is an organisation that we should look to for information about changes that are taking place in the world of women.
Women are not separate from the class struggle, but we recognise that there are specific needs that have to be addressed. This paper gives a brief historical background relating to Ireland and our experience regarding the struggle for parity and the emancipation of women.
The CPI has been instrumental in organising International Women’s Day events that are directly related to its aims. At our last congress we noted: “Socialist women established International Women’s Day nearly a hundred years ago. It has become recognised throughout the world, but its origins, based on socialism and peace, are often relegated to some kind of liberal and businesswomen’s celebration. The working women of the world and the trade union movement in particular must rescue the 8th of March and reclaim it as their own, pursuing demands that enhance the majority of humankind’s living standards, showing international solidarity with women throughout the world and declaring opposition to war and poverty.”
However, it must be said that international Women’s Day does not exist for the woman who is in dire poverty, in hunger, the woman who is HIV-positive, and drug addicts and so on. For the vast majority of women in the world our general concerns are about life’s essentials: food, fuel, and hosing.
What has changed since 1910? As we are marking a hundred years since the declaration of International Women’s day by Clara Zetkin and other socialist women, it is relevant to compare the present day with the world that existed at that time. Wars, the arms trade and private armies continue to serve the cause of imperialism. In the early part of the twentieth century the Irish Marxist James Connolly wrote: “Everywhere it [the British Empire] holds down races and nations, that it might use them as slaves, that it might use their territories as sources for rent and interest for its aristocratic rulers.” Alexandra Kollontai echoed these thoughts when she said: “The cause of war is the struggle of national capital on the world market. English and French capital is fighting German capital in Africa, Asia, and on the markets of smaller states.”
The cause of war continues. The words of Lenin illustrate the depth of the situation when he wrote: “The intensified rivalries of the great Powers in the epoch of imperialism increase the competitive growth of armaments. Arms production, the most lucrative branch of heavy industry, becomes a national and international force and itself acts as an incentive to war . . . War,” said Lenin, “is terribly profitable.”
For several hundred years our world has experienced much war and suffering resulting from colonialist and imperialist exploitation. On the centenary of International Women’s Day we call for an end to the wars inflicted upon the peoples of the world by the United States and its allies.
In the struggle for parity, for women’s emancipation and for socialism we understand the reactionary role that the European Union is playing and the role of British imperialism. The European Union is the driving force behind the anti-people and anti-worker policies now being imposed to secure the interests of monopoly capitalism. In an era when control of the world’s natural resources and threats to the environment are becoming more vital, we as communists have to look at how women’s lives are affected and the contribution women can make to helping to change the world.
Historical background
Naturally, this paper can only give a short historical explanation of the political context regarding the question of women’s emancipation. In Ireland the struggle for the parity and emancipation of women has to be considered from the perspective of a people struggling to gain national independence. The fight for national independence brought about a situation where all other causes might be considered secondary. This was certainly the case during what is called the first and second waves of feminism.
From the 1880s several suffrage organisations were established, but the Irish Women’s Franchise League was formed to ensure that the Home Rule Bill being advocated by the Irish Nationalist Party would include votes for women. It was at this time that future communists such as Charlotte Despard were active, alongside Hanna Sheehy Skeffington, in the fight for women’s rights. John Redmond, the leader of the Irish Nationalist Party and proposer of the Home Rule Bill, opposed women’s suffrage, and a bitter political struggle took place between those who put Irish independence separate from women’s independence. (The Sheehy Skeffington family contributed much to the fight for the emancipation of women. Charlotte Despard and Hanna were to undertake a six-week tour of the Soviet Union in 1930.)
Women and women’s organisations have played a significant role in the fight for national independence. One of the first women’s organisations to be formed, in 1881, was the Ladies’ Land League, an organisation established to fight for land rights for the landless and fair rents for tenant farmers. Inghinidhe na hÉireann (“Daughters of Ireland”), 1900–1914, was formed to promote “everything Irish” and Cumann na mBan in April 1914 to support the Irish Volunteers, a nationalist army established in 1913.
Women’s emancipation should be linked to the cause of labour, and James Connolly recognised this. His weekly speeches and articles show that he had a deep understanding of conditions that women face and the potential that they held. He wrote: “None so fitted to break the chains as they who wear them, none so well equipped to decide what is a fetter. In its march towards freedom, the working class of Ireland must cheer on the efforts of those women who, feeling on their souls and bodies the fetter of the ages, have arisen to strike them off, and cheer all the louder if in its hatred of thraldom and passion for freedom the women’s army marches ahead of the militant army of labour. But whosoever carries the outworks of the citadel of oppression, the working class alone can raze it to the ground.”
Women participated in the 1916 Easter Uprising, and the Irish Citizen Army, the first workers’ army in Europe, formed by Connolly. Under British rule, women in Ireland were given limited franchise in 1918. The first woman to win a seat in the House of Commons at Westminster was an Irish woman, Countess Markievicz, in 1918; she did not take the seat, because as a candidate for Sinn Féin she abstained from participating in the British Parliament. She became a minister in the first Dáil (Irish parliament) in 1918, and was elected Minister for Labour in the second Dáil in 1921.
The South
The partition of Ireland in 1922 meant that the struggle for labour and for Irish independence was fragmented. James Connolly’s maxim that “the cause of Ireland is the cause of labour and the cause of labour is the cause of Ireland” was recognised by a minority of political parties. The Communist Party of Ireland, when it was formed in 1933, recognised this as a principle. The reactionary nature of both regimes, in the Irish Free State a Catholic nationalist government and in the North a right-wing unionist government under British rule, meant that the fight to build the unity of the working class on an all-Ireland basis was fraught with all kinds of difficulties. Although women’s emancipation should be an integral part of the labour and national struggles, this has not often been the case.
The forces that won the civil war following the murder of the revolutionary opposition leaders of 1916 were of the Christian-democratic type, with the consequent view that women were the supporters of men and that their place was in the home. This led to restrictions in the rights of women being incorporated in the 1937 Constitution, affected their right to work following marriage in the civil service, in teaching, and in local government, and extended into the broader employment field. Custody of their children was vested in the father; their right of inheritance was limited. During that time the climate was very hostile to the full participation of women. Nevertheless during this period women trade unionists, led by women who had been involved in both the trade unions and the independence movement, led demands for equality and joined with other women’s organisations, such as the Irish Housewives’ Association, to keep up pressure for women’s demands.
By the end of the 1950s and early 1960s some of these demands had been met, such as custody of children and rights of inheritance. However, the rise of the women’s liberation movement and revolutionary and independence movements abroad, with demands at home for better economic and social rights by the left, led to a rise of the women’s movement to push for full rights. These came from the Communist Party, which had a very active women’s group, the trade unions, and social protest groups such as Dublin Housing Action Committee, set up by the party and other left groups to fight dreadful housing conditions. The Irish Women’s Liberation Movement came to the fore in 1970 when influential women in journalism and the law and academics came together with the women in the left movements demanding reproductive rights, the right to divorce, employment and social welfare rights, and for the right be part of the political process. These led to the establishment of the Council for the Status of Women, which produced two reports, which in turn led to the Government setting up the Law Reform Commission and the consequent changes in the law regarding the rights of women.
Ireland’s entry into the Common Market also brought changes, but, contrary to the much-stressed view by politicians and women of the elite class that it was the EC that gave women rights, it was the pressure of the women’s movement and the need for equal competition laws across all states to ensure that low-paid women in one country did not give that country an unfair competitive advantage that motivated the EU to give comparable rights to women at that time. The market also now needed women’s paid wages to expand debt to families for rising house prices and to boost consumption.
The North
From 1968 the fight for civil rights was a major movement, and politics in the North took on a more fluid nature. Democracy was enveloped with repressive measures of the British and Unionist Government. The British army was brought onto the streets, and internment without trail was introduced in August 1971. Many women took part in civil disobedience campaigns and civil rights action. At a civil rights march in Derry in January 1972 the British army shot twenty-eight people, thirteen of whom were killed. This resulted in a reaction, and more and more young people joined the Irish Republican Army (IRA). The Loyalist paramilitaries also grew, and the bomb and bullet campaign, alongside the violence of the army and the police, overshadowed the situation.
Much of the burden of a violent and repressive society has fallen on women in Northern Ireland. Women in their accustomed roles of wife and mother have campaigned on behalf of imprisoned relatives, have fought against the use of plastic bullets, and have agonised over children or husbands involved with the security forces or various paramilitary groups or engaged in anti-social activities. To a lesser extent women have also themselves been active in such organisations and activities and experienced imprisonment and strip-searching. Fears and anxieties generated by the situation have particular relevance for working-class women, who were confronted with the “Troubles” on a daily basis. It is against this backdrop that we have worked.
In America and parts of Europe the growth of the women’s movement began in the late 1960s; but in the North, because of the fight for civil rights, it was the mid-seventies before the women’s movement began to grow and to work on specific political campaigns relating to women. Communists, not taking into account the potential and diverse aspects of this social movement, often viewed the growth of the women’s movement and feminist politics with suspicion.
Building on our experience in the civil rights movement, in which communists played a leading role, we helped to establish the Northern Ireland Women’s Rights Movement in 1976. When it was formed it had the high ideal of uniting women into one organisation to fight for women’s rights. The NIWRM had its successes under difficult conditions, trying to work across the sectarian boundaries, and communists played a leading role in attempting to build a progressive women’s movement. Single issues such as the need for rape crisis centres and women’s refuges were recognised and supported by the CPI. In Northern Ireland from the 1970s to the early 1990s women in nationalist areas who suffered domestic violence were in a “double prison”: if they called the RUC (police) to their home to deal with a violent husband they would be branded a traitor to their community. They were faced with a hard choice.
In 1979, under the auspices of the NIWRM, CPI members helped set up the first women’s centre in Belfast. This initiative itself needs to be analysed, as we now have many such centres in the North. The NIWRM set out to be a broad organisation of people that drew its support from the trade union movement and women in working-class communities. In was no accident that the NIWRM sought and got the affiliation of a number of trade unions, including the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance, Belfast Trades Council, Unison (NUPE at that time), the Transport and General Workers’ Union, Post Office Engineering Union, TASS, and Queen’s University Students’ Union.
Members of the Communist Party of Ireland took a leading role in the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Women’s Committee, and in 1975 the first equal pay case in the North was won though communist leadership. During and before the 1970s, to the present day, women and men campaigned and won some legal changes. These included the extension of the Sex Discrimination Order (NI), divorce legislation in 1979, married women’s property rights, and recognition of rape within marriage as an offence, and some changes in benefit legislation.
Women from the left, communists, republicans and trade unionists attempted to work for unity of working-class women. They tried to work on issues that were common to all; but in the face of the violence and sectarianism the problems were immense.
It was through the NIWRM that affiliation to the Women’s International Democratic Federation took place in the 1970s to early 1990s. In the WIDF we contributed to conferences in a whole host of countries and invited international guests to Ireland. These included Freda Brown, president of the WIDF, Ruth Neto from Angola, Vinie Burrows, US permanent NGO representative for the WIDF at the UN, Angela Davis from the United States, Thbeka Mjolo from the ANC, the Cuban Federation of Women, and many others. A delegation of forty Irish women attended the World Congress of Women in Moscow in 1987. This group was made up of women from the length and breadth of Ireland, including communists, trade unionists, and women activists. The WIDF provided opportunities for us to share our experiences in the struggle against discrimination, fascism, apartheid, racism, and exploitation.
Developing action and ideology
Within communist parties as well as within socialist countries the development of policy and ideology regarding women’s emancipation was not as vigorous as it could have been, and this may have contributed to the destruction of the socialist countries in eastern Europe, where the battle of ideology was lost. The first socialist states enacted laws granting full equal rights for women. The social system introduced free health care, free child care, creches, and extra parental leave—demands that are still to be achieved in the twenty-first century in capitalist countries. These gains have all been eliminated with the dismantling of socialism. But the experience of women in those countries, while appreciating these rights, was that there remained inequality in the sharing of domestic work, in the segregation of jobs in practice, and consequently a gap in pay. They also experienced inequality in power and politics. This proves that certain practices of an outdated economic system do not automatically disappear when a new system replaces it, and it requires the active participation of those concerned to raise consciousness and to move forward. Women in the former socialist countries have cause to mourn the disappearance of so many rights that they once took for granted. They are now the victims of unemployment, discrimination, emigration, absolute poverty, prostitution, trafficking in women and girls, and slave labour.
The role of communists today
The emancipation of women will only come about when we have a political and economic system that is able to support the needs of all the people. However, as communists we fight for the short-term and long-term needs. Being specific about the parity and emancipation of women, the Communist Party of Ireland has played a small but significant role. Today is an opportunity for us to critically examine our policies both nationally and internationally. Within communist parties and the communist movement we need to examine our structures and policies to see where we can improve things.
At our last congress we noted that the women’s movement at home and abroad has helped to raise issues relating to gender inequalities. Sometimes this has been done in a very positive way, working for example in the trade union movement to help expose the fact that the majority of women in paid work are in low-paid part-time or contract work, with little or no security.
Feminist politics has also helped to encourage women to examine the exploitation that they face in both their personal and their public life; feminist writers have brought to light the lives of women in history. The Communist Party rejects the narrow politics of radical feminists that identifies only the patriarchal nature of society and does not recognise the class exploitation. As communists we need to analyse the contribution that feminist ideology has made to Marxist ideology as well as recognising the negative aspects of feminism. We welcome the opportunity to develop our thinking around these ideas. We recognise that a feminist movement made up of people with middle-class ideology—not necessary middle-class people—is influential in preventing the class struggle from going forward. As communists we also recognise that women face specific problems relating to the law, family life, and work. This means that we have to be ready to identify and challenge the problems when we see them.
In the meantime, in Ireland certain demands are being made by all progressive organisations dealing with women’s issues, which will help to eliminate the worst elements of discrimination and the exploitation of women. Working-class women must fight for their rights, by organising in the work-place and in the community. Schemes of charity and social welfare dependence will not raise women to independent status, action separate from class politics.
Globalisation is worsening the working conditions and forcing the concentration of wealth into fewer hands. The continued absorption of the world’s land, mineral resources, food and water by the richer countries is causing a massive increase in famine and wars. Public services are being dismantled across the world. This is led by the G20 countries, and the European Union is a leading force in this intensification. Women work predominantly in the lower-paid public services; they suffer higher unemployment. The attack on trade unions is being intensified, and the rights already established to wages, the length of working day and working life is under vicious attack.
Conclusion
The partition of Ireland means that we live under two separate jurisdictions. Despite the existence of the border between the northern six counties and the southern twenty-six, the ideologies and attitudes that cast Irish women in the role of social inferiors are not contained by boundaries. The influence of the church, church dominance in the educational systems and the issues raised by the national question are all factors that must be taken into account when exploring the shared oppression of Irish women, north and south. Women in Northern Ireland are caught up in a tangle of constant comparison between two different societies: comparing themselves with the situation experienced by their sisters in the Republic but perhaps to an even greater extent with the position of women in Britain. Demands often tend to be formulated based on the latter, while the shaped experience of repressive attitudes and common issues provide a point of contact with women in the South.
The crisis of capitalism provides us with an alternative to develop unity of the left through struggles on key social issues. The relative peace that we now experience gives us the opportunity to build an anti-imperialist struggle that recognises our common needs and rejects sectarianism. Women north and south and across communities have linked together in peace project initiatives that are a step towards helping to build unity of the working class. Present-day demands relate to pay, employment, child-care provision, and pension rights, and we specifically condemn the cover-up of child abuse by the Catholic Church. We call for a “Women’s Right to Choose” regarding the right to abortion and other reproductive rights. Approximately four thousand women travel each year from Ireland, North and South, to obtain abortion in private clinics in the UK. The demand to change the law relating to abortion is a class issue that has been ongoing for over forty years. Our demands relating to the elimination of poverty and opposition to the privatisation of water go alongside the need to stop attacks on public services. Whilst our ultimate aim is a socialist united Ireland, we believe that we must fight exploitation and assert issues of personal and sexual freedom on a daily basis.
Finally, we recognise that there are many in other parts of the world that are living in atrocious conditions, facing hunger, war, and violation. It may be that our words are of little comfort to them, but nonetheless we send our utmost message of solidarity to you on this day. We express our solidarity with all those struggling for social equality and for national independence. In particular, we send greetings to Palestinian women and to the women of Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran. The example of Cuba is now inspiring millions throughout Latin America and beyond to resist imperialism and to build a better future. We celebrate the gains that Cuban women have made and the outstanding contribution they have made to winning and sustaining the Cuban Revolution.
Once again, we thank you for organising this event and we hope that new lines of co-operation can be established.
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Always enjoyable, informative and interesting posts on here – thank you!
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[…] About Us/Moderation policy […]
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Like!
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Cast your vote for CLR as one of the most influential left-of-centre European Blogs:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KFMCPZP
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Jesus, I really hope its not. 😉
Who nominated us?
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Just looked at the list. Rather high Irish presence for a Europe-wide poll. (But maybe we are that good 😉 ) And I see eurosocialist hasn’t been updated since April.
nextleft isn’t on it. Neither is yer man Straw’s leftfootforward.
hmm …
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Odd, but intriguing.
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Well, that was definitely peculiar. A blog that hasn’t been updated since April came in at fifth place. The winning blog was the host’s.
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No notes on the front?
Not to rain on anyone’s parade here or anything, but a quick read of Sinn Fein’s pre-budget submission would show that somebody’s been reading Michael Taft. I think if you can influence the economic policy of a political party, surely that deserves a shortlist place at least.
Methinks someone googled “left-wing” and “Ireland” and cedarlounge and irish left review popped up.
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I would very much agree, that’s a huge deficit and would call it into question.
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I should add that Michael writes on Irish Left Review and that his pieces are referenced on an almost weekly basis here at the CLR (and I’ve thought a couple of times that perhaps I should do so less often to spare his blushes, but he’s the best individual left economics writer on the Irish blog scene bar none so spare his blushes I will not 😉 ) so it’s perhaps also possible to avoid seeing everyone in competition and seeing it in a more positive light as being a broad sweep of sites which have very similar viewpoints, have a strong overlap etc and have him writing on them or commenting on them.
That’s a win win, surely?
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boo spam
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I love the title of your Blog as I was a Raheny local, lived just across the Howth road from that emporium of pure pleasure that was and is, despite the smoking ban and other such health and safety measures including the wonderful financial crisis, The Cedars. I lean left if I lean at all though my wife slags me and calls me a liberal which I take as a compliment as I don’t see the two as unlikely bedfellows. Maybe one would hog all the covers and the other would prance naked around the bedroom to keep warm, I am sure this proves I am not too defined in my political thinking. I suppose fair and honest with regulation where it’s needed and freedom where I want it! Ha! Anyway I shall drop into the pub more often now that I am far afield, Spain, Mallorca to be precise and if you need a wedding doing I’m your photographer.
Philip
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Hi – how do I get in contact with you guys? I want to chat about reformcard.com in advance of the general election. Can you get in touch with us at admin@reformcard.com.
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