Advice Please!

[Dóchas]

Typical, as soon as i re-introduce myself my broadband gets messed up but here i am.

Anyway, this thread is aimed mainly at the Irish members of Revleft but everyone is welcome to pitch in. I am currently in the process of joining the socialist party but I'm still quite apprehensive of joining and putting a label on myself. I met with one of their reps today and had a chat with them about joining but I said I would think about it. They seem to be the only significant left-wing organisation/party in Ireland at the moment so I guess it's join them or no one at all! No doubt its a good way to get active and learn more but i just have this feeling that is holding me back. Perhaps it's just stupid but I would appreciate your feedback on this.

What are your opinions on the Irish Socialist Party?

[Spawn of Stalin]

It depends, do you consider yourself a republican? Because from an anti-imperialist perspective they are extremely reactionary.

[Q]

Typical, as soon as i re-introduce myself my broadband gets messed up but here i am.

Anyway, this thread is aimed mainly at the Irish members of Revleft but everyone is welcome to pitch in. I am currently in the process of joining the socialist party but I'm still quite apprehensive of joining and putting a label on myself. I met with one of their reps today and had a chat with them about joining but I said I would think about it. They seem to be the only significant left-wing organisation/party in Ireland at the moment so I guess it's join them or no one at all! No doubt its a good way to get active and learn more but i just have this feeling that is holding me back. Perhaps it's just stupid but I would appreciate your feedback on this.

What are your opinions on the Irish Socialist Party?
As a member of the Dutch sisterorganisation of the SP in Ireland, I can only recommend it ;)

But seriously, just ask critical questions and see if the organisation can help you grow as much as you could help build the organisation. Stay critical and don't be afraid to ask questions. Also important is that once you notice a defect of some kind in the group you're in, whether that'll be the SP or another, it is important in my view to not just walk away but stay and fight for what you believe is right.

The SP is certainly one of the more activist outlets on the Irish left and takes education of new members very seriously, so I'm sure you'll find a good spot there :)

In b4 the anti-CWI trolling of Palingenesis btw.

[Sasha]

She won't, she just got restricted.

[Dóchas]

It depends, do you consider yourself a republican? Because from an anti-imperialist perspective they are extremely reactionary.

I would have thought being a republican was reactionary but maybe I'm missing something, are you talking about republican socialism or republicanism is general because they are very different. What policies/actions make the SP reactionary?


As a member of the Dutch sisterorganisation of the SP in Ireland, I can only recommend it

But seriously, just ask critical questions and see if the organisation can help you grow as much as you could help build the organisation. Stay critical and don't be afraid to ask questions. Also important is that once you notice a defect of some kind in the group you're in, whether that'll be the SP or another, it is important in my view to not just walk away but stay and fight for what you believe is right.

The SP is certainly one of the more activist outlets on the Irish left and takes education of new members very seriously, so I'm sure you'll find a good spot there


Ok thanks.Ireland is politically stagnant at the moment so I think it's my best option, I want to learn as well as being active so I guess it's the way to go.

[Dóchas]

I don't mean to spam or clog up the boards but id really appreciate some more advice on this. I'm leaning towards joining but still unsure

[FreeEire]

As a republican socialist, I can say that some elements of the Socialist Party aren't well regarded by republican socialists due to their over-enthusiastic outreach to Loyalist reactionaries in the North, as well as what some regard as elitist views regarding others on the Left, plus their allegiance to Trotskyism puts others off.

On the positive side, they're one of the more active Leftist groups in Ireland, who have elected members in several areas agitating for change. What I would do is read up on all the groups currently active: SWP, eirigi, IRSP, SP, and even SF and see which one you agree with the most.

[Dóchas]

As a republican socialist, I can say that some elements of the Socialist Party aren't well regarded by republican socialists due to their over-enthusiastic outreach to Loyalist reactionaries in the North, as well as what some regard as elitist views regarding others on the Left, plus their allegiance to Trotskyism puts others off.

On the positive side, they're one of the more active Leftist groups in Ireland, who have elected members in several areas agitating for change. What I would do is read up on all the groups currently active: SWP, eirigi, IRSP, SP, and even SF and see which one you agree with the most.

Ye you have touched on some of the factors that are putting me off but I think in general it seems to be a decent place to start learning and getting active. I dont agree with everything they stand for but Im in no place to be picky, but thank you for your reply I appreciate it :)

[FreeEire]

No bother. For a starting position they're pretty good, I started off in republican socialism but by no means do I support everything a particular party or group does. Get involved with a group but keep an open mind and form your own ideas as well.

[Decolonize The Left]

I don't mean to spam or clog up the boards but id really appreciate some more advice on this. I'm leaning towards joining but still unsure

Look, you can join a party without being "defined" by their perspective on class struggle, etc... You can join simply due to solidarity and the desire to be involved with other committed people - it's nothing to be worried about. Furthermore, if you join and you find that it's not for you, you can always leave.

I suggest that you join this organization if it's what's available in your area and see how it works out. Remember that we're all in this together, regardless of specific ideological differences, and that joining a party doesn't define you anymore than wearing a designer coat does.

- August

[lisamorris8324]

I can't agree more to August. Joining a group is as good as having a family. As long as all of you are one, you'll surely get along. Just take a stand for yourself.

--Lisa:)

[la lucha sigue]

It possibly depends on where you're living as well. The SP and SWP seem to have their own geographical as well as ideological ground. Both have good activists in some areas, but seem to be largely absent from others. I'd have plenty of problems with both groups, being a Republican Socialist and against participation in bourgeois elections myself, but sometimes it comes down to who is doing the most work locally rather than any ideological position. I'd advise just get involved and as active as possible, if you find that you can't be as active as you like or that there's an unresolvable ideological issue, then you can always look elsewhere in the future.

[The Idler]

Check out the ideology of all of the groups before you pick one. You should be able to do this on Wikipedia.