Soviets of Ireland!

omg Cheers man ! I hear about it and missed it and was like ... Nice one mate !

Would anyone be willing to put this up as a torrent?

Isn't it saddening that the inability to be united is what stopped the soviets from being successful, and it is what stops us now.

Right, you'd have to rip the video, using a program (alas, can't think how at the minute, will have a gander about, if you're willing to put it up), then create a torrent using a torrent program (uTorrent does it nicely). Create a listing on a torrent site, link it, and you're done.

The problem that has always split the far left, and will continue to do so, is frankly, one fits all Marxism doesn't work for everyone. Like you, I'm a council communist, so how a party in the vein of Saor Eire hasn't be put up, I'll never know. They pledged for a Worker's Republic in the 30's; it's now 2008, and no one has picked up the mantle.

Much consideration would need to go into consolidating all the parties into one, or a coalition as you mentioned. Problems arise on disagreements regarding core issues; vanguards if you're of the Leninist or Trot persuasion. Surely these can be worked out however?

I've thought myself recently, about what sort of kick up the arse England needs, 'cause the left is fragmented, sectarian, and worst of all, aimless. Respect and SWP frankly, haven't the balls or brains between them.

Personally, I believe to unite all communists, a Libertarian Marxist approach is going to appease nearly everyone, if not all. Serious agitation needs to be had, and none of this "no one wants to speak about dead Russians or Germans" bollocks that Respect had uttered at their conference.

So you're RedMilitant I take it?

I assume it still exists; haven't got in touch with them yet, but slainte mo chara.

The difficulty with any Left-Unity project is defining objectives. Generally speaking unity between socialists is about electoralism and in principle I don't have any problem with this but at the same time it is quite limited and indeed dangerous as it can often facilitate social-democratic elements. For example; the Irish Socialist Network invited the Workers Party of Ireland to its talks on unity. The Stickies are not socialists. They're social-democrats at best and the remnants of a reactionary rump of criminals, who aided the state as a bulwark, at worst. The same goes for Sinn Féin.

If we are to have real unity it should be between those who genuinely wish to establish a 32 County Socialist Republic and that means fighting for Irish national independence and unity as part of the struggle for socialism. There should be no reason why (besides petty sectarianism of course) the Socialist Party, the Socialist Workers Party, éirÃ*gÃ*, the Irish Republican Socialist Party, the Communist Party of Ireland & the Connolly Youth Movement, the Irish Socialist Network and Socialist Democracy could not work together. I leave out Republican Sinn Féin, the 32 County Sovereignty Movement and the Republican Network for Unity as they are nothing but nationalistic ramshackle militarists who aren't remotely interested in socialism. The IRSP does seem to have similar problems with some of its membership, but their analysis remains solid. I also left out the Workers Solidarity Movement as they're anarchists and so why would we involve them in an electoral alliance or a broad-front for a workers' republic?

This is always going to seperate us amongst the far left from those willing to go down the parliamentary route; unlike needless sectarianism, this is never going to disappear, nor would I wish for it to do so.

These parties you speak of (with exception to the Irps), all wish for socialism in its modern day corrupted sense; state capitalism, within the confines of the state apparatus. A worker phoblacht is far from their intentions, as seen Saor Eire capitulated on a vote to become an electoral party, thus submerging the members into the CP.

I have no interest in reformism. That is one of few things I'm not willing to compromise on, in any way, shape or form.

This is always going to seperate us amongst the far left from those willing to go down the parliamentary route; unlike needless sectarianism, this is never going to disappear, nor would I wish for it to do so.

These parties you speak of (with exception to the Irps), all wish for socialism in its modern day corrupted sense; state capitalism, within the confines of the state apparatus. A worker phoblacht is far from their intentions, as seen Saor Eire capitulated on a vote to become an electoral party, thus submerging the members into the CP.

I have no interest in reformism. That is one of few things I'm not willing to compromise on, in any way, shape or form.

So you're an anarchist then?

And what's so different about the IRSP in your view?

A Libertarian Marxist actually.

The IRSP, I believe, seeks to cultivate a working class, rather than control, or enforce itself as a vanguard. It has also been the most progressive in deal with the gulf imposed upon Catholics and Protestants and being republicans, understands the national question in class terms perfectly.

*Republican Congress, not Saor Eire, was the party that advocated worker councils.

A Libertarian Marxist actually.

Not a million miles from an Anarchist so.

The IRSP, I believe, seeks to cultivate a working class, rather than control, or enforce itself as a vanguard. It has also been the most progressive in deal with the gulf imposed upon Catholics and Protestants and being republicans, understands the national question in class terms perfectly.

Well it's supposed to be a Marxist-Leninist-influenced party, so it should seek to be a vanguard of the working class. And there's nothing wrong with vanguards, even Left Communists and some Anarchists believe in them. But whatever about all that: how did you come to these conclusions about the IRSP? The IRSP has never really been much of a political force since the late '70s/early '80s, it has failed to implement the Ta Power Document and it is still hampered by militarism. So I don't know where you're getting this idea about the IRSP being basically ultra-leftist.

Not at all, although you've touched upon perfectly, the gulf between actual Marxists in their true form, anti-authoritarian, and anarchists, and in contrast, the collection of misrepresentations of Marxism utterly, with your Leninists, Trots, Stalinists and Maoists. Left communism nor anarchism has never advocated for a vanguard, as that runs counter the procuring and application of consciousness in a democratic manner.

As for the IRSP, it has simply lacked the will or numbers to impose itself as a vanguard, nor do I really believe it desires to. The work on a ground level, especially the participation of Protestants within the ranks, has been a huge community achievement. I agree its presence in Ireland is limited (considering its mainly focused on the north), but then you could say that about any of the 'left' parties. Militarism seems to have ceased with the end of INLA operations; aside from getting rid of drug dealers, it seems all quiet on that front.