Time to Change Tack

With the election of Michael D Higgins to the Presidency and with another TD by virtue of the Dublin West election, the Irish Labour Party has been given a lift from their slippage in recent opinion polls.

But what will they do with this extra ammunition?  Higgins has a track record of support for progressive politics, even when it has cost him personally.  He lost his Dáil seat after a particularly vicious anti-choice campaign by reactionary Ireland.  He has a good record in defending the disadvantaged and he is a promoter and supporter of the arts.  He is a self-confessed independent thinker – or maverick, if you prefer – and seems unafraid to challenge his own parties leadership if need be.

And there’s the thing.  The Irish Labour Party decided to throw their lot in with Fine Gael – a reactionary and conservative party who are resolved to implement the same ideological policy platform of their predecessors in Fianna Fail.  In other words the further erosion of the state and the continued lemming like adherence to Thatcherism. 

In no way has the involvement of the Irish Labour Party in government contributed to the defence of the plain people of Ireland.  If anything, they have adopted the Thatcherite clothes that seem to have become a prerequisite of participation in government.

Labour are an unnecessary adjunct to a Fine Gael that have enough seats to govern on their own. If Labour cannot make a social democratic (whatever about a democratic socialist) footprint on the policies of this administration, then what’s the point in being there?

The presidential election, among other things, has further established a division in Irish politics between the conservative and gombeen Fine Gael, Fianna Fail/Sean Gallagher element – let’s say about 40% of those who vote) and those of us who support, or at least vote for Labour, Sinn Fein, the ULA and its constituent parts and other left leaning and progressive politicians.

I understand that it is argued that people who support the Labour Party or Sinn Féin are not regarded as truly ‘left’ by some who claim the vanguard of the Left, but I have no truck with this self-defeating sectarianism.  Tony Benn, when asked if the British Labour Party was a Socialist Party replied that it wasn’t, but it contained many socialists.  The same could be argued about Labour and Sinn Fein.  It is petty in the extreme to deny this. 

The future for the left lies in the breaking down of this sectarian nonsense, finding common ground (of which there is plenty, especially on core democratic issues) and forming a broad left and progressive stream in clear opposition to the unchecked capitalism which is causing the ordinary people – the 99% if you prefer – enormous misery.

This may take a while, but it is important to continue to reach out, persuade, embarrass or cajole that significant body of (potential) progressive political activists that make up the Irish Labour Party.  Eamon Gilmour and others in that party’s leadership could and should move closer to the Michael D/Noel Browne tradition, abandon all faith in the old Ireland of Fine Gael and its adherence to Thatcherism and see that they should have no hand, act or part in the further erosion of all that has been won for ordinary people over the past 50 years.

Occupied by the Arts

Progressive people are delighted by the blossoming of the Occupy…phenomenon.  Many of us are not quite sure where it all came from so quickly and heaven knows where it is all going on to, but one thing is for sure, it has given some energy to the Left.

And for certain, that is what the Left need.  After 30 years of Thatcherite hegemony and the rightward drift of Social Democratic and Labour parties, the Left has looked tired and defeated.  This has of course meant that the Neo-Cons and Neo-Liberals have been able to eat away at the progressive gains made for ordinary people over the past five decades. 

The most recent crisis in Capitalism, far from causing the retreat of Thatcherism, has been used to accelerate its key objective – the further erosion of the state.  With little parliamentary representation, progressive political parties have been struggling to stem the tide, whatever about being able to initiate the kind of social and economic policy that we need in the 21^st century.

I am coming to the conclusion that the role of the political party as a vanguard is in question.  I have had this debate with good comrades from several progressive parties and I understand the role that formal party structures can and do play in parliaments, assemblies and in terms of being able to organise and populate campaigns and protests.

But it is only when campaigns broaden out that we see a real impact.   Sectarianism on the Left plays a part in alienating parties from each other and with non-aligned individuals from party structures.  Whatever it may be that causes people to feel excluded or want to be excluded from this aspect of the body politic, the fact remains.

Of course, conservative and reactionary forces want us to be cynical about politics so that we don’t play a part and this has added to the sense of detachment felt by the majority.

It is only when campaigns and issues are dealt with in a wider sense do we see progress.  During the late 1950’ and throughout the 1960’s we had a revolution in music and the arts.   That this coincided with the first generation of working class people coming through the University system and an empowered Trade Union movement meant we had a potent mix calling for change.  The influence of all of this permeated society and crucially the education sector – particularly higher education.  It took reactionary forces a decade or so to counter this and the proceeding 30 years or so to row back on many of the gains made.  The failure of the left in that period warrants further analysis – but not in this article!

Whether political parties are welcome or not at the occupied venues needs to be worked out.  Personally, I believe that the parties need to be involved as they bring experience and stamina. They also have access to the media, especially during elections and could do much to highlight the occupations and add gravitas.   But I do agree that any hijacking – or perceived high jacking – would be counter-productive.  Therefore any involvement would have to be unobtrusive on the ground and without the usual jockeying for position with banners and posters that can turn a decent event into a farce.   In fact party posters should continue to be banned.

This should be an education for the party activists and hierarchies as well.  What use is there in having a self-serving party?  Loose the party ego, so to speak.  The broad objectives are the same.  Broad Left or Broad Progressive is probably the best way forward if we want to avoid division and alienation anyway.

And what is needed, in my opinion, is inclusivity.  When artists, film-makers, musicians and other performers feel that they can join in – on the same non-takeover basis of course – then we could see something truly interesting developing.  The creative arts have a far wider reaching and encompassing appeal than party politics.  I may bemoan that as someone who has spent half of life involved in party activism of one sort or another, but my experience has informed my view here.

These Occupations do have a wide appeal and the creative community can feel able to participate without fear of being branded.  I hope that the occupiers can see that and encourage musicians, film-makers and all artists into the fold.

If this is truly a concerted effort to defeat the barbarity of untrammelled capitalism, then it has to be as revolutionary as the 60’s.  The arts have a lead role to play.

Otherwise Occupied

It appears that progressive political parties are holding back from overt support for the Occupy protests around the world in general and Ireland in particular.

 Perhaps it is because they see the occupiers lacking in political sophistication or any clear program for change. If so, this misses the point. The chips have been thrown in the air, who knows where they will land. Issues are being aired and progressives should run with them.

We all came into to politics to make real change, didn't we? Surely, this is the most interesting political phenomenon of recent years. Where are the statements from the Trades Unions? Whatever else the Occupiers are saying, it is a rejection of the failed capitalist system and on that general principal, we should be shouting very loud support. Come on SF, SP, ULA, Labour Left et al. Loose the ego and give the oxygen of publicity that may help tip the balance

New Thinking

With public opinion being informed by the presidential contest in seems that there is some movement in support for progressive politics.

With Fine Gael able to go it alone in government, there remains an opportunity for the Labour Party to be part of a process of contributing to a movement away from the failures of deregulated capitalism. 

The decision to enter coalition (again) with Fine Gael - a conservative party still wedded to Thatcherism - does nothing to move the ordinary people of Ireland - Labour's constituency in other words - towards a society that Connolly or Dr Noel Browne could be proud of.

Members of the Labour party have much more to offer than this.  They should abandon any sectarian hostility they may hold towards other progressive parties, including Sinn Fein and start talking about serious alternatives to the current paradigm.

There are people rejecting Thatcherism and its international variations and coming out onto the streets.  The chips have been thrown in the air and the outcome of all of this is unpredictable, but it would be a major failing of this generation of political activists if they forget what brought them into politics in the first place.