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Volume 5 Issue 3 - September 2010 To Veil or not to Veil? Where should progressives stand? Page 4
GMOs: Frankenfood or Saviour?
Can Youth Unemployment be stemmed?
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www.labouryouth.ie www.facebook.com/labouryouth www.twitter.com/labouryouth www.flickr.com/labouryouth
Also: Socialism and the War on Terror British General Election Analysis
Your National Youth Executive National Chairperson — Rory Geraghty
International Officer—Neil Warner
As National Chairperson, Rory is responsible for the smooth running of Labour Youth as a whole, along with acting as the public face of the organization. He is also a member of the Executive Board of the Labour Party.
As International Officer, Neil is responsible for representing the organization at European level and beyond.
Email: lychair@labour.ie
Email: lyinternational@labour.ie
Vice Chair/Campaigns—Kirsten Gordon
Equality Officer — Colm Maguire
As National Vice Chair and Campaigns Officer, Kirsten is primarily responsible for the formation and execution of Labour Youth National Campaigns. She also acts as Chair of the organization in Rory’s absence.
As National Equality Officer, Colm is responsible for making sure the organization is fair and equal to all. He also liaises with Labour Women and Labour LGBT.
Email: lycampaigns@labour.ie
Email: lyequality@labour.ie
National Secretary — Brian O’Connor
Ed & Policy — Dean Duke
As National Secretary, Brian is responsible for taking minutes at all Labour Youth events, and at NYE meetings. He is also responsible for correspondence, accounts and fundraising.
As Education and Policy Officer, Dean is responsible for drafting Labour Youth Policy Documents, researching prospective Policy Positions, LY Political Training and Chairing the Policy Working Group.
Email: lysecretary@labour.ie
Email: lyeducation@labour.ie
Recruitment Officer — Cathal McCann
Youth & Development—Neil Ward
As National Recruitment Officer, Cathal is responsible for the recruitment and retention of new members. He is also the primary coordinator for the National Recruitment Campaign. He is currently Labour Youth’s representative on the Central Council of the Labour Party.
As Youth & Development Officer, Neil is the Labour Party Staff Member responsible for the administration of Labour Youth. He is also a non-voting member of the NYE. Email: neil.ward@labour.ie
Email: lyrecuitment@labour.ie
Communications Officer — Conor Ryan As National Communications Officer, Conor is the Chief Editor of the Left Tribune, and Chairperson of the Left Tribune Editorial Board and the AV Subcommittee. He is also responsible for managing the overall design strategy, and online presence of the organization. Email: lycommunications@labour.ie
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PLEASE RECYCLE OR PASS ON
www.labouryouth.ie
Table of Contents 2 -
NYE Profile
Comrades and Friends,
3 -
Table of Contents & Editorial
4 -
To Veil or not to Veil
6 -
A Brief History of Radical Democracy
8 -
GMOs: Frankenfood or Saviour?
It is with both a sense of pride and a hint of sadness that I present to you this, the final issue of my term as Communications Officer. I fervently think, and I hope you all agree that this is the finest issue to date, full to the brim with excellent articles on thought provoking topics.
10 - I’d like the chance at a Future please? 12 - British General Election Analysis 14 - Campaigns and Events 15- An Open Letter to New Students 16 - Socialism and the War on Terror 18 - No to Fine Gael! 20- Book Review - The Lost Revolution 22- Film Review - Capitalism: A Love Story 23- Lament for the Poor Bankers
LETTER FROM THE CHAIR Friends With only a short number of weeks to go before the end of my term as Chair, I would like to thank all of you for the support and encouragement you offered to me over my last two years on the National Youth Executive, firstly as Recruitment Officer 08/09 and then more recently as Chair 09/10. I want to wish my successor all the best, whoever he or she may be and commit to offer any help that they may need during their term as chair. This has been one of the most successful years for Labour Youth in a long time with record levels of recruitment, the highest ever delegation to Party Conference and the production of over 5 detailed policy documents. All of this is on top of a number of seminars, campaigns and international trips that have gone extremely well. Before I finish I would like to encourage you all to continue your involvement in the party and Labour Youth and to attend National Youth Conference which is taking place this year from the 5 th – 7th of November in NUI Maynooth. Rory Geraghty
National Chairperson, Labour Youth
This year has been a good one for Labour Youth, with members old and new standing up, being heard and driving forward the movement for change in their communities and in this country. For my part, I am proud - infinitely so, to have played my part in that, as I hope are all of you. I am also conscious that this issue coincides with the initiation of the National Recruitment Campaign. To those of you who are reading this and thinking of becoming involved in the organization, I can only recommend that you do so. In my 3-or-so years in Labour Youth and the Labour Party, I have met and campaigned with people who on top of being some of the most committed activists for social justice that this country has to offer, are some of the most pleasant and welcoming people I have ever met. On a personal note, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed articles this year, my colleagues on the NYE, and the members of the Editorial Board. Without you, this publication would not exist.
Conor Ryan National Communications Officer 09-10
Chief Editor: Conor Ryan Editorial Board: Emer Sugrue, Kerrie Creedon, Kerri Ryan, Sam Ryan, Audrey Walsh, Ray Kelly Contributors: Dan O’Neil, Chris Bond, Peter Kelleher, Steven Lydon, Robert Quinn, Steven Gaynor, Rory Geraghty, Paul Brady, Audrey Walsh, Tom D’Alton, Neil Warner, Dermot Harnett Thanks to: Neil Ward Interested in writing an article? Email: lycommunications@labour.ie
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To Veil In France, the concept of a division of Church and State with neither interfering with “There must be a the other is blatantly flouted healthy compromise by the 2004 ban on the between the right to ostentatious display of practice one’s religion religious symbols in schools. and the right of others Of course the government to live in a secular has every right to ban society. ” religion from state funded schools but this law, more popularly known as “the By Audrey Walsh headscarf law”, bans the hijab while making On the 31st of March 2010 Amnesty International has exceptions for the wearing of the Belgian government criticised the proposed law small crosses and the Star of moved a step closer to as being discriminatory David. It is interesting to passing legislation which will while Daniel Bacquelaine, note that teachers in Catholic introduce a nationwide ban the proposer of the bill on the wearing of the burqa defends it saying that it will schools in France are also paid by the state. in public places. The burqa protect the Belgian “open, which could be described as liberal, tolerant” society. I believe strongly in the being the most striking form Those found in breach of the separation of religion and of Muslim head-dress is law will face fines of 25 euro State. I also believe in essentially a large black cloth or up to seven days in jail. individual liberties and which covers the wearer from One has to wonder whether freedom of expression. The head to toe with just a slit of this over-zealous pursuit of right to religious expression mesh at the eyes. Belgium egalitarianism is really just has been recognised since has a particularly small an excuse for anti-Islamic the ratification of the Muslim population (3.6%) behaviour. Universal Declaration of and of those who practice the France and the Netherlands Human Rights and it ought faith only a few dozen or so are also ardent supporters of to be protected. There must wear the burqa. be a healthy compromise a “burqa ban”. While The legislation which has been a notably unifying topic amongst the notoriously divided Belgian government seems to be an overly dramatic step by law makers to target a few dozen people and is the most recent example of a European state singling out Muslims. Page 4
historically France has proudly extolled its principals of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity, in recent years it seems that their quest for laïcité has encroached upon their original ideals.
between the right to practice one‟s religion and the right of others to live in a secular society.
www.labouryouth.ie
Or Not to Veil? And what of the women themselves? While a ban has been argued by some to be liberating for women, the vast majority who wear a form of head-dress do so willingly. Reasons given for covering up have ranged from religious or cultural expression and modesty to demonstrations of feminism. While some women say that wearing a veil makes them feel closer to God many others have stated that covering their hair and/or face liberates them from the pressures of today‟s over sexualised and image obsessed society. The ability to walk down the street without encountering cat calls and unwanted male attention is seen as a freeing experience for women who feel that by de-sexualizing themselves they can be seen as real people and be valued for what they think and say and rather than by how they look.
Professor Seyla Benhabib from Yale University who has written extensively on the subject proposes a middle ground. She talks about the need to “renegotiate local norms” in situations such as clashes between Muslims and Western governments on such subjects as bans on religious expression. Tony Blair described head-dresses as a “mark of separation” but surely singling out and punishing a community only separates them further? Perhaps it is time to fight against this tide of European Islamophobia, to stop fighting the differences between our cultures and to accept and embrace them.
“While a ban has been argued by some to be liberating for women, the vast majority who wear a form of head-dress do so willingly.“
It may be difficult for us here in Ireland to grasp the notion that women would freely chose to hide their faces but is it really fair for any state to go so far as to regulate what people can and cannot wear? The outright banning of the wearing of veils in public will not emancipate but rather serve to marginalise further the women who choose freely to wear them and confine to their homes those few who are not granted the choice. That is surely neither open nor tolerant and is not a future that we should seek to create.
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A Brief History Whatever one may think of the merit of these protests, each of them conducted for very different reasons, whether it be for racial equality, anti-war demonstrations or anti-authoritarian sentiment, they had a common purpose to what the was felt by many where By Steven Gaynor anti-democratic and 1968 will forever be un-balanced situations of After the summer of 1968, it remembered as a year of power. seemed as though the protest and resistance, a year The French protests that are potential of a pacifist when liberty and freedom referred to now as “mai 68â€? revolution seemed to subside began to emerge as having a deserve to be studied by somewhat as conservative true prospect of realisation anyone interested in the governments eventually came and when an ideology of nature and form of mass civil to power in the US, the UK world peace began to break movements. Two weeks of and the Gaulists retained through the barricades of student resistance, general power in France, the blind nationalist jealousy strikes by workers was seventies eventually became and elitist conflict. It was a conducted alongside a philo- a decade of transition and year that contained such sophical and literary uncertainty, both in social epoch-making protests as the narrative of wanting to and economic terms. May 1968 movements in achieve a new type of The Kent State shootings of France, the Columbia society, one free from the 1970 in which four students University protests in the US paternalistic conservatism of were killed and nine others and various other sundry the past. This, in truth, had injured by members of the movements of mass never really been seen to this Ohio National guard came in participation, some being extent before. It has the wake of President more successful than others. historically been analysed as Nixonâ€&#x;s announcement of the a grassroots movement that invasion of Cambodia by the sought to achieve some sort United States. The effects of of libertarian utopia. The this authoritarian act rippled eventual failure of the wave through American campuses was not seen as the end but and caused a student strike in as the beginning of the which 4 million students independent nature of civil showed their disgust at the society that is well-known to anti-democratic nature in this day. which free speech had been curtailed at Kent State.
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Of Radical Democracy In many ways, this was the beginning of the end of America‟s “policeman of the world” era, as was signified by a mass protest in Washington DC involving more than 100,000 people five days after the shootings. The situation was at times riotous, and Nixon did deem the movement significant enough to warrant his setting up of a President's Commission on Campus Unrest, known as the Scranton Commission, which despite the reactionary and conservative connotations, found that the Kent State shootings should not have happened and were unjustified. At the other end of the 70s, a movement that was arguably more ideologically complex occurred, that of punk music and its attendant social shift in Western Europe and the US. In many ways, the punk and post-punk movements that exploded in London, Manchester, New York and later other cities brought about a collaboration of music, fashion, media and political awareness that still pervades to the present day.
The mass movements of the 80s and 90s seemed on the whole rather more successful than those of before, precisely because of the successes and mistakes of what went before. If one thinks of the impact of Live Aid, the various highprofile Greenpeace protests, the furthering and strengthening of LGBT rights (personified in the Irish case by the groundbreaking work of Mary Robinson and David Norris amongst others), the Seattle protests of 1999 that served to illuminate to a wider audience the myths perpetuated in the era of postCommunism that Fukuyama had referred to as the “end of history”. Along with the Iraq war protests of 2003 and the importance of highlighting the plight of developing countries, these are just some of the world events that have engendered a range of opinions on a global scale.
Irish campuses should stand more ready and capable than ever to highlight through radical democracy, not only the problems that face us as students, but also the issues facing the country and the global community. If you are starting or continuing college this year, it‟s important to know that the campus is much more than a school for future employment. It‟s also a potentially powerful and effective tool for channelling your emotions, your ideals and your practical suggestions on how civil society can be further developed and improved.
So where are we left at the present time in 2010? From an Irish perspective, we live without doubt in a better global society than 1968, but that does not mean that we have arrived at utopia, it does not mean the laying down of our tools for engaging in an active and deliberative democracy.
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GMOs?
By Dermot Harnett GMOs or "Genetically Modified Organisms" are in one sense old news. Every crop we now eat, and every animal we breed, has been genetically modified by centuries of human intervention - artificial selection. The crops we now grow organic farmers included, bear very little resemblance to anything in nature. So when people begin to use words like "natural" and "Frankenfood", I tend to get sceptical - genetic modification is a technology which, like all others, can do harm or good depending on how it is used. The ancestor of Corn for instance - teosinte - contains just a dozen or so seeds on each "cob". On the other hand, we also have to thank artificial selection for the existence of the Pug breed of dog.
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The most advanced form of genetic manipulation currently in operation on our food involves taking genetic material from unrelated organisms and inserting it in to crop plants - typically to generate a plant resistant to herbicides or pesticides. Such crops constitute a growing portion of global yield despite the E.U.'s banning of them. There is thusfar no evidence suggesting that this has had any negative health impact, nor theoretically would we expect careful genetic engineering to be more dangerous than old fashioned cross breeding of crops. In fact, many varieties allow the use of fewer herbicides and pesticides - the health impacts of which are known to be very significant, with cancer and birth defects showing clear statistical links to their use and presence in the water table.
A more serious issue however is that GM technology is concentrated in the hands of a few large "Agribusiness" firms, chiefly Monsanto and DuPont. Google Monsanto and autocomplete suggests the search "Monsanto evil". Excessive perhaps, but I believe there is a very important set of political issues contained within the GMO controversy which the hysteria over "Frankenfoods" often obscures. Food is not a product like any other. As Bill Clinton admitted to the world Economic Forum last January, the last few years have demonstrated the consequences of neoliberal policies which allow the profit motive to interfere with food security. Spikes in oil prices - linked to food via the biofuel industry, have led directly to food shortages and starvation. Companies like Monsanto, left to their own devices, will not act with the public interest at heart. Thus we have strains of crops containing "Terminator Genes", a sort of biological DRM that renders the plants sterile, forcing farmers to re-purchase seeds. www.labouryouth.ie
Frankenfood or Savior?
The poster child for GMs benefits is the "Golden Rice" project, which created a strain of Rice which could act as a source of Vitamin A. Due to reach the market in 2012, this crop will be offered to subsistence farmers free of charge and could potentially save millions of people from disability and death due to malnutrition. In the face of climate change, GM crops may also be of huge benefit. Experiments have shown that the efficiency and drought tolerance of crops can be altered, useful if a warmer, more crowded planet is on the horizon.
“Google Monsanto and autocomplete suggests the search Monsanto Evil�
We currently have a situation in which the future of a technology, potentially of vital use to humanity, is controlled by the company which gave us Agent Orange. The potential for a Chernobyl-like disaster that would end any public support for GM crops should not be underestimated. The debate needs to rest on informed scientific opinion however. It may be tempting to fall back on the cheap, easy tactic of stirring up panic about food, The golden Rice project but poisoning GM represents the direction I be- technologies name in the lieve GM technology needs public conscience could prove to be pushed in. While superb just as costly. at increasing profit margins, the private sector cannot be relied upon to feed the hungry, and it is the hungry who need more efficient crops. Page 9
“Eh, Hello...
By Rory Geraghty
Right now, there are no jobs and we‟re in a crisis. When the banks entered into crisis mode the government jumped to bail them out saying it was necessary to ensure the economic viability of the country. That view has since been challenged by a number of commentators from the right and left who have presented an argument for allowing Anglo to fall. However, at the time it was Labour who stood alone in opposing the September Banking Guarantee. What baffles me about this whole situation, is why the banks have gotten so much attention when there is an equal, if not greater, problem with Youth Unemployment. At present one in three men under 25 are unemployed and one in five women suffer the same fate. Certainly the banking crisis is serious, especially as it was home made through poor banking regulation over the last 12 years but a Youth Unemployment crisis is equally threatening.
Being under 25 in Ireland at the moment isn‟t really great. At the last count around 67,000 people aged 15 to 24 were unemployed. Adding to that the number of people in that age group who are currently in full time education and it gets much higher. Earlier this year the ESRI published a report which stated that there would be no significant increase in job creation in 2010 and 2011. The same report expected unemployment to decrease from an average of 13.75% to 13% next year as emigration acts as a release valve with many travelling abroad in a desperate attempt to find work. I don‟t know about you but I want more choices than the dole queue and the airport for my To recover from the recession and to once again build our nation up friends and I. we need to get people back to work. It‟s so basic. The more people at work, the more money they have to spend and the more jobs they sustain and create. Basic, basic, basic.
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However, it seems that this is obviously not basic enough for Fianna Fáil or The Green Party who have done little to nothing to address what is an epidemic amongst Ireland‟s Youth. Yes they‟ve increased a number of places on FAS courses, Work Placement Programmes for Graduates and created a €20 Million Activation Fund, all of which is aimed at increasing employment for 15 – 25 year olds. However, they also cut the budget for the Department of Education and Science by about 6% in 2010. So when it comes to training they‟ve given with one hand and taken away with the other. Furthermore, the sad reality is that these initiatives will only actually benefit a very small group of people making their impact on the jobs crisis somewhat meaningless. What really needs to happen is wide scale public investment in job creation. Just like the banks were bailed out, the people of Ireland need a bail out. Earlier in the year The Labour Party proposed that €2 Billion be taken from the National Pension Reserve Fund (€22 Billion of which is gently dripping into Anglo) and be redirected into the creation of a Strategic Investment bank.
www.labouryouth.ie
I’d Like the Chance at a Future Please?” The Strategic Investment Bank would use the €2 billion to secure further borrowing and would then use the money to invest in job creation through public works. This money could allow for things such as the development of a National High Speed Broadband network, a regeneration of some of the most deprived areas in the country and an upgrade to a significant number of Education and Healthcare facilities to name but a few. All of this would lead to a huge amount of job creation as well as providing for badly needed services in forgotten parts of the country. Sadly, this proposal was ignored with no significant explanation given as to why. “At present one in three men under 25 are unemployed and one in five women suffer the same fate”
Sinead Pentony, Director of Policy for economic think tank TASC, earlier this year outlined how full employment needs to be central to any recovery plan as it is essentially an economic issue. Calling on the government to explore ways to invest in job creation, Ms Pentony highlighted how unemployment leads to increased State expenditure on social welfare coupled with decreased State revenue through lost taxes. This is a similar view put forward by UNITE‟s Micheal Taft who has consistently argued that keeping people at work is central to reviving the economy. However, just like Labour, these experts have been ignored.
Public investment in job creation is not a uniquely tied to Labour. Many economists and social policy analysts see it as a cornerstone to fixing our State sponsored investment in infrastructural development could economic difficulties. act as a temporary solution to our unemployment epidemic if only the government would just listen. As things stand we are facing stagnation of economic growth, or at best a jobless growth for many years to come. This Government has no coherent jobs strategy. They have made NO effort to get people back to work.
The fact is that they have been actively hostile towards proposals to increase employment often condemning them as unfeasible. A viable strategy does exist and it is feasible. As a temporary measure we need infrastructural state investment to get people back to work. In the long term we need to revoke the 6% cut given to the Dept. of Education and to build an Education system that is fit for purpose collectively providing us with the necessary skills to encourage indigenous and foreign investment in the country. All of this would help us ensure we can meet the challenges we face as a small open economy in a globalised world. If the government started now, we could begin to see people slowly trickle back to work. This would reduce social welfare payments and increase tax revenues, all of which is far more effective than cutting essential services. It really is the best way forward; it‟s so frustrating that Government just won‟t listen.
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A Coin of Many Sides:
By Steven Lydon It was widely expected that the British general election was going to be a massacre for Labour. The onset of the recession would have left no party unscathed; Gordon Brown lacked the charisma and popular appeal of his predecessor Tony Blair, and the Chilcot inquiry reminded the public of an increasingly unpopular war. News that social mobility had decreased during the government‟s thirteen-year mandate alienated many of the party‟s supporters on the left, and when the first banners of the photogenic David Cameron were unfurled on the streets of London, the smell of blood was in the air.
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Newspapers initially drew familiar battle lines as policies were announced, criticised and defended. Yet this election was unique insofar as it included a televised leader‟s debate for the first time in British history. The event changed the political landscape. Gone were the facts, figures and recriminations of policy proposals. In its place were sound bites, taglines and cheap shots: we were in the midst of a full-blown, US-style presidential campaign. Yet though much substance was lost in the ensuing personality contest, the debates were effective in drawing in an otherwise disinterested segment of the public.
Nobody could have predicted the political change the debate provoked. Nick Clegg was the clear winner. His performance allowed the Lib Dems to surpass Labour by a significant margin in the first polls. Both Brown and Cameron seemed unprepared for Clegg‟s tenacity as he portrayed both men as squabbling I inheritors of archaic politics. Afterwards, the Tories were kicking themselves for providing Clegg with such a prominent platform, giving the first sign that events might not be running entirely to Cameron‟s schedule. The Lib Dems had become a viable alternative.
www.labouryouth.ie
Analysis of the British General Election The backlash was severe. It wasn‟t long before the Daily Mail hacks donned their mackintoshes and headed out to do some real investigative journalism: the next day, a five page spread of revelatory facts and half-truths exposed Clegg‟s privileged upbringing. It soon became common knowledge that The Lib Dem mascot was only slightly less posh that Cameron, having attended the prestigious Westminster school in London and worked as a political lobbyist in his formative years. Following the first debate, the Lib Dems never regained the euphoric height of this initial phase. This election was hailed as the first to fully utilise “new media,” i.e. the internet. Conservative billboards were parodied almost as soon as they were made public: mydavidcameron.com allowed the user to add custom text to a range of Tory billboards. Later, the Tories designed purportedly “unspoofable” posters, yet these too were defaced.
The Guardian ran an April fool‟s Labour billboard with “This election was hailed the text: “step outside, posh as the first to fully utilise boy” next to a menacing “new media,” i.e. the portrait of Gordon Brown, internet. Conservative reflecting the fact that news billboards were parodied of Brown‟s short temper had almost as soon as they only increased his were made public“ popularity. These events proved that the internet can be a powerful tool for Of the three candidates, Brown was the least adept in deflating political rhetoric. Labour‟s inability to pay for public relations. Yet it was posters had saved them from frustratingly clear that he an online mocking, yet also possessed the most During the nothing could change the substance. interviews, fact that Brown had lead a Paxman lacklustre campaign. On the Cameron and Clegg visibly eve of the final televised flinched under the merciless debate, “bigotgate” derailed interrogation, but Brown Brown‟s moment in the sun. coolly displayed depth and Having spoken to an elderly acumen. In his final speech woman about immigration, for Citizens UK, Brown Brown privately referred to shattered the constraints of the lady as a “bigoted his campaign strategy to give passionate, stirring woman” while a live a microphone recorded every invocation of equality and word. As the conversation justice. Ultimately, Labour was repeated ad infinitum on lost the election, but Sky News, it seemed nonetheless performed bereasonable Brown‟s campaign lay in yond ruins. Yet the event was not expectations. If we had seen as damaging as expected, this Gordon Brown sooner in given that some felt the the campaign, and indeed comment was in fact while he still held power, things might have been very justified. different.
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Campaigns and Events
CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP 1.) Labour Youth members campaigning to Sack the Government 2.) Labour Youth National Chairperson Rory Geraghty being interviewed for 98FM 3.) LY Members protesting outside the Dail
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An Open Letter to New Students This group had its own immutable laws and anyone who broke ranks with the army of professors and Nobel laureates who espoused their new monetary religion was shunned or at least laughed at. Today however, even ordinary people look down on those academics who we call economists.
LY Activist and Former USI Deputy President, Dan O’Neil has this to say to students about to embark upon their University lives
And yet, as you bury your head in your books and listen to your lecturers within the walls of your college, you may get the feeling that everything you hear makes sense. These people are professors and doctors after all. You may be fooled, or maybe Dear student, you‟ll dare to think outside the Do not be blinded by the “knowledge” you learn in college box. Maybe you‟ll scratch the surface and realise that – Ask questions and if you dare, everything you hear is part of a answer them! broader and contested version of You are entering third level a complicated narrative. education at a highly interesting The chances are however, that time. Subjects like economics your department like most others which have been thought as if in the world will still be they were a science have been marching to the old beat. That‟s brought into disrepute. The because generations of profeshistorical narrative of the recent sors have laughed at dissenters past has been challenged. and eliminated competition. All The inability of academics to of your courses have strict curincorporate the realities such as ricula and are not, although you economic overproduction, may pretend, free marketplaces resource depletion and global in which innovation is warming has ridiculed those who acknowledged and rewarded. were once regarded as the high priests of society: People whose opinions were “common sense”.
But outside your classroom a rich culture of politics, economics and education exists. There are social economists, feminist historians, ecological activists and maverick academics who question the paradigm of “common sense”. Will you dare burst from the chains of apathy and engage with these people? Basically there are two ways over the next few years to approach your studies. You can ignore all of the screaming inconsistencies of the status quo .You can cross your fingers and pray that the info you are being thought will be in vogue until you manage to get a job OR; you can align yourself from the beginning with the rebels. You can be an activist, a provocateur, one of the students who lead the charge and openly challenges the lecturer in class. You can bet your future career on a paradigm shift. I hope this short letter encourages you to take the riskier, more exciting road.
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Socialism course the deaths of hundreds of soldiers in Afghanistan. In terms of socialism we in Ireland have already been attacked. When the prices of any and all goods being imported are inflated in price due to Comedians bill it as a war on the consequence of war, increased security costs in their transport then we feel politicians use it to stir the economic pressure. When we emotions of voters, and there isn‟t a day that goes by see and hear of terrorist attacks, people and soldiers that we don‟t experience being killed we feel bad for some aspect of terrorism. them and their families. We Whether through direct attack, heightened food and hope and pray that nothing like that happens to us, or commodity prices such as anyone we know. oil, or direct financial support for rebuilding, everyone‟s life is impacted Recent reports on the world news have chronicled the in one shape or another. lives of people living in north west Pakistan and how they Recently there were felt about US drone plains conferences held in bombing Taliban targets. This Waterford on security and experts warned that Ireland‟s is simply terror begetting terror in guise of global complicity in US rendition flights made it a real target peace. However well meaning, it is a temporary and for terrorist attacks. We all singularly insufficient means felt the shock and anxiety at resolving global terrorism. and sympathy after the attacks on the twin towers, the London attacks, the Madrid train attack, the Mumbai hotel attack and of By Thomas D’Alton
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To add to the complexity of the war on terror are the emerging signs that the countries where they are based have untapped economic resources that would be beneficial to global industrial interests. In a world obsessed with power, greed and self-preservation are any sides to any type of conflict any better or worse than stockbrokers trading in fear, war, and wealth. The role of socialism in the war on terror has been redundant, and rightly so. Its principles run counter to acts of war, even war on the consequences of war. It is however time, I think, to define its approach to dealing with the impact of terrorism in the twenty first century. Socialism was always meant to be exported and to have an international presence among people, to bring people together. In a rapidly globalised economic environment it has never been more important to share our principles of democracy, equality, and solidarity www.labouryouth.ie
and the War on Terror through the truth of our humanity. As an economic case in point was the threat by unions in the US to support unions in the UK with their strike action the BA negotiations with its workers. As Irish unionised Aerlingus workers strike in the coming weeks it will be interesting to examine the extent of their support from US, but more critically UK unions. As the world becomes smaller and more interdependent it will be interesting to see to what extent political and historical barriers to workersâ€&#x; solidarity in Britain and Ireland, has been eroded since the economic downturn of the eighties; but also traced through from the beginning of the last century.
provide terrorists no physical wealth but rather a malleable pressure cooker of support or disfavour for political regimes and the breeding ground for the next generation of terrorist; all this in the guise of religious fanaticism.
ism, i.e. the BNP. In the face of harsh economic circumstances a reengaged socialist party was able to defeat the pre-tense of extremism on its own merits. To achieve this political reality on an international level socialism must engage more fervently with the economic realities and the people at the heart of The simple truths of social- these communities around the ism can, I believe, overworld. come these extremist teachings because people The underlying difference bein general will gravitate to- tween socialism and other ideowards what feels right, logies, I think, is that, even in feels simple. That makes sense of the world they live our membership of Labour in by providing an ideolo- youth and Labour, through our gy that empowers them to debates, campaigns, and proThe religious neutrality or secularism of socialism is a change their lives for the tests we are not just able to better. key strength in its ability to achieve a nationally introspeccombat the religious extremist elements of communities In the recent UK general tive progression, but rather a around the world; communi- elections despite Labour step forward in global solidarities that are hijacked and held falling short nationally, ty based on a common set of to ransom as pawns in a larg- they did beat back the advance of political extrem- principles. er global chess game. They Page 17
No to Fine Gael!
By Rob Quinn
These pledges which were and are yet to be the corner stones of this nation, yet listening to Fine Gael or Fianna Fail, one would be forgiven for being led to believe that this state had better merit to root her origins within the rivalry of our two conservative parties and their constant appetite for refusal to bed one another as partners, on the grounds, of course, their ancestors disagreed on and fought a war over a treaty which they both eventually accepted, despite the fact once one progresses beyond the colours of their shirts it is uncanny the similarities their agendas bear (Usually the receipts of donations from NAMA developers is highly ranked).
Is Labour to give Sinn Fein‟s Leader Mr Ó Caoláin yet another chance to highlight the hypocrisy of our warming to a party to whom many belong who would fundamentally oppose us on our guiding aim of equality.
Labour‟s leadership has done the party proud ruling out a Pivotal is the moment our coalition with Fianna Fail, now party has been immersed they must step from the in. We stand central in a shadows, and proclaim Labour great shift at the heart of will not be a junior partner to Irish politics, pending our any conservative party, that too composure we may long has this country trailed in remove the pot-hole and it‟s equality record, that for too the parish pub from our long we have turned our backs political structures, we the founding pledge of may even establish a real equality and the freedom. We alternative to the must ensure that the our conservative right governments are responsible dominating the current for their decisions, yet this will Irish political landscape. Alas, despite the possibilities not happen if we prostitute ourselves to the lap dogs of the of righting the wrongs of neo-aristocracy of bankers and 1969, Labour may see the The Labour Party stands developers created by the possibilities of this new ready to witness the conservative policies of both harrowing shackles of the awakening fall once more upon deaf ears, it may come to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael. civil war lifted from the hearts of Irish voters. It is pass, that our next general election would see a betrayal the first time within a generation we are poised of the ideals that cradle our to fulfill pledges sealed in fragile hopes and see our blood sacrifice at the birth cause reduced to a simple supporting pillar for one of the of this state of social parties who have so often equality and freedom. considered themselves bestowed a “divine” right to governance, and who see themselves beyond the retribution of the people they serve. Page 18
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Labour must also look to this issue in a less ideological sense. In a practical sense, the junior partner suffers once it comes to the polls, Labour veterans will know this all too well. The evidence of how poorly minorities in a coalition perform is clear, the PD‟s became a rare breed and soon fell to pieces after their party failed to return evens its leader in the last general election, now the Green party will face the backlash of the voters once the GreenFianna Fail government is finally brought to justice in the polling stations by voters when their doomed ship, both duly and finally, sinks.
Many may defend a coalition with Fine Gael as a way to achieve limited goals, saying despite previous junior partnerships Labour has survived many coalitions before despite the preceding battering at the ballot box, to this I answer, the stakes are now raised, the anger is now real, they can be no repeat of the right wing agenda which brought this country to it„s knees. The people of Ireland have had enough, they will not stop the massacre of parties like the Green‟s and the PD‟s until they find a real alternative.
Right is to have no real impact, that to bed the Right is to bleed our party dry of the faith the people are bestowing in us. We must tell those in our ranks that have said some power is better than no power, that this is the greed that crippled our country. Labour must say it will not be part of this greed-fuelled right wing agenda in any form, that Labour will oppose the two conservative parties with no view to coalition, and give the people what we have promised, a real alternative.
The next election can deliver the seeds of change, but it is Labour who must nurture them, it is Labour who must strive for a left wing government. Our fear of one more spell in opposition must not overcome our better knowledge that to bed the Page 19
Book Review — The Lost Revolution
By Chris Bond Hanley and Millar's work is a look into the fascinating story of the Workers Party and the Official IRA. This book is an anthology of all major events in the lifespan of the Official Republican movement and connected paramilitary organisations, from the IRA border campaign of the late 1950s and early 1960s to the movementâ€&#x;s demise in the early 1990s.
Under Cathal Goulding the movement also began to involve itself in Social and Economic issues such as housing and unemployment campaigns. They had also made attempts to Unite Protestant and Catholic workers in the North, promoting an expressly nonsectarian idea of a United Ireland. There were also moves to abandon the policy of abstentionism.
The breakaway group was to be known as the Provisional Army Council, later the Provisional IRA, whose political wing was Provisional Sinn Fein - the party that is today known as simply ''Sinn Fein''. Those who remained loyal to Goulding became known as Official Sinn Fein whose military wing became the Official IRA.
The book then examines the The book begins by looking The strategy to be adopted by role of the Officals during the troubles, highlighting their at the failure of the Border the Republican movement role in paramilitary actions campaign, which led to a was mainly one of Civil against British Soldiers massive ideological Rights and Social agitation. during the falls road curfew refocusing exercise for the These radical changes and their attempts to recruit Republican movement. prompted a split in the Inspired by Marxist antipolitical and armed wings of across the sectarian divide. It also elucidates the bloody colonial movements across the Republican movement. the globe, the IRA and Sinn Dissatisfied with abandoning feuds with the Provisionals. It goes on to describe the events Fein moved drastically to abstentionism and the the Left during the 1960s. Republican movements shift which lead to the Official to the Left, a split occurred in IRA ceasefire during the 1970s and the Official SF1969. IRSP/INLA split. Page 20
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The book does well to expose the Conservative, reactionary and opportunist nature of the Provisional IRA and their overtly secterian operations. It also challenges their monopoly on armed resistance during the troubles and any attempts to compare them with armed left wing uprisings. It also deals with the Official movements divergence from and eventual rejection of nationalism exemplified by the change in name to ''Sinn Fein the Workers Party'' and eventually the ''Workers Party''. The Book then describes how the Official IRA would be eventually rendered a minor player in the Northern Ireland Conflict, becoming a clandestine organisation focusing on special operations.
Throughout the book we are introduced to several characters who would go on to play major roles in Irish Political life today. The book also covers the emergence of the Workers Party as a substantial left wing movement in the South and its albeit limited success in organising on a cross community basis in Northern Ireland. It also highlights how attempts to reform the Workers Party's Leninist Structures and to sever its links with the Official IRA culminated in the formation of a breakaway group known as New Agenda, which became known as Democratic Left.
This book covers events in the lifespan of the Officials in an honest and uncompromising manner refusing to sugarcoat even the most unpleasant events. Brilliantly researched, this book is a must read for anybody interested in the history of Official movement. Probably the best written account of Irish Republican History in the second half of the 20th Century.
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Film Review—Capitalism: A Love Story
By Peter Kelleher From the director and producer of Bowling for Columbine and Fahrenheit 9/11 comes the latest exposé on corporate America: Capitalism: A Love Story. In this Michael Moore takes viewers through 30 years of the slippery slope that led America to the Neo-Liberal disaster it ended up in and how the major players in corporate America hijacked the country from the Ronald Reagan Presidency to the present day. Without a doubt this is his best work. Charting the course through the rise of Reaganism in the late 1970‟s right through to the collapse of the economic model that Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and, in Ireland, the Progressive Democrats championed, Fianna Fáil enacted and Fine Gael have at the centre of their economic policy. While looking back over 30 years of American economic policy, he also looks back at some of his previous films such as his very first film Roger & Me.
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He cites that the Capitalist ideology was fine in the 50‟s and 60‟s, especially for his family. He points out; however, that it was easy for Capitalism to be good for all Americans then as Germany and Japan had been decimated due to World War II. As Germany and Japan rebuilt their industries, workers in those countries got paid holidays, union recognition and other betterments at work. As the U.S. went through the Reagan years, jobs were lost and people lost their livelihoods and their homes. Companies, and indeed the American people, were encourage to worship the almighty Dollar. Michael Moore‟s faith plays a central role in the film. He points out the Capitalism was viewed to be in keeping with Christian ideals, showing several pieces of footage. He then talks to a number of religious figures on the subject, whom express their view that the terms “Capitalist” and “Christian” are mutually exclusive. The movie had been described as “A special kind of Catholic achievement”. Michael Moore has said on his website that “It doesn‟t seem you can call yourself a Capitalist AND a Christian -- because you cannot love your money AND love your neighbour when you are denying your neighbour the ability to see a doctor just so you can have a better bottom line. That‟s called “immoral” -- and you are committing a sin when you benefit at the expense of others.”
Whether you are a religious person or not, I hope we can agree that “immoral” is the best word that suits Capitalism. Along with “Condo Vultures”, “Dead Peasants Insurance” and the financial double-talk from Wall Street, you‟d be forgiven for thinking that there is no upside at all. However, the are some examples of people gathering together to take on the visible element of the Capitalist system that has tried to see them out of a job and out on the street, such as the sit in by workers of Republic Windows and Doors and a County Sherriff enforcing a freeze on home evictions. The feeling that this ground has been covered before is prevalent in this movie. This because he has in fact covered this ground before, except back then Michael Moore was warning people what was happening. In “Capitalism: A Love Story” his main message is simply: “I told you so”. www.labouryouth.ie
Lament for the Poor Bankers (Martyrs that They Are!)
Paul Brady explains why, at the end of the day we should feel sorry for the banking elite It‟s been a tough time economically the last few years and no more so then for our poor bankers. Take a moment to think of these poor guys, it‟s not easy for them now you know. Once they were championed as the creators of the Celtic tiger, they were wined and dined by the politicians, the celebrities, all the big wheeler dealers in Ireland.
Every media outlet seems to be throwing out figures for how much the recapitalisation of banks and the purchase of bad loans by NAMA will cost the taxpayers and the tax payers‟ children and grand children.
Another 10 billion euro is to be pumped into Anglo-Irish, perhaps the government‟s tactic is to bamboozle citizens with figures too large to comprehend and thus seed apathy. I say Grandmothers used to offer novenas up what harm if future generations are for their good health as their grandkids levied with the reckless greed of could live the dream and be shackled for bankers, property developers and 40 years to a pile of bricks and mortar politicians from the late twentieth worth half the price of Seanie century? Fitzpatrick‟s new shirt. If the media is to be believed all the All Seanie ever wanted to do was live future generations will want to do is the capitalists dream, him and his golden spend their money in head shops circle. Now he can‟t even walk down the anyway so let them pay a bit of extra street without the dogs looking at him tax so that the Irish citizens can own strangely. the largest property portfolio in the He was questioned then released without world. Think about the benefits to us, charge by the fraud squad you know, the taxpayers, for taking over ownermost people seem ready to bring back ship of that half-finished housing estate the gallows. At least he was able to take on the outskirts of Carrick-On-Shannon a break from his troubles and was soon or that field on the road to Gorey, seen relaxing on the beaches of zoned for retail development. If Global Portugal. Unfortunately there was no warming is to be believed half of Leisunshine for all the mortgage holders trim will be under water in 50 years who had their interest rate increased. time so that unfinished housing estate It has been revealed by our minister for in Carrick will become prime, beachfinance how much taxpayers money will front property. With such investment be used by NAMA (that is the National potential it‟s a win-win situation for the tax payer (well maybe not the half of Allocate Money to A**holes Agency, Leitrim that needs to take up scuba divthe extra A is hidden).
ing but that‟s a topic for another day). Now we learn that the majority of loans taken over by NAMA are not even having their interest repaid along with the 22 billion euro pumped into AngloIrish bank at the behest of our leaders, a Taoiseach with no mandate from the people. It makes everyone fearful for the state of our country caused by Fianna Fail mismanagement for the last 14 years. Seanie Fitzpatrick still shows no fear however when faced with the debts he owes, the majority to the Irish taxpayer, and doesn‟t even have the neck to appear in court when he is declared bankrupt. As for the overhaul of the public sector promised in the last two budgets I‟m sure we can expect an announcement soon, there must be an election around the corner.
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