The Sinn Fein policy of opposition to the EU is being replaced with right wing opportunism
national |
eu |
opinion/analysis 
Thursday February 17, 2011 19:58
by Communist Republican
A very timely and useful analysis of how Sinn Fein policy has moved significantly to
the right in relation to the EU has appeared in the current edition of the Socialist Voice. It looks at how the party is now heading towards the right on the EU and that drift to the right is not an accident and will not end there. This has implications for republicans and socialists in this country and for all Irish people especially with the projected increases in SF support in the national elections next week.
A very timely and useful analysis of how Sinn Fein policy has moved significantly to
the right in relation to the EU has appeared in the current edition of the Socialist Voice.
The Socialist Voice is one of the oldest socialist publication that exists on the Irish left. This issue contains a very convincing article on the current political and economic mess that Ireland finds itself in. In This article a well thought out critique of the Sinn Fein headlong scramble to the right is documented:
“In particular, there has been a pronounced weakening of the Sinn Féin position in relation to the European Union. Sinn Féin documents—for example “Democracy in the EU” and “EU Support for Irish Reunification”—talked grandly about “reforming” the EU on “internationalist” and “socialist” principles, identified EU integration as a motor for Irish reunification, and urged consideration of the euro as the currency of a united Ireland. None of these formulations would be out of place among the most Euro-federalist rhetoric.”
Any political programme that ignores the basic economic common sense that an independent Irish state must have an independent currency and control over its interest and exchange rates is built on illusion, or deceit. Euro-zone “socialism” is about as likely as CIA socialism. ..."
It is important to realise that this shift to the right is not an accident and will not end there. The reason why this is important is that it has implications for republicans and socialists in this country and for all Irish people especially with the projected increases in SF support in the national elections next week. It also moves SF even closer to the reformist Labour party and weakens opposition to EU attempts to further diminish Irish self determination.
This is just a small excerpt of this analysis for the entire article please visit the website below:
http://www.communistpartyofireland.ie/sv2011-01/03-alte....html
Comments (5 of 5)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5Unfortunately SF have already moved to the right on some issues. One example is their ditching of left wing policies in the middle of the last election 4 years ago and replacing those policies with right wing policies. They didn't even wait until the election was over to horse-trade policies in order to get into power like some other parties do!
While I dont vote anyway, if I were to this would be the last party I would trust to keep to its policies or word on anything. Its all about getting into 'power' for the sake of the nayshun of course. SF are no better than the ff chancers same gene pool after all
.....is about as likely as CIA socialism'.
Thats sloppy analysis, at best. Hyperbolae has its place(who am I to cast rocks?)but lets face it, Eurozone socialism is a far more likely chance than in the US, where Left is spelt s-a-t-a-n. At least most europeans, including the political liggers, can argue issues around the concept.
And what troubles me is, the article, and I only scanned it, seems to be yet another fantasy about some isolationist, insular, pure green NATIONAL SOCIALISM.
Anyone out there remember where that led. By the way I've been active against the last few EU treaties, and am well aware that the EU is galloping rightwards down the neo-con cul-de-sac. But Europeans generally are far more receptive to socialist ideas than the average paddy. And paddy is more likely to accept socialist arguments if mammy europe delivers them than any home grown presentation, unfortunately. Try telling an Irish worker Fidel had a few good ideas. He'd be off to florida to report you.
The fight for socialism is either internationalist, or else oxymoronic. If you neglect the European stage you are deluded.Your utopian dream will not find reception in the Irish psyche. This reminds me of the maoist and marxist-leninist jargon that bored the arse of the people who were actually trying to deal with the real world and its inequities back in the sixties and seventies. Very satisfactory, as long as the discussion didn't encounter anyone not in on the formulae. And usualy driven, yet again, by the well meaning neighbour from the east who were so determined to civilise us.
Some of them ended up so disillusioned they were last seen climbing the echelons of dubious corporate multinationals
At present SF(nor have any illusions there) seem to be the only ones articulating the case against the gamblers(certainly in my constituency)and are the only ones frightening our complacent media(they moralise about the war in the north, even though they were actually more fucking unionist than the brits throughout, and stay conveniently quiet about the use of Shannon for the imperial operations out east). Puritanism, religious or political, leads to pogroms. Socialism must be democratic.Its dictation has been tried and found worse than the disease.Not many west berliners went east. And many, when I lived there, professed socialistic politics. I'll check for(expected)demolition of that case manana.
I could understand diablos giving out about a fantasy such as "another fantasy about some isolationist, insular, pure green NATIONAL SOCIALISM....." if he did not come up with an even more far fetched fantasy namely european socialism. Surely you don't think the EU would just stand idly by and let this fantasy happen in the first place? It is a wishful thinking that the EU has all these closet socialists anyway, have you been to eastern europe lately? or even talked to Polish people working here? they will disabuse you of this myth of EU socialism as quickly as any american would. Dont forget who elected Bertlesconi were they these european socialists you point to? Basically we should try to view the world as it really exists rather than the way we would like it to be.
I was replying to a remark comparing the possibility of EU socialism as equally likely with CIA conversion. You misrepresent my case.
I'm still scratching me head as to which 'socialism' people are referring to when they use this catch-all shibboleth.
I lived in Berlin during the mid eighties and had many friends and workmates from eastern Europe. I still socialise with Poles and refugees in Ireland, when I get the chance.
Burlesque-horni was elected by his own multi million fortune and media empire, with a little help from his corporate neo-fascist friends, not those who have any kind of social critique of the predations of the unregulated free market.
By the way quite a few Russians and eastern europeans are not so convinced the 'democratic' wave of '89 was not hijacked by the same pyramid climbers as dominated the soviet system, except that they now have carte blanche rather than any need to act as if the interests of the general population had to be taken into account.. For a microcosm of the effects, check the progress of the ongoing shit in the Balkans.
But I do second your call for at least an attempt to stick to reality. I hope that clarifies my position more than your comment did.
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