Letter

18 September 2017

I am reading with interest the new Spartacist.

In the meantime, in the article ‘Down with anti-worker EU’ [Workers Hammer no 239, Autumn 2017] in the context of dealing with Northern Ireland and the DUP there is the paragraph:

‘We stand for mobilising the working class — both Catholic and Protestant — against the oppression of the Irish Catholics and against British imperialism, as part of the struggle for the workers to liberate themselves from capitalism. Recognising that within the framework of capitalism there can be no equitable solution to the conflicting national aspirations of Northern Ireland’s Catholic and Protestant peoples, our perspective is for an Irish workers republic, as part of a voluntary federation of workers republics in the British Isles.’

Isn’t there something missing here:

‘13. ...We struggle for an Irish workers republic as part of a socialist federation of the British Isles. While the establishment of a united workers state of the whole island may be preferable, the above demand is algebraic, leaving open the question of where the Protestants fall.This recognises that the nature of the Protestant community has not yet been determined in history. As such, it is counterposed to calls for a “united workers republic” and a “united socialist Ireland”...’

— Theses on Ireland [Spartacist no 24, Autumn 1977]

I would note (from afar, from afar) that another theme bouncing around (and not necessarily counterposed to the Good Friday agreement blather) has been the EU tiger hype about Ireland leading to suggestions that the Protestants might be open to unity. Of late with the economic downturn that of course has been switched down. But note the post Brexit referendum popularity of acquiring an Irish passport among liberals and such.

Comradely,

D Strachan