the Civil War. Having defeated the armed revolt and the radical social forces that had simultaneously erupted, British imperialism imposed a treaty that reconstituted effective control of Ireland through a sectarian regime in the north and a confessional statelet in the south, the Irish Free State, ruled by the most conservative element
The overtly reactionary character of this settlement left no room for doubt among workers that their democratic aspirations had suffered defeat. The objective of the routed republican anti-Treaty forces was to prepare the necessary force to engage in a "second round" against this "Free State".
The republican movement led by the IRA and Sinn Fein had already declared itself to be a national one - above mere party political disputes. And its guerrilla war against the British and bitter civil war had further narrowed its strategic horizons.
Now the Free State betrayal was seen by some as contirmation of the corrupting nature of politics even though the great betrayal had been led by its foremost millary commander, as later ones were also to be. Republican turned counter-revoltuonary: Michael Collins Abstentionism
After years of endless hours of drilling and secret meetings the elusive "second TOUnd" of armed struggle looked no nearer. Sinn Fein was a venice to express republican opposition to the Free State settlement and popular resentment against the reactionary policies generated by it but it was never going to be an alternative government, at least while it continued a policy of abstaining from taking seats the Southern parliament.
Abstentionism expressed opposition to the Free State settlement and commitment to something radically differenT. It also expressed the ingrained suspicion of politics.
The weakness of the republican response was that it saw CULTUDLIUL in the foreign inspired element of the political machinery of the state, rather than from the capitalist nature of the state. No fundamental class opposition existed between the antitreaty and Free State forces in the 1920s. The Civil War was largely fought over symbols, not the substantial issue of partition.
In March 1925, Sinn Fein won only two out of nine byWhen de Valera failed by two votes at the Sinn Fein Ard Fheis in 1926 to overturn the abstention policy, which he believed frustrated the party's attempt to win support, he left and set up Fianna Fail (FF). FF took most of SF's members and voters and reduced the party to a rump.
Sinn Fein was reduced both in numbers and in its attachment to reality. It regarded its remaining Second Dail members as the legitimate government of Ireland, despite that assembly ratifying the Treaty and therefore partition. Fianna Fail
In January 1933 FF won a parliamentary majority. released IRA prisoners and abolished the oath of allegiance to the British monarch. Of course none of this meant fundamental social or economic change.
The nationalism of Fianna Fail and de Valera was only possible because it did not conflict with international economic developments. But for many rank and file republicans FF was achieving far more than the pointless preparations of the IRA for a second round against the Free State. Failed political vehicle
Some in the republican movement instinctively realised the sterile character of a perspective of preparation for renewed armed struggle and sought a political vehicle to advance their cause.
Rather than revitalising Sinn Fein as its political vehicle the IRA created a new ПОПРО РАТО in 1929, Comhairle na Poblachta, and in 1931 the left wing Saor Eire, but these attempts failed to create some sort of political alternative to Fianna Fail.
Both the republican movement and Fianna Fail were committed to the capitalist system and FF were not prepared to countenance any strategy of mobilising Ireland's workers.
The disputes between Fianna Fail and the British were real, but of an entirely thirties was reduced to a movement that wanted to unite a nation, an act requiring a revolution, but with no revolutionary programme for the majority of the country. This could only lead to defeat. Republican Congress founded
The political challenges posed by Fianna Fail produced much debate inside the republican movement. The most important response was Line setting up of the Republican Congress following the split at the IRA convention on March 17 1934, which was called to decide on the question of setting up a political party.
The left wing issued a manifesto that declared at the start: "We believe that Republic of a united Ireland will never be achieved except through struggle that uproots capitalism on its way.'
The resulting organisation did not survive long. The most famous exploit of the Congress movement was to bring down from Belfast 500 members of the Connolly Club to the annual Bodenstown Wolfe Tone commemoration in June 1934.
The contingent, according to the Irish Independent, was "composed largely of Protestants and Presbyterians drawn in the main from the. Orange districts of Belfast" and was attacked by right charity, real religion, etc.
Those who see in Partition the link between Irish capitalism and Imperialist finance, see in the common struggle for the Workers' Republic the solution of Partition, and in the destruction of exploitation, the withering away of sectarian strife.'
This stands today. It is a ringing condemnation of the majority of today's socialists who see partition as resulting from sectarian division rather than imperialist policy and see the solution to sectarianism simply in terms of bread and butter demands. No way out
With its political initiatives having failed, and clinging to the seeming purity of armed struggle, the IRA declared war on Britain at the beginning of 1939. Fianna Fail cracked down hard, introducing military courts, internment and finally executions. This repression nearly finished the IRA: from an organisation of perhaps 30,000 in 1932-33 it had nearly disap peared a decade later.
Sinn Fein suffered an even more ignominious fate. In 1938 the seven surviving members of the Second Dail formally transferred 'authority' to the IRA. They never thought it necessary to tell Sinn Fein. It was thus this body, as the "legitimate" government of Ireland, which declared war on Britain in 1939.
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George Galloway Respect speaking tour: Our Challenge to New Labour Sunday June 12 2005 Birmingham 2.30pm, Birmingham Sports Centre, 201 Balsall Heath Road, Highgate B12 Speakers: George Galloway, Salma Yaqoob Monday June 13 2005 7.30pm, Mass @ St Matthews Church, Effra Rd / Brixton Hill junction, London Thursday June 16 2005 7.30pm, Committee Rooms 5 and 6, Islington Town Hall, Upper Street Speakers: John Rees, Yvonne Ridley and Oliur Rahman, Entrance £2/£1 7pm, West Ham Football Club, main entrance, Green Street E13 George Galloway MP, Salma Yacoob, Lindsey German, Abdul If you like what you've read or you want to find out more about Socialist Resistance, get in touch with us by ringing 020 8800 7460, or email [email protected] EDITORS: Terry Conway, John Lister, Liam MacUaid. EDITORIAL BOARD : Mandy Baker, Julia Brandreth, Paul Brown, John Bulaitis, Andrew Burgin, Kathy Lowe, Pauline Roland, Piers Mostyn, Karen O Toole. DESIGN: John Lister SPONSORED BY: International Socialist Group, Socialist Solidarity Network and individuals including Patrick Baker, Andrew Burgin, Brenda and Brian Bushell, Mathew Caygill, Duncan Chapple, Julian Coppens, Frances Curran, Norma Dowd, Andy Gibbons, Jamie Gough, Catriona Grant, Marcus Greville, Patrick Hall, Rick Hatcher, Wayne Holmes, Nick Lidgett, Frank McMahon, Lesley Mahmood, Alan McCoombes, Martin Milne, Piers Mostyn, Liz Peretz, Sue Phillips, Surykant Raithatha, Norman Traub, Rick Simon, Colin Smith, Murray Smith, Sarah Taversham, Doug Thorpe, Tony Traub, Tessa van Gelderen, Bill Walton, Roger Welch. Published by SOCIALIST RESISTANCE, PO Box 1109, London N4 2UU. Printed by Web Press International, London E15. Membership Standing Order form YOUR BANK DETAILS: Bank Name Address Your account details: Sort Code Account Name Account Number Please pay the sum of (write in words and numbers) On the day of And on the same date every month thereafter, unless cancelled or amended by me in writing. To the account of Khaliq Mian, Nearest tube Upton Park (District Line) £3 waged, £1 unwaged Friday June 17 2005 Manchester 7pm, Saffron Restaurant, Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester An evening of food and entertainment with guest speaker Julie Hesmondhalgh (Haley in Coronation Street) For tickets please phone 07947 996966 or email [email protected] Tickets including food: £15 (adults) £10 (children over 11) 25 (children 5-11) Under 5s free. Asylum Seekers half price. Sunday 19 June 2005 2pm, Preston Guildhall, Lancaster Road With George Galloway, John Rees, Yvonne Ridley and Milana Said Ahmed. Wednesday 22 June 2005 Sheffield 7.30pm, The Octagon, Wester Bank, Sheffield S10 Speakers: George Galloway. John Rees, Yvonne Ridley, Maulana Shoaib Desai (Masjid Umar) Tickets £3 / £1 - call 07969692-975 Saturday June 25 Oxford A Day for Respect A conference to launch campaign for 2006 local elections. National Speaker. Send us a donation every month - through
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