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(30/07/07) Mexico: Conflict in Oaxaca rumbles on In one of Mexico's most southern states, Oaxaca, a conflict between the teachers' trade-union and the representatives of the indigenous peoples, on the one hand, and the state machinery run by the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party, Mexico's ruling party), on the other, has continued for over a year. |
(09/07/07) History: British rule in Asia - The poisoned legacy The British empire dominated South and South East Asia, maintaining its power through the cynical manipulation of ethnic and religious division, alongside brutal repression. It could not, however, hold out against rising workers’ and nationalist movements, particularly after the second world war. As the 60th anniversary of Indian independence approaches, Socialism Today comments on the issues raised by two recent books on the end of empire. See Also: Pakistan Independence: 60 years of shattered dreams. |
(08/07/07) World: Why the United Nations fails the test of internationalism Despite the failure of the UN since its inception to prevent and resolve wars and conflicts, and its inability to eradicate crushing poverty and prevent climate change on a world scale, many (including those on the political left during last year's Lebanon war), continue to promote it as a 'world parliament'. We argue that the UN is beholden to the world's major capitalist powers and cannot play an independent role. Only socialism could provide a framework for genuine internationalism. |
(07/07/07) Britain Terror Attacks: Unite against war, poverty and terrorism The vast majority of Muslims in Britain oppose terror attacks, which are wholly counter-productive in combating the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. The attempted bombings can lead to an increase in racism, initial support for increased government anti-democratic legislation, and a blurring of the class differences between ordinary working people and the neo-liberal government. Racist incidents against Muslim and Asian people have already been reported following the car bombs and unfortunately these are likely to increase. |
(30/06/07) Analysis: World economy grows but workers lose out The collapse of Stalinism and Maoism has allowed the restoration of capitalism in the USSR and increasingly in China. This adds billions of well-educated and skilled workers to the global workforce as well as opening up potential new markets for producers. But global production has increased at a far slower rate than the increase in available workers. |
(29/06/07) Review: Rehabilitating Stalin? - Young Stalin by Simon Sebag Montefiore Simon Sebag Montefiore's biography Young Stalin is the latest and undoubtedly one of the worst of its kind. Montefiore claims that "massive research and astonishing new evidence in archives from Moscow to Georgia cast an entirely different light on Stalin's role". And yet, the only thing that is 'startling' about this book is that there is very little new evidence but a lot of old falsehoods about Stalin. |
(26/06/07) Afghanistan: The slide towards increasing conflict Touted as a success in the 'war on terror' by US, British and Australian politicians, Afghanistan is really an example of the brutal consequences of imperialist intervention. They have helped create a failed and violent ‘narco-state’, fuelled by opium and ruled by gangsters, insurgents and corrupt politicians. The mass of the population is caught in the crossfire between Nato forces, the resurgent Taliban and powerful regional warlords. |
(26/06/07) Nigeria: General strike ends after four days The latest general strike in Nigeria ended when, on 23 June, the trade union leaders accepted a government offer that granted most, but not all, of their demands. This four day stoppage was the most widespread and complete of the eight general strikes or mass protests that Nigeria has seen over the last seven years. The entire country stopped. Not just the organised workers, but wide sections of the working population, including artisans and the self-employed, joined in the protest. |
(25/06/07) Leaflet: No to hospital co-location - For free public healthcare now! Hospital co-location will mean up to 10 private hospitals being built on public hospital grounds. It will see big business tycoons like Larry Goodman and Dermot Desmond investing in health for profit. This will represent a giant step in the direction of a US-style health service run for private profit not public need. |
(22/06/07) Leaflet: The G8 means war, poverty and environmental destruction The facts speak for themselves. Even Bob Geldof and Bono were forced to describe the recent G8 summit in Rostock in Germany as a ‘total farce’. They have no intention of resolving the desperate problems of poverty and environmental destruction faced by the majority of the world’s population. The 80,000 people who came to protest against the G8 this time did so to oppose not only their policies but their lies and broken promises as well. |
(21/06/07) Public Health Warning: Harney is back & co-location is on the way Hospital co-location, whereby private hospitals will be built on the grounds of public hospitals is at an advanced stage. We will shortly know the results of a tendering process for private developers to build private hospitals on the grounds of Tallaght, St James’, Beaumont and Connolly hospitals in Dublin and Cork University Hospital, Limerick University Hospital, Waterford Regional Hospital and Sligo General Hospital. |
(21/06/07) Feature: Analysis of the 2007 General Election and new government The recent general election was a setback for the development of left wing and socialist politics in Ireland. In particular, the loss of Joe Higgins TD who had brilliantly used the Dail platform to raise socialist ideas and was seen by many as the real opposition in the Dail is a setback to the Socialist Party and the working class in Ireland. |
(21/06/07) Feature: Powersharing returns in NI - What now? The government of Northern Ireland is once again in the hands of the local political parties. A new Executive is up and running, dominated by Sinn Fein and the DUP. The fact that Sinn Fein and the DUP have come together is trumpeted by many commentators, and the British and Irish governments, as a turning point. The argument is that if the "extremes" are in government, there is no one left outside to stir up trouble and to bring the Executive down. |
(21/06/07) Palestine: Hamas and Fatah go to war After bloody clashes with militias linked to Fatah and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the Islamic organisation Hamas took control of the Gaza strip on Thursday 13 June. Sensationalised media headlines across the world described this as 'civil war', yet the vast majority of Palestinians took no part in the clashes. Instead, this was a struggle for power between Hamas and Fatah and had little to do with 'Palestinian national unity', despite the claims of both sides. |
(21/06/07) Police Brutality: Justice for Terence Wheelock - Public Inquiry now! Over two years have now passed since the arrest and detention of 22-year-old Terence Wheelock, which led to his death. He was brought to Store Street Garda Station on 2 June 2005, and within three hours was found unconscious in his cell. He never recovered and died on 16 September. The Gardai have claimed he hung himself, yet all the evidence suggests that this is a cover-up. |
(20/06/07) Kazakhstan: Well-known socialist jailed again for protesting against forced evictions Appeal: Please send protests! Ainur Kurmanov, a leading member of Socialist Resistance (CWI), in Kazakhstan, was jailed, this week, for five days, by the local authorities in the capital city, Alma-Ata. Ainur was arrested after participating in a protest in support of residents in the Bakai area of Alma-Ata, who, for over a year, resisted forced evictions, which are intended to allow building speculators to use the land for profit. |
(18/06/07) China: Party bosses rocked by child slavery scandal We are used to hearing about slave labour in China’s sweatshop industries. But the major story in China in recent days is about actual slavery in dozens of small brick works and mines in the provinces of Shanxi and Henan. More than 1,000 people, many children, have been forced into slavery as a result of a brutal human trafficking ring that has shocked the whole country. |
(16/06/07) Film Review: The Battle of Algiers Rereleased and now showing this week in the Irish Film Institute (IFI) in Temple Bar, The Battle of Algiers is a must for all revolutionaries. Oscar-nominated and winner of the Golden Lion (Grand Prize) at the Venice Film festival, The Battle of Algiers depicts with chilling realism the struggle of the Algerian people against their French colonial oppressors [includes trailer]. |
(16/06/07) G8 Summit Rostock: When protesters blockaded a meeting of world powers On 6 June, tens of thousands of anti-G8 protesters managed to breach police lines and to disrupt the G8 summit in Rostock. This symbolic victory sent a message across the world – young people and workers will not allow meetings of the world powers to go ahead without drawing attention to the G8’s anti-poor, anti-working class policies. We publish eyewitness reports and analysis from the protests and blockades, by Socialist Party and CWI members. See Also: Socialist World's G8 Summit covearge. |
(15/06/07) US-Russia Tensions: Putin exploits Western hypocrisy over 'democratic rights' Not since the height of the ‘Cold War’ have tensions between Russia and the western imperialist powers been so tense. The suggestion that the US would use Polish and Czech territory as bases for elements of its anti-missile defense system, supposed to protect the West from missiles launched by countries, such as Iran and North Korea, led Russian president Vladimir Putin to claim Russia would aim rockets at Europe. |
(14/06/07) Audio: Joe Higgins on the new FF/Green/PD government Today's RTE Radio 1 program Drivetime focused on the formation of the new government made up of Fianna Fail, the Progressive Democrats and the Green Party. One of the guest commentators on the show was Joe Higgins. |
(14/06/07) Leaflet: End Limerick's Dialysis Crisis - Fight for free public healthcare! The new government is set to continue the old policies; underfunding healthcare and creating a US-style, for-profit health system. This will only worsen the crisis and must be resisted. The current scandal here in Limerick of people having to travel long distances for dialysis underlines this. For years now the government and HSE have been aware that the dialysis machine in Limerick Regional Hospital is over worked and that one or more new macines are desperately needed. |
(09/06/07) Leaflet: 40 years of repression, death & destruction - End the Occupation! In June 1967 the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) rolled into the Gaza Strip and the West Bank opening one of the most violent and repressive chapters of history since the Second World War. Since then the Palestinian people have known only repression, death and destruction. Thousands have died and more than 4 million have been forced to flee their homes. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the initial invasion and occupation, but the aspirations of the Palestinian people for a homeland of their own are as far off as ever before. |
(08/06/07) Middle East: 40 years since the Arab-Israel 1967 war - Repression and bloodshed continues The start of a six-day war on 5 June 1967 between Israel and its neighbouring Arab states resulted in an overwhelming military victory for Israel. The political effects of the war continue to shape the conflict in the region today. Victory meant that Israel had control of eastern Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Egypt's Sinai Peninsula (causing the closure of the Suez Canal) and Syria's Golan Heights. |
(08/06/07) G8 Summit Rostock: Massive police mobilisation faced by summit blockaders A huge repressive police apparatus is mobilised against tens of thousands of peaceful protesters in and around the G8 summit, held near the east German town of Rostock. While the G8 leaders are wined and dined for two days, many thousands protesting their anti-poor and anti-working class policies face water cannons, riot police and armoured cars. See Also: Socialist World's G8 Summit covearge. |
(08/06/07) Audio/Video: Joe Higgins post election interviews on RTE Joe Higgins has appeared on a couple of RTE radio shows discussing the aftermath of the general election and the future of leftwing politics in Ireland. Today Joe featured in a debate on the topic of "The Future of the Left in Ireland" on Today With Pat Kenny. Also debating were Richard Boyd-Barret of the SWP/PBPA and Ivana Bacik of the Labour Party. Last week Joe also appeared on News At One discussing the loss of his Dail seat and the future of the Socialist Party as a campaigning organisation. |
(29/05/07) Election Aftermath: Smaller parties, including Socialist Party, squeezed The outcome of the general election in Ireland was fundamentally affected by the economic situation with people opting for the main incumbent party, Fianna Fail, over the official opposition of Fine Gael and Labour. Despite the continued growth, this was not due to a feel good factor, quite the opposite. The decline in the property market and construction and the trend of Multi National Corporations to move to lower wage economies has made people nervous about the future. |
(28/05/07) Elections 2007: Archive of 2007 Election Website Archive of candidate profiles, manifestos, policies, etc from the Socialist Party 2007 Election Website. The Socialist Party would like to thank all those who helped in the campaign and those who voted for our candidates. See also: Election Aftermath - With no real alternative people go for the 'lesser evil'. |
(27/05/07) Lebanon: Conflict in refugee camp threatens to spread as US military "aid" arrives Transport planes carrying US military "aid" for the Lebanon’s army is reported to have arrived at Beirut airport, on 25 May, following an "appeal" from the Lebanese government. Lebanese troops spent the last several days fighting Islamist forces in the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp, in northern Lebanon. Thousands of people fled the camp, as aid workers struggle to bring food and medicine to thousands still inside. Around 50 soldiers and Islamists fighters are reportedly killed, so far, and the civilian death toll is unknown although estimated to be in the hundreds. |
(23/05/07) United States: "Left wing" Democrats vote to fund Iraq war Under intense pressure from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic Party bosses, the 'left-wing' anti-war Democrats grouped around the “Out of Iraq” congressional caucus broke a pact they had made to vote against the war funding bill, and gave their blessing to caucus members to vote for it. Their leader Maxine Waters explained this by saying “we told them we don't want them to be in a position of undermining Nancy [Pelosi's] speakership". |
(22/05/07) Elections 2007 - Video: Joe Higgins TD on Campaign Daily Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins appeared on RTE 1's election program Campaign Daily today discussing the role the Socialist Party and other genuine community-based campaigners can play in the Dail. He argued against the cynical argument so often mouthed by pundits and establishment politicians that a vote for anti-rightwing coalitionists and independents is somehow a "wasted vote". |
(22/05/07) Scotland: SNP in power – populism and cuts While Alex Salmond has pledged to govern "wholly and exclusively in the Scottish national interest", in practice this will be a government that ultimately defends the profit-hungry bosses. The SNP have promised to cut business tax and to fight for the powers to slash corporation tax to 20%. As Gordon Brown’s spending squeeze bites and funding to the Scottish Executive slows down, the SNP will be under pressure to implement cuts. |
(21/05/07) Elections 2007 - Audio: Joe Higgins TD appearances on RTE Radio One Socialist Party TD Joe Higgins appeared on two RTE Radio 1 current affairs programs to talk about the policies of the Socialist Party and the bankruptcy of the establishment parties. Below are audio downloads in MP3 format. On his appearance on Today With Pat Kenny he explained some of our positions and policies and answered questions from the host and callers. On his appearance on Drivetime he talked about our Manifesto and the rightward drift of both the Greens and Sinn Fein. |
(17/05/07) North: Sinn Fein and Ian Paisley's DUP form power sharing Executive It was all smiles and photo opportunities at Stormont, just outside Belfast, on 8 May, when the new Northern Ireland Executive was set up, with Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Ian Paisley installed as First Minister and Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness as his deputy. Tony Blair was there, basking in the smiles and handshakes, all in the hope that these images would encourage history to be kind; that he would be remembered as the Prime Minister who brought "peace" to Northern Ireland, not as someone who helped create the bloody carnage of Iraq. |
(16/05/07) World Economy: Forever Blowing Bubbles? The world capitalist economy has been buoyed up by a tide of liquidity, a flood of cheap credit. This has fuelled the frenzied financial speculation of the last few years, a profits bonanza for the super-rich. Underlying this, however, are unsustainable imbalances and deepening contradictions in world economic relations. We take an in depth look at the processes taking place. |
(15/05/07) Elections 2007 - Video: Clare Daly debates FF & Labour on RTE Six-One News Clare Daly, the Socialist Party election candidate for Dublin North appeared on RTE's Six-One News program yesterday (14 May) in a debate with Brendan Ryan of the Labour Party and Daragh O'Brien of Fianna Fail. |
(15/05/07) Britain: Blair's departure - Curtain falls on disastrous reign Ten years of 'unremitting' attacks on the working class and poor for the benefit of the rich, blatant corruption, systematic undermining of the NHS, continuation of the dirty work of the Tories through privatisation. Above all, the obscenity of the Iraq war with its 650,000 civilian victims and the country plunged back almost to medieval barbarism. This, and not the sycophantic blandishments by Blair and his media allies in the last week, is the real 'legacy' of his disastrous reign. |
(11/05/07) Elections 2007: Two articles from the Irish Times We reproduce two articles from today's Irish Times website concerning the Socialist Party election campaign. The first piece is a report from the launch of our Election Manifesto. The second is a profile of our TD Joe Higgins who is running for re-election in Dublin West. See Also: Socialist TD vows to be real opposition from the Irish Examiner. |
(11/05/07) History: The 1907 Dockers and Carters' strike - Belfast workers in revolt This year the working class of Northern Ireland can celebrate one of the proudest moments in its history. One hundred years ago the city of Belfast was gripped by a revolt of the low paid and the exploited. For three months in the summer of 1907 the working class communities across the city stood firm and united in support of the historic strike by dockers and carters. |
(10/05/07) Europe: Elections in France, Scotland, England and Wales The past week saw several elections in Europe - the principle ones being the Presidental election in France and the elections to the Scottish Parliament. There were also Assembly elections in Wales and Local elections all over Britain. We are carrying reports from the CWI sections in the respective countries. |
(01/05/07) May Day: Build a socialist alternative to war, poverty and exploitation The Socialist Party send warm May Day greetings to the workers, youth and oppressed of the world. May Day stands for international solidarity, struggle and socialism. Socialists, trade unionists, anti-capitalists, student and environmental activists, anti-war and human rights campaigners, women’s rights fighters – all these, and many more, will make common cause on 1 May, resisting the bosses’ attacks and struggling for a better world. |
(01/05/07) Election 2007: The Socialist Party - An unrivalled record of struggle The Socialist Party has a proud record of campaigning on behalf of working class people in Ireland, North and South. In recent years our Party and its public representatives have been at the heart of many of the biggest working class struggles and campaigns. North and the South we have supported every major strike and struggle by workers in the last 40 years for better pay and conditions or in defence of their jobs and rights. |
(01/05/07) Election 2007: Socialism and the ideas of the Socialist Party The world's economic resources are owned and controlled by a small elite and are supplied to the majority by the multinationals for profit. One hundred and fifty multinational corporations control and dominated the world economy and its resources. The few thousand people who control these huge conglomerates are more powerful than governments and dominate the lives of the world’s six billion people. |