A guest article by a Socialist Republican activist discussing leadership and the resistance movement
Elections of every hue, campaigns, and protests, community groups and societies, where is the Republican Socialist response, the support and the clammer for a socialist republic built and based on socialist ideals of equality and parity of esteem, we have blamed revisionist history, the corporate media and to some degree each other, the imperialist / capitalist party’s continue to dominate politics on this island in deference to and in maintenance of an economic elite and religious ideologies, continuing a system designed and built to keep the worker and the vulnerable from achieving equality in any real sense, but why is it that this is the reality of politics on this island?
Why after so many false dawns and betrayals from 1916 to the late 1990s are we still not living in a 32 County Republic, never mind a socialist one!
It is too simplistic to blame the various betrayals of those who held the reins of the revolution, despite the recent revelations about the leaderships of the 70s/80s/90s, those of us who engaged in that struggle throughout those decades must accept that we too have questions to answer.
Why didn’t we speak louder at the various levels of internal engagement?
Why were we content to allow a clique to continue to “lead”?
Why when questions were being asked did, we so readily accept opaque answers?
I have previously commented about the sense of ownership some party’s/groups/individuals had of the entire resistance movement or “struggle” a sense of intellectual superiority, a believe that only the “intelligentsia” could understand and or lead the way towards the political and societal goals for which we fought.
Firstly speaking out was not just frowned upon, but, actively and often physically “discouraged” by those who had much to lose in the way of power, “To find out who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticise”, as a resistance we must accept that internal debate, sometimes heated and energetic is a vital part of the development of vibrant revolutionary politics and strategies, that the right of all within to question and callout policies or strategies must be upheld, as a collective all voices and opinions are important and valid.
Secondly, it is fair I think to say, so many were so deeply engaged in the hardship of physical resistance and incarceration that the time and ability to prevent the development of a clique mentality around the leadership was not always possible, the opportunity to actively oppose such underhand and counterrevolutionary behaviour was also deliberately prevented by the then Leadership, again as a revolutionary resistance movement I believe that it is important, that all within are afforded the opportunity at all times to speak, to question to debate any and all aspects of resistance and political development, not just pre-arranged and organised voting blocs, for this to be a reality, for the politics of inclusion and activation to be a reality any sense of intellectual superiority must end, the opportunity to lead must be within reach of all those capable and committed, not just a closed clique with its own agenda!
To build and sustain a socialist model of revolutionary resistance we must first engage socialism within our communities and develop strategies that encourage others to learn more about the need for opposition to the status quo of imperialism, education and access to socialist theories cannot be just labels and phrases but defined and understood ideals upon which the resistance can and will grow, campaigns and protests cannot be photo opportunity driven as they are with establishment party’s and the counter revolutionary’s but community / societally beneficial.
Any perception of an unaccountable hierarchy must be opposed, while there is always the need for a “leadership” and there will always be those whose knowledge is greater for whom political terminology and ideological debate is easier, along with the inevitable need to know about various future or ongoing campaigns / protests, we must endeavour to always ensure comradeship is at the heart of all structures within!