Sean Matthews  ✒‘Before you mock children who believe in Santa Claus remember there are adults who still believe in Sinn Fein’- Meme.

The decision by Provisional Sinn Fein to drop its vague and ambiguous opposition to non-jury special criminal courts in the South should come as no surprise given that it has long abandoned any counter-insurgency strategy to becoming an active partner and gamekeeper of the status-quo. Indeed, it is only a logical conclusion from embracing the various armed wings of the British state.

As usual we are treated with the usual rhetoric of this Ard fheis decision being supported based on ‘special circumstances’. This comes from a long line of drivel and hog wash designed to keep the republican base in tune from ‘a new phase of struggle’, ‘new site of struggle’, ‘transition’, ‘opportunity’, ‘staging post’, ‘national reconciliation’ and ‘historical momentum’, the republican leadership, aided by the deliberate ambiguity of the peace process, was able to present a series of unprecedented departures from republican principles as great steps forward. So much for an ‘Ireland of equals’ if you happen to be a republican or otherwise dragged before the Special Criminal Court with no trial and condemned by various international human rights bodies across the world.

The gloves are off and Sinn Fein has finally nailed their colours to the forces of the Crown and Harp. There is no shame in defeat, of course; it can be an opportunity to take stock, learn lessons and search for a new form of politics that can address the continuing reality of imperialism and a brutal capitalist system that can never be uprooted by using the master’s tools.

As an anarchist, the transformation of the Provisional should be another wake up call that the state can never be utilised as an instrument of working-class emancipation and it will always be the gravedigger of any radical project. What about 'tactics' and using all means to advance objectives? you might reply. The question is where have we heard all this before?

As Mikhail Bakunin warned over a century ago:

This explains how and why men who were once the reddest democrats, the most vociferous radicals, once in power become the most moderate conservatives. Such turnabouts are usually, and mistakenly, regarded as a kind of treason. Their principle cause is the inevitable change of position and perspective. Power and position have gradually stifled their conscience and they have not the strength and honesty to swim against the current… They have become the strongest bulwark of capitalism.

⏩ Sean Matthews is an anarchist activist and writer.

Long Line Of Drivel And Hog Wash

Sean Matthews  ✒‘Before you mock children who believe in Santa Claus remember there are adults who still believe in Sinn Fein’- Meme.

The decision by Provisional Sinn Fein to drop its vague and ambiguous opposition to non-jury special criminal courts in the South should come as no surprise given that it has long abandoned any counter-insurgency strategy to becoming an active partner and gamekeeper of the status-quo. Indeed, it is only a logical conclusion from embracing the various armed wings of the British state.

As usual we are treated with the usual rhetoric of this Ard fheis decision being supported based on ‘special circumstances’. This comes from a long line of drivel and hog wash designed to keep the republican base in tune from ‘a new phase of struggle’, ‘new site of struggle’, ‘transition’, ‘opportunity’, ‘staging post’, ‘national reconciliation’ and ‘historical momentum’, the republican leadership, aided by the deliberate ambiguity of the peace process, was able to present a series of unprecedented departures from republican principles as great steps forward. So much for an ‘Ireland of equals’ if you happen to be a republican or otherwise dragged before the Special Criminal Court with no trial and condemned by various international human rights bodies across the world.

The gloves are off and Sinn Fein has finally nailed their colours to the forces of the Crown and Harp. There is no shame in defeat, of course; it can be an opportunity to take stock, learn lessons and search for a new form of politics that can address the continuing reality of imperialism and a brutal capitalist system that can never be uprooted by using the master’s tools.

As an anarchist, the transformation of the Provisional should be another wake up call that the state can never be utilised as an instrument of working-class emancipation and it will always be the gravedigger of any radical project. What about 'tactics' and using all means to advance objectives? you might reply. The question is where have we heard all this before?

As Mikhail Bakunin warned over a century ago:

This explains how and why men who were once the reddest democrats, the most vociferous radicals, once in power become the most moderate conservatives. Such turnabouts are usually, and mistakenly, regarded as a kind of treason. Their principle cause is the inevitable change of position and perspective. Power and position have gradually stifled their conscience and they have not the strength and honesty to swim against the current… They have become the strongest bulwark of capitalism.

⏩ Sean Matthews is an anarchist activist and writer.

1 comment:

  1. The transformation of the Provos did at least ensure that the idea of Republicanism could at some point claim to be a catalyst for a societal change (United Ireland).
    What does an anarchist have that's capable of gaining traction? There is absolutely zero chance of the population abandoning administrative structures for a voluntary overseeing body, I mean, why would they? It goes against every base instinct that every human and indeed all animals have. That is to ensure it's own genes survival. The outworking of which is to accumulate resources and find a mate. Both of these at the preferred expense of competition.
    Anarchism like Communism is a great theoretical utopia, but ultimately only works on paper. Bring it out into reality and the Genes win. You can’t win against basic primary instinct, nobody can, no matter how well intentioned they are.

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