April issue of Socialist Voice April 8, 2021
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The April issue of Socialist Voice is now available online: https://socialistvoice.ie/category/article/latest/
or pdf: https://socialistvoice.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/SV-2021-04.pdf
Nursing-home deaths – Who is responsible?
As was reported in Socialist Voice in September 2020, the apparently systematic transfer of acute hospital patients to nursing homes, and the ensuing outbreaks and deaths, constitute a scandal of drastic proportions for the Irish state. The facts surrounding this tragic situation require analysis, while official reports have been criticised for taking […]
Left for unity: unity for strength
by Jimmy Doran
Unity is indeed strength. We must ensure that the strength gained from Irish unity is for the working class. The partition of Ireland was an imperial solution as a result of the British empire beginning to crumble at the beginning of the last century. The British empire has been confined […]
How long will they get away with it?
Two instructive headlines from the bourgeois financial news web site Business Insider give an indication of how the balance of global wealth has shifted since the covid-19 pandemic began in early 2020. The first: “Billionaires made $3.9 trillion during the pandemic,” informing us that the likes of the Victorian workhouse […]
Caomhnóir ina shabaitéir
An bhliain seo caite méadaíodh 74 faoin gcéad ar bhrabús an chomhlachta phríobháidigh otharcharr is mó sa tír, Lifeline Ambulance Service. Is le David Hall, a bhain cáil amach cheana mar fheachtasóir morgáiste, an comhlacht.
The broad front: alliances, compromises, and principles | A republican view
by Barry Murray
Socialist republicans and progressive forces are at a crossroads, at a time of potential momentous change in Ireland. And change, however slowly, always results in a reconsideration of positions previously taken. Human history is replete with the consequences and indeed the dialectic of change. It is only when we look back that […]
Marxism and the housing crisis
“Our cities can never be made really habitable or worthy of an enlightened people while the habitations of its citizens remain the property of private individuals. To permanently remedy the evils of city life the citizens must own their city.” (James Connolly, Workers’ Republic, 18 November 1899) “The so-called housing shortage, which […]
The militarisation of the European Union grows apace – Part 2
According to its high representative for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, the EU at present has 5,000 troops stationed around the world under its aegis.¹ Most of its operations are based in Africa (as shown in part 1 of this article). However, the EU’s most significant operation on the European continent […]
The last acceptable form of racism| Part 2
In part 1 of this article (Socialist Voice, March 2021) I used official statistics showing the gap between Travellers and society in general in health, employment, and educational achievement. Travellers die earlier, have greater ill-health, have lower educational qualifications, have higher unemployment and have more overcrowding and poorer housing than society […]
Climate change: No longer a peripheral issue
by Sajeev Kumar
T. S. Elliott wrote in “Choruses from ‘The Rock’” (1934): Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge?Where is the knowledge we have lost in information? We have all the knowledge and information about climate change, but the capitalist system doesn’t allow us to act with wisdom. As a […]
Drugs: A weapon of imperialism
Narcotics are, in some ways, just like any other commodity. Be it oil, natural gas, sugar, or coffee, under capitalism their purpose is to allow profits to be made. Hyper-consumerism has led to unequal levels of development in the Global North and South, social alienation in domestic markets, and environmental […]
A view from rural Ireland
by Joe Hurley
The CAP talks have stalled. That means no new environmental schemes until the powers that be, the parties to the negotiations, are all in bed with big-money capitalism. The result, of course, will benefit large corporations and factories, not small or medium farmers, meat-factory workers, or all the rural workers. […]
“Peter and the Wolf” — A work of socialist realism
One of Sergei Prokofiev’s most famous compositions is Peter and the Wolf (1936). Natalya Sats, then director of the Moscow Musical Theatre for Children, had commissioned this work to introduce children to some of the instruments of the orchestra, and to classical music. Prokofiev had met Sats while taking his […]
A valuable contribution
■ Patrick Magee, Where Grieving Begins: Building Bridges after the Brighton Bomb (London: Pluto Press, 2021) Patrick Magee’s memoir is an insight into both his personal history and what was for decades the harsh experience of life for Northern Ireland’s non-unionist community. Although he will forever be identified with the […]
Time to stop pandering to the rich
On 11 December 2019 the EU Commission adopted the “European New Green Deal,” with the aim of continued growth coupled to a climate-neutral, fair and prosperous society by 2050. On 19 December the same year the Circular Economy Action Plan was passed by the Commission. Its aim is to replace […]
“Shared western values”
Rich countries, with 14 per cent of the world’s population, have secured 53 per cent of the “Western” covid vaccines. Meanwhile you have to search hard for information on vaccines being produced or tested in other countries, including Russia and Cuba. Almost all the Pfizer-Biontech vaccines will go to rich […]
Opinion – In defence of China: A response
The article by Alan Farrell in the March issue under the heading “In defence of China” raises some extremely important questions but offers answers that are unsustainable. The writer asks three questions to represent the concerns expressed by many people, and proceeds to answer them. But the questions themselves are […]
No tactics, no strategy, so what’s the point? April 8, 2021
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An excellent article in the Newsletter from Alex Kane which really cuts to the heart of things as regards the events we’ve seen in recent nights. Discussing the rioting he notes that none of it will have any impact on the protocol or the fate of the Chief Constable of the PSNI.
And he asks:
Or was it something more deep-rooted than that: a growing sense across and within the loyalist communities (loyalism has always been heterogeneous, by the way, which may explain why it has so many kinds of paramilitary groups) that they had been left behind, with precious little to show in the way of tangible socio/economic/educational/employment et al benefits?
If that is true, then where should the finger of blame be pointed? Is it the fault of Sinn Fein and the SDLP that the rates of educational underachievement are higher in loyalist areas than elsewhere? Is it the fault of republicanism that unemployment rates are often higher in loyalist areas than elsewhere? Is it the fault of the Irish government that loyalist paramilitary groups are recruiting, while also knee deep in criminal activity?
He asks is it the fault of the GFA/BA that unionists are now a minority in the Assembly, or that ‘a significant number of voters who once voted for unionist parties have now shifted to Alliance?’
He points to loyalism being failed by mainstream unionism – rolled out to play a certain part, and then quickly sidelined when it becomes inconvenient or unnecessary – this has happened time and time and time again. And he states flatly that “It will be left behind again once some sort of resolution is reached on the protocol (which will happen).”
His proposition? That loyalism does two key things. Firstly see more representatives of loyalism elected – secondly, break the link between paramilitarism and political loyalism. Few of us would disagree “that the voices and interests of tens of thousands of ordinary working class loyalists need to be heard”. Is it likely to happen as long as those working class loyalists allow the DUP to be their proxy? One has to think not. But if this is genuinely a time where matters are being reshaped, where even if unity isn’t a prospect immediately or for some time, it is clear that dynamics are in play and not merely on this island that will see future dispensations perhaps radically different from the present. Many would see it as vital that loyalists do contribute to ensuring that their voice is heard in those processes.
Unstable government? April 8, 2021
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Reading this on the Guardian just before the weekend – an overview of the Irish government’s travails, which was framed in the context of the authority of the government fraying, a question struck me. Is the government under any serious pressure at this point? Pat Leahy has been banging the drum along the lines of if the vaccination programme falters or worse, or if the society doesn’t open up on foot of that (or one earlier to some degree – a particular bugbear of his) then the government might fall.
But is that likely? The component parts – however much they may dislike the position they find themselves in – do not appear to have anything to gain from breaking the government at this point. Not with a large rival waiting outside the gate in the form of SF. Their own popularity, bar FG’s, is not high. But what alternative is there for them?
Interestingly the piece notes:
Ireland’s vaccination level is slightly above Europe’s average, and well above average for those aged over 80. The government hopes a dramatic increase in supply in April, May and June will permit significant loosening of restrictions.
“This summer our businesses and our public services will safely reopen,” said Martin. “We will finally be meeting and enjoying the company of friends and family once again. We will be able to travel within and enjoy our beautiful country again.”
That depends on vaccine supply and public adherence to restrictions, two factors beyond the government’s control.
So is that the position, that if late-Summer rolls around and things are in crisis, the government might fall?
Scotland partitioned? April 7, 2021
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Thanks to JH for the link to the following:
Parts of Scotland should be able to vote to remain in the United Kingdom after a pro-independence referendum in a follow-up vote, George Galloway has declared.
The plan for a second vote that would allow regions of Scotland to reverse a pro-independence majority are part of the former Labour MP’s manifesto for his pro-UK All for Unity party in the Holyrood elections.
Galloway said the proposal allowing for the effective partition of Scotland would mean “the country would be eating itself” after a vote for independence.
And:
He added: “It’s not my view, I wouldn’t wish it to happen, but it would be an extraordinary irony if the break up of Britain gave birth to forces which then began to break up Scotland. The country would be eating itself.”
Hmmmm.
Expert opinion? April 7, 2021
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Entertaining to see a familiar voice emerge last week yet again from the political wilderness that is FF and offer opinion about the pandemic. Marc MacSharry had his fire trained on the government, on everyone.
The Government’s proposed timescale for the easing of Covid-19 restrictions has been criticised as lacking ambition by a Fianna Fáil backbench TD.
And:
“It’s ‘live horse and get grass’ and ‘things will get better’ and ‘in about two years time we can all look forward to eating al fresco, two people per acre while it is raining,” he said.
Mr MacSharry added that there is still no one in charge of the vaccine roll-out. “Once there is plausible deniability, everyone gets blamed,” he said.
And in a way he was right, given he then laid into his own FF Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly.
But if none of the above makes any coherent sense – well perhaps that’s a feature, not a glitch, because the purpose of the exercise isn’t to offer an alternative (MacSharry tried that two or three times before – only to see the virus itself show up the vacuousness of his opinions). There’s a lot of that about.
Personality differences? April 7, 2021
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Should no significant improvement materialise in the short run for Labour, the calls for a merger with the Social Democrats are only sure to intensify.
With virtually nothing to distinguish the parties in terms of policy, the clear impediment to any sort of merger is personality, particularly that of Róisín Shortall, who left Labour in acrimonious circumstances.
It is never possible to limit the reasons why people do or do not decide to vote a certain way.
Is that correct, that the differences and distinctions between the party can be boiled down to one personality in the SDs? I’d have thought that the SDs were if not markedly different, then sufficiently different to have an identity of their own. But what do people think?
Podcast -The Immigration Control Platform April 7, 2021
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A look at The Immigration Control Platform, which were involved in Electoral Politics from 1997 to 2009 and gained a lot of publicity during that period. They were the first of the modern Far Right parties that now exist here.
What you want to say – 7 April 2021 April 7, 2021
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As always, following on Dr. X’s suggestion, it’s all yours, “announcements, general discussion, whatever you choose”, feel free.
The Jewish role in the Irish independence struggle… April 6, 2021
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Educative piece here in the IT from Brian Hanley… entitled ‘Jewish Fenians’ and anti-Semites: the Jewish role in the Irish fight for freedom’. A mixed picture as this quote from the conclusion notes:
Although some Irish separatists were influenced by anti-Jewish ideas, anti-Semitism had no place in the political programme, or activity, of the republican movement. The accusation that Bolshevism was a Jewish plot was unlikely to appeal to republicans, as they too were denounced as agents of Moscow. Instead anti-Semitic conspiracy theories flourished among their British and unionist enemies. Individual Irish Jews were clearly sympathetic to separatism and involved in republican activities.
Vaccine rollout April 6, 2021
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Useful piece in the SBP where they did an analysis of when the vaccine programme should see all adults receiving at least their first dose. The conclusion? August for all adults to receive their first dose.
According to projected deliveries and the newest priority model of different age groups, most adults over the age of 35 should be offered a first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine by June, it shows.
Vaccination of 25- to 34-year-olds is estimated to begin in June and continue into July when they will be vaccinated alongside the last age cohort. This youngest age cohort has been expanded from 24-year-olds down to as young as 16-year-olds as the Pfizer vaccine has been licensed for those aged 16 up.
Just on that last, is it intended those under 16 will eventually get the vaccine? One would have thought that was necessary to break links in transmission in those age groups too, no? Or am I getting that wrong?
Interesting too is the rationale behind doing away with the complex list of groups to be vaccinated. As Newstalk noted:
The changes will come into effect once over-65s, people with underlying conditions and residents of long-term care facilities are vaccinated.
People aged 64-55 will be vaccinated first under the new plan, with younger age groups vaccinated in descending order (64-55; 54-45;44-35;34-25;24-16 yo).
Anyhow, much of this between now and June.
The strong implication in the SBP article is that control and justification of who was being vaccinated was going askew. There’s a lot in that which will have to be addressed (see the other post on this today too). As the SBP also noted:
The single shot dose Johnson & Johnson trial data shows that immunity begins to build 15 days after vaccination, with significant protection one month after the dose. For Pfizer and Moderna it comes about six weeks later, which is two weeks after the second dose is given. The AstraZeneca vaccine begins to provide some immunity three weeks after the first dose, but the second dose is not given until three months later with full immunity not taking effect until a further 15 days after that.
This meaning that full immunity for the younger cohorts will not be seen until September. Small wonder the government is being so cautious this time around.
But that said some of the more cautious medical voices appear content with that prospect – Professor Anthony Staines is quoted as arguing that ‘the majority should get their first dose on schedule and that’s what matters most’.
Of course this again raises the question of what matters will look like three, six, twelve months later?
