Extract from the International republican socialist networks "Basic document"
This is an extract from the International republican socialist networks "Basic document" that explains the core principles of the network one paragraph of interest from this is the one titled our inspiration where they explain their inspiration from the Irish socialist Republican Party to the workers' army for a Welsh republic calling the combination of the experience from the various groups and individuals mentioned represent a continues and fully formed tendency.
The IRSN is organized around the follow core tenets:
Socialism
Our organization was created by and for working class people, to aid working class liberation in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, the Basque Lands, Puerto Rico and to elsewhere in the world. We seek the creation of a 32 county workers' republic in Ireland and the creation of independent workers republics in Scotland and Wales, as well as in the other nations detailed above, drawing on the tradition of James Connolly and John Maclean; where the working class will collectively own and control the means of production, distribution, and exchange, as well as democratically administering society.
Drawing upon the analytic base of Marxism, we support the working class, whose interests are unique and counterpoised to those of all other social classes. We reject the belief that the system of capitalism can be reformed in the interests of the working class, and believe that only through class war will the working class achieve its interests. We recognize that there is no ‘parliamentary road’ to socialism nor can a guerilla movement bring about a social revolution, but that only the conscious struggle of our class to overthrow capitalism can provide the basis for the construction of socialism. We believe that socialism is a means of liberating our class from all forms of oppression, whether economic, political, religious, cultural or social. The socialism we envision is one of our class controlling its own destiny and that of our nation's as a whole.
National Liberation
We believe the struggle for national liberation cannot be separated from the class struggle. Any attempt to isolate one from the other will result in failure. It is meaningless to speak of a free nation, if the overwhelming majority remains oppressed, and national sovereignty is lost through multinational corporate control of the economy. At the same time, we believe it is impossible not to challenge British imperialism in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Wales; French and Spanish imperialism in Brittany and the Basque Lands; and U.S. Imperialism in Puerto Rico and still claim to be fighting for socialism in those nations, or in other nations oppressed by imperialism. We believe the continuation of partition props up the divisions in the working class of Ireland and holds them back from their own liberation, just as we believe the continued union of Scotland and Wales within the British state impedes the struggle in those nations for socialism. We believe that the Isle of Man must be removed from its ties to the British monarchy, which is itself a reactionary hold over from the system of feudalism, in order to engage in an unfettered struggle for class liberation. We believe that Puerto Rico, Brittany, and the Basque Lands must break free from the stranglehold of imperialist domination as well. There is no choice in whether to consider the interconnection of the national and class questions in such circumstances, reality forces us to do so. In these nations, we believe the national liberation struggle is but an aspect of the struggle for socialism.
We recognize that the nationalism of an oppressed country is vastly different from the reactionary jingoism of imperialist nations. We support all struggles against imperialism throughout the world.
· In Ireland
We support the ending of the partition of Ireland and the continued occupation by the British Army. We oppose both the partitionist governments presently operating in Ireland, whether Stormont or the Irish Dail. We do not seek to unite the six counties with the existing 26-county statelet centered in Dublin, but call for the dissolution of both, to be replaced by a 32-county workers' republic.
· In Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Wales
We support the break up of the British state and the creation of independent socialist republics of Scotland and Wales. We support the dismantling of the so-called United Kingdom and Great Britain and instead of these formations support the creation of independent Workers’ Republics in Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, and England. We believe that the cause of working class revolution in all four nations is best served by complete national independence, but have no interest in such national independence if it is not brought about through the creation of workers’ republics.
Socialism
Our organization was created by and for working class people, to aid working class liberation in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, the Basque Lands, Puerto Rico and to elsewhere in the world. We seek the creation of a 32 county workers' republic in Ireland and the creation of independent workers republics in Scotland and Wales, as well as in the other nations detailed above, drawing on the tradition of James Connolly and John Maclean; where the working class will collectively own and control the means of production, distribution, and exchange, as well as democratically administering society.
Drawing upon the analytic base of Marxism, we support the working class, whose interests are unique and counterpoised to those of all other social classes. We reject the belief that the system of capitalism can be reformed in the interests of the working class, and believe that only through class war will the working class achieve its interests. We recognize that there is no ‘parliamentary road’ to socialism nor can a guerilla movement bring about a social revolution, but that only the conscious struggle of our class to overthrow capitalism can provide the basis for the construction of socialism. We believe that socialism is a means of liberating our class from all forms of oppression, whether economic, political, religious, cultural or social. The socialism we envision is one of our class controlling its own destiny and that of our nation's as a whole.
National Liberation
We believe the struggle for national liberation cannot be separated from the class struggle. Any attempt to isolate one from the other will result in failure. It is meaningless to speak of a free nation, if the overwhelming majority remains oppressed, and national sovereignty is lost through multinational corporate control of the economy. At the same time, we believe it is impossible not to challenge British imperialism in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Wales; French and Spanish imperialism in Brittany and the Basque Lands; and U.S. Imperialism in Puerto Rico and still claim to be fighting for socialism in those nations, or in other nations oppressed by imperialism. We believe the continuation of partition props up the divisions in the working class of Ireland and holds them back from their own liberation, just as we believe the continued union of Scotland and Wales within the British state impedes the struggle in those nations for socialism. We believe that the Isle of Man must be removed from its ties to the British monarchy, which is itself a reactionary hold over from the system of feudalism, in order to engage in an unfettered struggle for class liberation. We believe that Puerto Rico, Brittany, and the Basque Lands must break free from the stranglehold of imperialist domination as well. There is no choice in whether to consider the interconnection of the national and class questions in such circumstances, reality forces us to do so. In these nations, we believe the national liberation struggle is but an aspect of the struggle for socialism.
We recognize that the nationalism of an oppressed country is vastly different from the reactionary jingoism of imperialist nations. We support all struggles against imperialism throughout the world.
· In Ireland
We support the ending of the partition of Ireland and the continued occupation by the British Army. We oppose both the partitionist governments presently operating in Ireland, whether Stormont or the Irish Dail. We do not seek to unite the six counties with the existing 26-county statelet centered in Dublin, but call for the dissolution of both, to be replaced by a 32-county workers' republic.
· In Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Wales
We support the break up of the British state and the creation of independent socialist republics of Scotland and Wales. We support the dismantling of the so-called United Kingdom and Great Britain and instead of these formations support the creation of independent Workers’ Republics in Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, and England. We believe that the cause of working class revolution in all four nations is best served by complete national independence, but have no interest in such national independence if it is not brought about through the creation of workers’ republics.
· In the Rest of the World
In nations seeking both national liberation and the liberation of the working class, we believe the republican socialist model is appropriate and advocate its implementation with such modification is appropriate to local conditions and history.
We support the dismantling of the ancient regimes represented today by the French and Spanish states. We support the creations of independent Workers’ Republics for the Basque Country presently submerged within both France and Spain, as well as for the Breton working class, and the Catalan working class.
We support the national liberation of Puerto Rico from the colonial oppression of U.S. imperialism and the creation of a Puerto Rican Workers’ Republic.
We recognize, defend, and support the struggle in arms waged by the Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Basque, Breton, and Puerto Rican working class organizations against the occupation of their nations and right-wing terror and in support of national liberation, and in defence of the working class. We reject the concept of armed struggle being a principle, but view it as a tactic to be employed when appropriate.
· Loyalism
We stand totally opposed to the political ideology of Loyalism in the Irish, Scottish, and Welsh nations. Loyalism is a reactionary, sectarian and pro-imperialist ideology, with which we can make no compromise.
· Armed Struggle
We take the perspective that the working class should have recourse to any and all means of struggle possible in pursuing the interests of that class. We state plainly our view that the decision to use or not use force of arms is always a question of tactics, not of principles. While rejecting militarism and guerillaism as elitist orientations, incapable of bringing about the overthrow of the system of capitalism, we defend without exception the right of working class people to use armed force when its use serves the best interests of working people. We reject the notion that revolutionary organizations of the working class should be constrained by the laws of the capitalist state—recognizing the institution of the state to have a class nature in all circumstances and at all times—and we specifically reject attempts by any capitalist state to maintain a monopoly on the use of armed force.
Class Mobilization
As republican socialists, we take lesson from battles that have gone before us, in the community and in the workplace. Workers must reclaim their unions and organize the unorganized. We remain committed to the revolutionary industrial unionism of Larkin and Connolly. As republican socialists we see the support a fighting 'rank and file' trade union movement and we support the building of a revolutionary shop stewards' movement, such as was seen in the ‘Red Clyde’ in the second decade of the twentieth century.
Equality
Our class faces daily, relentless assaults inflicted on us from many quarters and a constant onslaught of attempts to divide us. The IRSN oppose and fight against all forms of inequality and oppression, including that of women, ethnic minorities, lesbians, gays, or other sexual minorities, refugees, and any other specially oppressed sector of the working class. We oppose racism, Zionism, sexism, heterosexism, national chauvinism, and anything else that divides the working class. We support reproductive rights and unhindered access to contraception, including a woman's right to abortion on demand. We are opposed to religious sectarianism and seek the complete separation of church and state and a secular society. We believe consensual forms of sexual expression are private concerns and should not be subject to the dictates of the state.
The Environment
The increasing destruction of our environment is due to mismanagement of industrial production and the inevitable product of a system that puts profit before all else, that is, capitalism. The IRSN supports sustainable forms of production, renewable energy sources, preservation of the ecology and biodiversity of our planet, with protection of all species, and the promotion of a healthy environment for all people as well as plant and animal life. We believe that the protection of the environment demands the destruction of the capitalist system and that socialism will ensure the protection of the environment because all humans share a need for a healthy environment.
Our Inspiration
We recognize the heroic contribution of William Thompson, James Stephens, Fintan Lalor, J.P. McDonnell and the Irish sections of the First International, Michael Davitt, James Connolly, the Irish Socialist Republican Party, Jim Larkin, the Irish Citizen Army, the Irish National Liberation Army, Peadar O'Donnell, Saor Eire, the Republican Congress, Frank Ryan, the Connolly Column and Irish volunteers in the POUM, those within the Official Irish Republican Movement who refused the road to reformism such as Joe McCann, Seamus Costello, Ta Power, Gino Gallagher, and all who fought for the freedom of Ireland and its working class. Likewise, we recognize the equally inspiring contribution of John Maclean, the Welsh Socialist Republican Movement, Cymru Goch, the Workers’ Army of the Welsh Republic, the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement, the Scottish National Liberation Army, the Scottish Republican Socialist Party, and the Puerto Rican Socialist Party. We consider these organizations and individuals to represent a continuous Republican Socialist tendency within the ongoing struggle for national liberation in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and elsewhere. As such, they are our forebears.
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