On April this year I rejoined the Scottish National Party (SNP) after a number of years in the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP)and Solidarity Scotland's Socialist Movement. Nothing has changed I still remain a republican socialist since the mid 1980s.
The SNP is not a republican party but is Scotland's leading party of Independence. The SNP of course does have republicans, republican socialists within it. In view of this I can enjoy meeting Left Nationalists like myself in the party or share the same goal of Scottish Freedom with the more right wing elements in the party. However I would say it is a party at ease with itself and everyone is friendly. Most in the party are left of centre which makes radical Scottish Republican Socialists such as me stand out.
But what of the Scottish Left and how do we define it? Well it is not just members of the SSP or Solidarity. Members of the Scottish Trade Unions should be included. Then they are various parties such as the Communist Party of Scotland and individuals in the Democratic Left that make up the Scottish Left. Also there is the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement (SRSM) and their brand of progressive Left wing Nationalism and activism.
With this in mind the Scottish Left should be a strong voice in Scottish politics. However there are much disunity and an element of sectarianism which is apparent. I wonder if I should be surprised by this but I am not when we are all up against an authoritarian British state and their Unionist media.
So what is the answer? I feel the answer lies in republican socialist beliefs and practical steps towards unity. There should be more republican socialist Conventions in the future and less attacks on the SNP with it's social democratic outlook.
The SNP have an important role to play in Scottish society. That is convincing Scots of the merits and positives of Scottish Independence. And implementing policies as best they can while remaining for time being the minority administration in the Scottish Government.
In view of this all is not well. The public services face cuts which have been delayed in large part for the moment. This means a clear choice for voters come the Scottish elections. Vote for a party that stands up for Scotland and the difficult times that lie ahead. We need to convince the public that a vote for Labour in Scotland is a wasted vote. We end up with right wing Westminster dictates and it happened again in history that we get Tory rule of sorts while being tied to the union.
Only by voting SNP as the largest most effective pro-Independence party can we hope for change within the limits of constitutional nationalism and what it has to offer. In other words Nats working progressively in parliamentary politics. Elections show that the SSP and Solidarity are going nowhere. Which is a pity because they are supposed to be pro-independence parties despite having the Brit Left hanging on their coat tails.
It never made sense to me having different pro-independence parties standing candidates against each other. What we need is for their members to vote SNP in seats where the Nats can win. What is missing is practical unity amongst those who clearly are aligned with the Scottish Independence Convention and therefore naturally support an Independence Referendum. Which I think the SNP proposals in the Referendum Bill will be put to the test in March 2011.
Anyway I am happy now to be back in Scotland's most effective party in the campaign for Independence and standing up for Scottish interests.
As I said at the beginning I have not changed my politics it is republican socialist and I have entered a party such as the SNP that can make Independence possible. Then only we can begin a real effective struggle for our beloved Scottish Socialist Republic.
Yours for Scotland
Larry
Showing posts with label Republican Socialism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Republican Socialism. Show all posts
Sunday, 8 August 2010
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Republican Socialism and the Class Struggle
In April this year I joined the Scottish National Party in order to argue the case for Independence without the distraction of the British left prevalent in Solidarity and the Scottish Socialist Party. Yet Solidarity and the SSP are supposed to be pro-independence parties. Both are members of the Scottish Independence Convention. The purpose of the Scottish Independence Convention or SIC is to bring parties, organisations and individuals together to work for the common aim of Independence. However I wish the SIC success in their aim but only time will tell. What I do hope for is for an Independence Referendum that we can win for Scotland's velvet revolution of sorts. Yet consider Solidarity and the SSP rarely mention Independence on their websites and nothing on the need for an Independence Referendum. The SSP website is a clutter to say the least.
On the SNP website just click on Independence and Independence White Paper published where there is a link. Next click on Choosing Scotland's Future and there it is about the Independence Referendum proposed in the White Paper part of the National Conversation which the SNP used for feedback from the public. On this page is the National Referendum which is proposed and as pointed out here as the next step. The Scottish Government intends to bring forward the Referendum Bill early in 2010. The Scottish Parliament will be invited to pass the legislation.
Anyway the SNP have proposed an Independence Referendum albeit likely to be a multi-option one. The Unionists disagree in holding an Independence Referendum yet opinion polls show great support in Scotland for a Referendum on Scotland's Constitutional future. With this in mind I have always argued for public pressure to assist the present Scottish Government in their wishes. I would argue that parties and both political and non- political organisations should lead the way and lets take to the streets.
On a brighter note we have the Scottish Independence Convention, SNP White Paper and a new group of non-political individuals calling themselves March For Your Future (MFYF) a group dedicated to raising awareness about the need for Independence and a march through Edinburgh to be organised for April 2011. In view of this I believe a sea of change will grip Scotland and demand for change will come in it's own time. Already there is a need that is recognised that Scotland needs a Parliament with full fiscal powers.
And this leads me onto what I want for Scotland. Firstly a Republic through Independence and ditching the monarchy and crown powers the bad elements of the British state. However I am a Republican Socialist and that is part of my struggle in the mix when campaigning for Independence. We need to address what is bad in capitalism and build a fair democratic free society. A genuine and true Scottish Workers Republic. And that must be built through class struggle and public pressure from below. We cannot get a Workers Republic by parliamentary means.
So what is required for socialism? Well we need Conventions of Republican Socialists to meet and organise for class struggle. I understand the SSP have had an Republican Socialist Convention held in November 2009. This could be argued to be a healthy development. But it is required that such events go beyond organising by one group of party individuals. There is also the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement to consider and their experience on understanding the nature of the British left. Such Conventions require a united voice from Republican Socialists in the Scottish Left or nationalist left in the SNP. We need to see more Conventions that lead to Scottish Republican unity and to begin to take the campaign to parties, organisations and for us to hit the streets. In short we need to educate those in both politics and the public the merits and advantages of Republican Socialism and a Workers Republic built after Scottish Independence.
Scotland's class struggle in history is both nationalist and socialist as recognised in a good article by John McAllion of the SSP. Correctly the break up of the British state will provide a bigger platform for Republican socialists to agitate and educate workers and the poor that the Workers Republic is in every body's interest.
On the SNP website just click on Independence and Independence White Paper published where there is a link. Next click on Choosing Scotland's Future and there it is about the Independence Referendum proposed in the White Paper part of the National Conversation which the SNP used for feedback from the public. On this page is the National Referendum which is proposed and as pointed out here as the next step. The Scottish Government intends to bring forward the Referendum Bill early in 2010. The Scottish Parliament will be invited to pass the legislation.
Anyway the SNP have proposed an Independence Referendum albeit likely to be a multi-option one. The Unionists disagree in holding an Independence Referendum yet opinion polls show great support in Scotland for a Referendum on Scotland's Constitutional future. With this in mind I have always argued for public pressure to assist the present Scottish Government in their wishes. I would argue that parties and both political and non- political organisations should lead the way and lets take to the streets.
On a brighter note we have the Scottish Independence Convention, SNP White Paper and a new group of non-political individuals calling themselves March For Your Future (MFYF) a group dedicated to raising awareness about the need for Independence and a march through Edinburgh to be organised for April 2011. In view of this I believe a sea of change will grip Scotland and demand for change will come in it's own time. Already there is a need that is recognised that Scotland needs a Parliament with full fiscal powers.
And this leads me onto what I want for Scotland. Firstly a Republic through Independence and ditching the monarchy and crown powers the bad elements of the British state. However I am a Republican Socialist and that is part of my struggle in the mix when campaigning for Independence. We need to address what is bad in capitalism and build a fair democratic free society. A genuine and true Scottish Workers Republic. And that must be built through class struggle and public pressure from below. We cannot get a Workers Republic by parliamentary means.
So what is required for socialism? Well we need Conventions of Republican Socialists to meet and organise for class struggle. I understand the SSP have had an Republican Socialist Convention held in November 2009. This could be argued to be a healthy development. But it is required that such events go beyond organising by one group of party individuals. There is also the Scottish Republican Socialist Movement to consider and their experience on understanding the nature of the British left. Such Conventions require a united voice from Republican Socialists in the Scottish Left or nationalist left in the SNP. We need to see more Conventions that lead to Scottish Republican unity and to begin to take the campaign to parties, organisations and for us to hit the streets. In short we need to educate those in both politics and the public the merits and advantages of Republican Socialism and a Workers Republic built after Scottish Independence.
Scotland's class struggle in history is both nationalist and socialist as recognised in a good article by John McAllion of the SSP. Correctly the break up of the British state will provide a bigger platform for Republican socialists to agitate and educate workers and the poor that the Workers Republic is in every body's interest.
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