Press Statement: “Wealthy Elite will still have political power after election,” says 1% Network

by Diarmuid Breatnach - Personal Capacity Sat Feb 26, 2011 19:10

"Through our trade unions and through workplace and community campaigns we need to organise to resist the inevitable attacks” -- said a spokesperson of the 1% Network. Quite right, of course.

We do need to discuss how this is to be done. Some of those on the Left who regularly make these kinds of statements have not and do not build bases in the trade unions, the colleges or the communities. All of these are important areas but from a strategic point of view I believe it is clear that the most important area upon which to concentrate is that of the trade union and unorganised workers. We badly need a grassroots cross-union workers' network built upon, as a minimum, defending workers from attacks and rejecting social "partnership" (i.e. being a party to their own exploitation).

It is to be hoped that after this election, revolutionary and radical socialists, whether they took part in the elections or not, will turn to building this network.

by pat c Sun Feb 27, 2011 14:07

A start needs to be made and made soon. The 1% Network should hold an open activists meeting to plan such action.

A start could be made by organising a demo against cuts, North & South and against cuts in Britain to coincide with the visit of the English queen. There is to be a mass demo in London against the cuts on 26 March, we should organise something to coincide with that as a first step.

by Diarmuid Breatnach - Personal Capacity Sun Feb 27, 2011 15:54

Thanks Pat C but not sure of the wisdom or practicalities of combining the issue of the British Queen's visit and cuts. Also I think there is no reason for or benefit from us combining with a demonstration in Britain except perhaps in a solidarity issue (e.g. anti-war, Julian Assange's extradition).
The grassroots trade union network of which I speak needs to be able to combine all those who wish to resist the attacks of capitalism on Irish workers, whether they are of radical or revolutionary parties, groups or movements or independent.

Someone has to take the initiative to get it started but if it is called by one party or another it is likely to lead to exclusions, either by design or out of suspicion. A broad convening committee to organise a series of open meetings is likely to be the best approach.

And still we wait ....

by pat c Sun Feb 27, 2011 17:44

I think there is everything if favour 0f linking up with groups campaigning against the cuts in Britain and in the six counties. It is a common struggle against same sort of right-wing policies.

Also, bringing economic issues into a protest against the visit of the English queen would likely attract a greater attendance than if its just done in the usual Nationalist style.

Lets make the protest into an Internationalist one.

by Alan Davis Sun Feb 27, 2011 20:51 alan.bolshevik at gmail dot com

Pat is absolutely right to argue for connecting up the struggles in Ireland with those in Britain and beyond. Not least because of the reality of the domination of the Irish economy by British and other overseas capital - we have a common enemy in a very real concrete sense, not just in terms of international solidarity, though that would be reason enough on its own.

by Diarmuid Breatnach - Personal Capacity Thu Mar 10, 2011 16:53

Of course, we all face the attacks of capitalism which is world-wide, so Workers of the World unite! is an appropriate slogan. And it is also true that British capitalism has undue influence in Ireland, both through its occupation of Six Counties and penetration of the Irish economy. Nevertheless, the real need of the moment is to build our bases of resistance here in Ireland rather than holding joint demonstrations and campaigns with those in Britain on their domestic anti-capitalist issues. Any prospect of gains from such activity at the moment is nebulous to say the least and is unlikely to appeal to our workers, who see enough difficulty in uniting our own forces in defence against our own capitalist class. Solidarity actions with other workers, 'blacking' of goods where a strike is being held etc. are a different issue.

by f Thu Nov 10, 2011 22:51

A lot of news reports around the world now feature this being chanted by protesters / occupiers. "We are the 99%".

And the idea of a small cabal of people controlling the bulk of the wealth is gaining currency (ho ho...!)

What happened to this network? It seems to have died away just at the wrong time.

by Celia S Fri Nov 11, 2011 18:52

Why don't the different groups that comprised this come back together? Under this name or the 'Anti-capitalist bloc'?

CS

by pat c Fri Nov 11, 2011 19:21

Thats an excellent idea! I mean no disrespect for ODS but they have their own way of doing things. If the WSM, eirigi, ISN and independent activists got together again then we could organise actions. ODS could decide as to whether or not it wished to get involved.

Could one of the constituent groups start things up?