Month: June 2011

29 posts
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Irish Ship to Gaza Sabotaged

It has emerged that the Irish Ship to Gaza, part of the Freedom Flotilla 2, has been sabotaged whilst sitting in harbour preparing to sale. The damage, which was potentially life threatening, is so serious that the ship will not be able to sale, but fortunately some of those on board can move to the Italian ship that is part of the flotilla. Here on of those on the flotilla, Paul Murphy MEP (Socialist Party) responds to this latest development.

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Striking Reasons: The demands of the 750,000 workers on strike in Britain

Around 750,000 public sector workers are on strike in Britain today, protesting against attacks on their pension rights. Whilst the Irish media seems intent on demoting the issue, and most definitely will refuse to provide any real insight into why the workers are going on strike, socialistparty.net is bringing you an article written by the national Vice-President of the PCS, one of the main unions on strike today. With workers on strike in Britain and Greece today, the possibility for building a european-wide resistance, and general strike, against austerity can be seen.

For videos and reports from the picket lines check out this article.

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48hr General Stike in Greece

The Greek trade unions have started their first 48 hour general strike since 1992. The movement of the ‘enraged’ and the activists of the workers’ movement demanded this step, against the vote in the Greek parliament on the second memorandum - a new package of austerity imposed by the troika (EU, IMF and European Central Bank). This vote is planned to take place in various stages over the next days.

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Book Review: Why Marx was right

Terry Eagleton's "Why Marx Was Right" is a wonderfully written and accessible introduction to the thought of Karl Marx. It is fashionable to dismiss Marxism as "outdated" or "irrelevant" as it pertains to contemporary economic and political problems. Eagleton provides a much needed correction to this ignorant viewpoint.

Eagleton takes the many objections voiced by the enemies of Marxism (e.g. Marxism is "great in theory" but only leads to bloodshed; Marxism is utopian; Marxism reduces everything to economics; Marxism is deterministic, etc.) and demolishes them one by one.

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The Musical Legacy of Gil Scott-Heron

Last month revolutionary and renowned soul, jazz and blues artist, Gil Scott Heron, sadly passed away. Most famous for his song "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", Gil had a long and turbulant artistic career and life, and is seen as a key musical influence on the development of R&B and rap. His songs were not just mundane songs about nothing, but were scathing social commentary on capitalism and capitalist society. Here we post a review, written by members of Socialist Alternative, our American sister party.

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Britain: Millions ask ‘Does it have to be like this?’

"The protesters in Athens can riot all they want, but they cannot alter the fundamental economic fact of their country - it is busted, mainly because it has been consuming more than it produces for many years. Even a socialist revolution... would not change that reality." (Sean O’Grady, economics editor of the Independent)

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Paul Murphy Socialist Party MEP sails to Gaza

Paul Murphy, Socialist Party MEP for Dublin will shortly attempt to sail to Gaza as part of the ‘Freedom Flotilla II’ to try to deliver humanitarian aid to people in the Gaza strip. Last year’s ‘Freedom Flotilla I’ was brutally attacked in international waters by the Israeli Defence Forces, with 9 human rights activists killed. Here is an interview with Paul about the Flotilla and the situation in the Middle East.

For latest updates and photos from the Irish Ship to Gaza from Paul, as well as blog posts and analysis, check out the special feature on Paul's website available at www.paulmurphymep.eu/gaza

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Greece: A trial of strength

The Greek establishment was shocked by the general strike on 15 June combined with the continuation of the occupation of Syntagma Square in Athens and other major squares in other cities and the generalised demand of the Greek people to get rid of the government of “liars and thieves”, as they are widely called.

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New explosion of 15-M movement on 19 June

Last Sunday witnessed the biggest mass demonstrations since the economic crisis began in Spain, as the streets of every major town were flooded in support of the ‘15-M’ movement. A human tsunami of the young and the old emerged as if from nowhere, thrilling the protestors and activists who had spent weeks building for 19 June (19-J).