Theory & History
Subcategories
Commemorating the 95th anniversary of the death of Rosa Luxemburg
The Euro – exit stage Left?
It hasn’t gone away, you know. Although much of the media and political commentary would suggest otherwise, the eurozone crisis is very far from resolved. The economies on the periphery of Europe all face deep economic crisis, the burden for which has been heaped upon working class and poor people, with the devastating social consequences seen at their most extreme in Greece.
The rise & fall of the Celtic Tiger
In this second of a two-part series on the historic failure of capitalism to develop the Irish economy, Cian Prendiville looks at the rise and fall of the Celtic Tiger.
Seanad Éireann – its origins and conservative role
A referendum on the abolition of Seanad Éireann is taking place on the 4th October. It is a referendum that is cynically being put forward by the Fine Gael/Labour government to try to portray themselves as reformers and progressives by calling for the scrapping of a blatantly elitist institution. Enda Kenny even attacked the 'political insiders' who have never reformed the Seanad for decades. Kenny, however, fails to see that he and the rest of his Fine Gael party are at the heart of the political establishment and are true 'political insiders', central to how the state is run.
Review: The World Until Yesterday
Jared Diamond is a materialist. For him, historical and cultural development is rooted in environment, geography and technology. Technological and environmental transformations give rise to differing social organisation and changing values and culture.
Irish Capitalism: A history of failure
In this first of a two part series, Cian Prendiville looks at the history of the southern Irish economy from 'independence' to the Celtic Tiger.
US Civil War – 150 years since the Emancipation Proclamation
“Of all our studies, history is best qualified to reward our research” - Malcolm X
The politics of hacktivism
The world of computer hacking, once the domain of science fiction novels, has become an increasingly prominent force in society. WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and Bradley Manning have become household names. Thanks to the hacktivist group Anonymous, the Guy Fawkes mask from V for Vendetta has become a symbol of struggle seen in protests around the world. The recent scandal surrounding NSA surveillance and the attacks on whistleblower Edward Snowden have brought the subject of hacking further into the public eye.
The socialist alternative to G8 tyranny
Not since its 2001 meeting in Genoa, which saw 200,000 protesters take to the streets has the G8 dared to meet in an area accessible to protesters. However remote a place they choose, they are met by protesters opposed to austerity, war and environmental destruction, but what is clear is that protesting is not enough. We need to build an alternative that is in the interest of the 99% not the dictatorial rule of the 1% – a socialist alternative.
Boycotting Israel – the socialist view
"Boycott, divestment and sanctions" - questions and answers about the BDS campaign from a socialist perspective.
