Irish Identity (divided) and a New Possibility in Socialism
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Hi all,
Some of you may know that I have been posting recently- and perhaps noticed my movement from reforming hopes to socialist hopes. And that is some feat in such a little while!
I am aware that an antagonism is required for a democratic movement towards a socialist mode of production- and thus harmony in social practice/ social ideas.
I grew up, like so many others in Ireland, displaced by the division in identity politics- are we North and Royal: are we South and Republican… so some of us chose the intersectional identity, one beyond the limits of Irish liberalism.
A. de Valera led us to nationalism, and then to capitalism in its national expression- one that dominates today. The state could have created any mode of production in that field of discourse, but it chose capitalism… alas!
There is so much potential for the divided, the marginal, and so on, for socialism (not the reformist left version that allowed a post colonial state to usher in a capital formation).
Divided identity creates antagonism- negations of all kinds. I had to choose an international worker identity over the divide, over the worker hurting worker: just painted green or orange.
This is a self-reflexive generated question: Can identity crisis be a point of reconciliation towards socialism? I remember that if we decide in the ‘last instance’ and with the consent of the majority- the dream of democracy to come could have been made real.
The history of it- a small group decided what kind of state would come to fruition: and Irish history had resigned it to capitalism; and they, not us, live with it consequences- they continued the capital/worker divide and to sell some to feast, and some to famine. And the same for orange; and the same for green.
If there are any Irish socialists reading this: it is not a criticism of Irish identity- but the missed opportunity and of who controlled our identity.
What do I I say: I am the white in the flag, and assaulted by the green and orange- but their mode is the same, capitalism.
Back to the question: does identity crisis pose an opportunity to say: socialism then?
There is a lot of good stuff here specific to Ireland, by a sadly deceased comrade. Richard Montague.
Matthew,
Thanks for that. I read some of the information on Richard Montague- and it was resonating in a really big way: like I was having my thinking spun into words!
To escape the bonds of nationalism, divisive nationalism, is so crucial to universal worker identity (diverse yet common). Oddly enough, it gave me gentle permissions to just let it go (the call to take a stance on green: orange) and see that the intersections and similarities workers share- moving to a better reality of socialism as the mode to end all that sectarianism. You know, capitalism exploits the labour from either side; and maximises its profits without bias to the royal/republic divide, and for certain dividing us reduces organised mass resistance.
Thanks for that,
L.B
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