Noel Brown & Republicanism

‘Matt Merrigan of S.L.P,.

gain roots in -+he workingclass and contribute to Irish socialism. Without activity by the members the leadership will come more -and more to determine party policy.and to turn the party into an electoral-machine, But there is still room for optimism abdut the SLP's future, There are plenty of signs of a new ferment in the Irish working-class and.without doubt all the issues discussed atthe conference will be the focus of debate and action both North and South, We have no doubt that SLP members will be.involved in this activity and will define their activity in relation to tt, It's worth remembering that the SLP is still in advance of other organisations like the Communist Party and Sinn Fein - the Worker's Party, The standing ovation given to Mrs.Green of the Relatives Action Committee, the motions in support of the H-Block prisoners and political status and the condemnation of the of Brian Maguire -‘se-show that the memare determined to fight ssion and give us hope e future contribution of LP to the socialist nent, "There are three strands to Irish republicanism, "

arianism and its callous indifference about taking human life", He illustrated this by examples taken from the history of the_pro-imperialist parties - internment under De Valera and the repressive laws passed nn He said that Connolly was ' grieviously mistaken in believing that he could have stemmed those non-socialist and anti-socialists whom he joined in 1916 in their garderene rush to the flesh pots of the new Irish republican bourgeois class-— ridden society.' He went on to suggest that the struggle in the North was a war between conflicting religiouns and to say that the only way to peaceful unity was to ‘create a secular pluralist society in the Republic! and that this would lead to a socialist society, He concluded, "Irish republicanism bears no relationship whatever to any kind of social democracy or socialism that I know of", In the debate that followed our position was given by Brendan Kelly of the MSR in a letter to the Irish Times, On the idea that Connolly had liquidated the socialist tradition in 1916 he said, It was not Connolly who lowered the socialist standard but the leaders of the labour movement who came after him", He went on to say that workers had an instinctive belief that the severity of their social ills was caused by imperialist domination, Unless socialists Shortly before the Socialist Labour Party met to discuss policy on the Nationalist Question, Dr.Noel Browne pre-empted discussion within the party. In a major speech he launched a massive attack on republicanism and by implication on the central position of the National Question, philosophy. manner.

We totally oppose any Wing imperialism, to it, showed at least as much common sense they would never have the chance to elaborate a consistent anti-imperialist socialist He further argued that socialists who take up the national question do not inevitably end up as republicans and gave as an example a debate between Republican News and Socialist Republic as the correct way to put forward the alternative in a constructive but principled Socialist Republic believes that Dr, Browne's speech was an illogical and intemperate slander of republicanism, The same logic could be used to condemn socialism by examining the history of the Irish labour party, of which Dr,Browne was a member for many years, ‘socialist’ condemnation of republicanism which is used by socialists to dodge the responsibility of opposThis said, the speech has opened up a debate on the national question both inside and outside the SLP, We see the debate inside the SLP as being of crucial importance for the future of that party and hope to contribute to it, Outside the SLP all sections of the labour movement have been drawn into debate, even the wily leadership of Sinn Fein - the workers! party, We see this as a discussion of major importance and we will continue to contribute _ SOCIETY

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said Dr.Browne, "Its, conservatism, its authorit-

" What a flippent, shameful and ill- considered opinion!