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Why am I a Communist?

Ernest Hemingway once wrote, 'The world is a fine place and it's worth fighting for', I've never agreed more in my entire life than I do now.

When I was very little, I did not understand poverty, crime, inter-ethnic tensions, the IMF or any of that. I merely lived day to day. When I look back at Estonia post-USSR, I understand. The collapse of a political and economic bloc that was interconnected in an immense network led to a collapse in society, forcing huge displacement for various reasons. We left Estonia in short due to how dire the situation was for people who were in the lower income bracket, i.e the working class. There was no opportunities unless you were a criminal and no path to liberation unless you were already wealthy or had taken part in the 'privatisation' which in my mind is no different than being a criminal.

This looms over me and my family, it will always loom over us. It is a testament to what happens under what's called 'shock therapy', it is what many Latin American countries also suffered and it is what Ukraine is also suffering.

My path to Marxism (which is certainly not over!) has not been unique. In fact it has been as mundane as any other. When everything is laid bare for a logical thinking person to see, it is undeniable. A series of views linked to Socialism and co-operative democracy, accountability, justice were developed from readings of Lenin, though without any real guidance it was difficult to understand

It did not help either that the majority of my cultural views were Slavic in nature, therefore homophobia and a tinge of discrimination persisted. I had no exposure to anything else and these I confess ignorant views were never really 'challenged', they simply festered and remained. Looking back now it's embarrassing but as people, as activists, as Marxists we are here to learn and I have learned. My time in UCC in Ireland contributed little to nothing to the formation of a political ideology.

I found the overwhelmingly tide of liberalism and the lack of any strong Marxist ideas incredibly off-putting. Like many others, I like to think that the way I process the world is in a firmly logical way. Therefore for instance when discussing imperialism or international politics, or even the concept of democracy a double standard constantly prevailed. This idea that one bloc of nations is good and has never committed a deed that would undermine it morally and that another bloc of nations is inherently evil and that taking any action against it in the form of war, propaganda, discrimination is perfectly acceptable.

This hypocrisy, in my mind was a direct result of 'liberal' values. Values that are not bound to anything ideologically but the current populism of the country, along with a deep rooted ignorance for any critical analysis. Let me tell you; liberalism is rife in universities and it is poorly challenged by young Marxists and Communists. In University I found nothing that helped solidify my views, only confuse them and reinforce ignorant homophobic views and misogynistic trends. I couldn't understand how people were yelling about 'equality' while championing the bombing of Libya, or how their views on Israel were or their approach to the homeless crisis.

How can you talk about equality when you are a lapdog for war? How can you moan about the rights of homosexuals when you're in a political party that throws people onto the street and into the cold? How can you be a forward thinking supporter of social equality if the world is sliding into the biggest economic imbalance in the history of humanity? These are all questions that grew in my mind and genuinely almost constantly made me despair.

There was a turning point though. Out of curiosity, I wrote an e-mail. I wrote it to the Communist Party of Ireland when I saw that there was a local candidate (Michael O'Donnell). Truth be told I didn't even know Ireland had a Communist Party, I knew nothing of their noble history nor their struggle in so many battles. Having met with one of their members I found a connection and in many ways a guide and a mentor. The hypocrisies of liberal society were explained to me in a dialectical fashion while the contradictions espoused by students were undermined with logic based arguments

Fundamentally, the confused political ideas in my head were set straight. I understood that the term equality cannot discriminate on any basis and that those who held this contradiction in UCC who I was exposed too were like me only exposed to a 'liberal' bourgeois education. Equality was far reaching and unquestionable available to all and it most certainly included class

After this meeting I took a three week 'break' from work, from life and from Ireland. I spoke to many people in many different countries and visited post-Communist states much like Estonia.

I returned at the end of September 2014 and opted to volunteer in the Independent Workers Union in Cork City without any financial payment. I received no financial reward for this and my only income was an occasional bit of part time work. Never have I had my eyes opened so much to the realities of life. I was not 'indoctrinated' nor was I convinced, I simply partook in dealing with cases people brought forward from their place of employment. It shocked, stunned and moved me to see how disgustingly vicious companies were towards their employees. I learned that it did not matter what company it was either - we had cases from everywhere. Charities, small stores, supermarkets, hotels, everywhere and anywhere.

From taking in these cases it was also very easy to see how the labour legislation was completely geared towards benefiting companies, especially in a historical context. Everything designed by the state, whether under a Fianna Faíl administration or Fine Gael one was to undermine and subjugate the workers not benefit them. The joint labour committees were founded to ensure that multinational companies would have less of a challenge when settling here and the creation of a solely Irish based congress of trade unions was to weaken the connection of the working class throughout the Irish-Welsh-English-Scottish proletariat.

The more cases I partook in, the more hearings I went too, the more I understood. The state, which is supposedly governed by a political party elected to represent the interests of the working class is completely on the side of international finance. As James Connolly simply put it: 'Yes, friends, governments in capitalist society are but committees of the rich to manage the affairs of the capitalist class'

So when you ask me why I am a Communist, let my answer be this.

Socialism is certainly not the answer to every problem, but it is an answer to many of our problems. If you begin to solve the fundamental ones, you'll find solutions to the other ones. Socialism for me means the restoration of democracy, it means the bringing back of decision making power into the hands of the people, it means that society, whether nationally or internationally will work only on the basis of looking after everybody.

Socialism is not simply a political idea, it is a cultural idea. It is an entire development of a mentality that rejects the fetishism of individuality and endorses collectivity. Socialism in many ways is what one can define when they speak about their family, except in a far broader context and devoted to the working class.

From what I have read and understood, the most applicable theories for this sort of change come from Marx, Connolly and Lenin therefore my place in the Connolly Youth Movement and the Communist Party of Ireland is unquestionable.

I hope that clarifies the matter.

#socialism #change #demcracy #ireland

Europe, an epic failure?

To state it clearly at the beginning: I am embracing the ideals of democracy and freedom and the idea of a united Europe is the ultimate heritage that had been bestowed upon me by my family. However, the current refugee crisis and its aftermath is a story of epic European failure. It is a story of a wannabe superpower that so far has never found common grounds and has never spoken with a common…

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#Afghanistan #asylum #demcracy #Enlightenment #Europe #European Union #Germany #international relations #Irak #rufugee crisis #Russia #Syria #United States

What is“democracy” without imagination? As a black woman, poet, educator, and family historian Teeanna Munro explores the social costs of undervaluing and dismissing the arts, recognizing imagination/art as essential tools of resistance, transformation, and building towards a more humane world.

RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/919757204730788

#demcracy #art #dialogue #yvr #community

MQM, PPP want sacrifice from govt to save democracey

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have put the onus of determining the predominating political emergency solidly on the administration, requesting that it “offer some reparation”.

“There is a requirement for some political activities. The administration ought to have an enormous heart and offer some…

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#demcracy #Govt #movement #mutahida #pakistan #party #people #qaumi #sacrifice

The U.S. Has Let the Public Square Become a Metaphor. That Can’t Be Good for Our Democracy.

#demcracy #tahrir #square

The Icelandic Revolution (From Real Democracy Australia)

In Iceland, the people have made the government resign, the primary banks have been nationalized and it was decided not to pay the debt that these created with Great Britain and Holland due to their bad financial politics, and a public assembly has been created to rewrite the constitution. And all of this has been done in a peaceful way. A whole revolution against the powers that have created the current crisis. This is why there hasn’t been any publicity during the last two years: What would happen if the rest of the EU citizens took this as an example? What would happen if the US citizens took this as an example? This is a summary of the facts: 2008. The main bank of the country is nationalized. The Krona, the currency of Iceland devaluates and the stock market stops. The country is in bankruptcy 2008. The citizens protest in front of parliament and manage to get new elections that make the resignation of the prime minister and his whole government. The country is in bad economic situation. A law proposes paying back the debt to Great Britain and Holland through the payment of 3,500 million euros, which will be paid by the people of Iceland monthly during the next 15 years, with a 5.5% interest. 2010. The people go out in the streets and demand a referendum. In January 2010 the president denies the approval and announces a popular meeting. In March the referendum and the denial of payment is voted in by 93%. Meanwhile the government has initiated an investigation to bring to justice those responsible for the crisis, and many high level executives and bankers are arrested. The Interpol dictates an order that make all the implicated parties leave the country. In this crisis an assembly is elected to rewrite a new Constitution which can include the lessons learned from this, and which will substitute the current one (a copy of the Danish Constitution). 25 citizens are chosen, with no political affiliation, out of the 522 candidates. For candidacy all that was needed was to be an adult and have the support of 30 people. The constitutional assembly starts in February of 2011 to present the ‘carta magna’ from the recommendations given by the different assemblies happening throughout the country. It must be approved by the current Parliament and by the one constituted through the next legislative elections. So in summary of the Icelandic revolution: -resignation of the whole government -nationalization of the bank. -referendum so that the people can decide over the economic decisions. -incarcerating the responsible parties -rewriting of the constitution by its people.

#Iceland #Australia #demcracy #protest #revolution #movement #banks #Icelandic revolution #real democracy

Lawrence Lessig: The "corruption" of Democracy

#Demcracy #Politics #People