Sinn Féin is a party that has been involved in struggle for a long time. A new generation of leadership will eventually be required and it is important that the new leadership does not become comfortable in the political culture of Stormont and Leinster House.
The existing political cultures nicely serve the existing social and economic status quo, and no matter how radical a person is the culture will absorb them in time, unless the culture itself is changed.
The future role of Ógra should be in making sure that the political cultures North and South are changed in ways that are inclusive, dynamic and participative for the ordinary people as well as for political activists.
Politics is too important to leave to an elite group.
It is by developing a culture of discussion among Sinn Féin activists and supporters that we can gather the political strength to achieve our objectives of a united, socialist Ireland.
Ógra have the advantage in this of not being set in the old ways like the rest of us. Ógra must lead these profound changes in Sinn Féin and in Irish society.
It may be that some Ógra members feel they were born too late, all the action is over. That is unlikely to be true.
All the leading scientists tell us the climate is changing, growing warmer in an erratic way. It seems unlikely that the process will be reversed, so we have to prepare for the likely consequences in the next ten or twenty years.
These are that on a world scale food harvests will increasingly suffer from the erratic weather, and fossil fuel prices will rise steeply. ‘The Stern Report’ speaks of a recession on the scale of the ‘The hungry thirties’. Whatever way it goes, recession or not, it will be a time of great change in economic, social and political life all over the world.
Today’s Ógra will be in leadership positions in Sinn Féin, managing that change in Ireland over the next twenty years. In recession, stock markets collapse. Companies close down.
It is vital for the future of the Irish people that the key parts of the economy are ‘recession proofed’ by not being dependant on stock markets.
Water supply, electricity, fuel, transport, food supply, need to be either state run or run by local authorities or as co-operatives so that they will stay open even if there is a severe recession.
This will involve big changes which will be bitterly opposed by vested interests.
This struggle will define Irish politics and indeed world politics.
Ógra faces a huge challenge to bring it off, and secure at the same time a united socialist Ireland!
1 comment:
I dont believe for one minute that our leadership are becoming too much relaxed in the political cultures in stormont or Leinster house, although we have to accept that to the average constituent on the street, thats exactly how it looks. People's perception is everything!
If we are to create stable conditions both north and south in order to create a suitible environment for the brits to withdraw, we run a serious risk of our electoral base loosing the thirst and interest for Irish unity. I have heard several Republicans talk about the fact that the national question is hardly on the agenda anymore in our political work.
Jim has been an excellent mentor for Ógra and long may his positive influence continue.
SEAN G
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