Ógra Shinn Féin
The very mention of the economy quite rightly bores people senseless, especially young people.
What self respecting, socialising, teenager is going to know, have an opinion or even care about the economy? The very mention of the word economy or its related jargon is enough for most people to switch off.
If the choice was offered between eating your own fist, and having a debate on the economy, you might find quite a high number of one handed young people the next day.
The economy is about as exciting as an omnibus of ‘Songs of Praise’, and has the desired effect, people, you and I, switch off and let the ‘politicians’ and the ‘economists’ sort it out.
That’s what they want, and we oblige happily. We could never possibly know how to run, or even have an opinion on such complicated, important matters, and as a result the same arseholes are elected into Leinster House year in, year out.
The politics and economics of twiddle dee (FF), and twiddle dum (FG) don’t vary much, and up until now, a blind faith following in Uncle Sam’s neo liberal free market has suited the gombeens just fine. Who care’s about the huge inequality, huge gap between rich and poor, when you can point to a growing number of millionaires, soaring house prices, and big pointy monuments on O’Connell Street. Celtic Tiger, hear me roar…
Only now we have a serious problem, the proverbial bottom has fallen out of old Uncle Sam’s neo liberal bag, and the global economy as we know it, is going down the tubes. And as luck would have it, its biggest Irish advocates, the PD’s have folded, further sounding the death knell of their contrived, selfish ideology.
So, did the so called expert ‘politicians’ and ‘economists’ really have a clue?
Obviously not, and the lesson is that never again, can we the people, allow these gobshites to dictate and control our nations wealth, and our futures, we can and should do it ourselves.
We need to start first by simplifying economics down to a level which all people understand, can start to interpret, and have a say in.
Of course neo liberalism has not ended per say, the struggle to confine it to the dust bin of history will involve a good few kicks from us yet, but it is on its way out, and even the biggest advocates, Brown and Bush, find themselves nationalising banks, even wall street. Ho Chi Minh, Lenin, and Castro could not have done it better.
Obviously not, and the lesson is that never again, can we the people, allow these gobshites to dictate and control our nations wealth, and our futures, we can and should do it ourselves.
We need to start first by simplifying economics down to a level which all people understand, can start to interpret, and have a say in.
Of course neo liberalism has not ended per say, the struggle to confine it to the dust bin of history will involve a good few kicks from us yet, but it is on its way out, and even the biggest advocates, Brown and Bush, find themselves nationalising banks, even wall street. Ho Chi Minh, Lenin, and Castro could not have done it better.
In Ireland, the burden of the economic collapse will be placed squarely at the door of those most in need. The elderly, children, working class families, and students will face the full assault of budget cuts, undermining and denying the basic needs of people.
Next year’s local and European election will be an opportunity to send a very strong message to Fianna Fail, and all the other advocates of the failed economic system.
We need to mobilise and promote our alternative in a clear, coherent and grounded manner, we need to articulate the changes needed to ensure an egalitarian Ireland, where citizens are cherished on a needs basis regarding education, health and public services.
Sinn Féin has an aspiration in a language that people understand. An Ireland of Equals is a message which the majority of people support, but we need to, in simple terms; let the Irish people know how we will achieve this.
We played a huge role in convincing the Irish electorate to vote for a social Europe, by rejecting the Lisbon Treaty. We can also upset the applecart, and force a reverse on the budget cutbacks, if we massively increase our mandate in the local and European elections. A social Europe needs a social Ireland playing a progressive role in it.
If we are to provide the first class public service we demand, with free health care, free education and adequate public transport and infrastructure, then we should be proud and show conviction in proposing higher taxes, knowing that it will ensure a more egalitarian and fairer Ireland for all of us.
A confident and clear message could inspire the thousands who don’t vote, after years of disillusionment and disempowering by the status quo parties.
We need only look towards Latin America, to Venezuela and Bolivia, of models which have rejected the staid unequal politics of Thatcher and Regan. The nationalisation of natural resources, agrarian land reforms, and fair distribution of wealth, not to mention the establishment of huge numbers of social movements has empowered the populace and greatly improved their quality of life.
The bubble of neo liberalism has bust, and the economy as we knew it, with all the jargon, is going down the tubes. It is down to us, the ordinary working class people on the ground to reclaim our stake in our nation’s future.
A confident and clear message could inspire the thousands who don’t vote, after years of disillusionment and disempowering by the status quo parties.
We need only look towards Latin America, to Venezuela and Bolivia, of models which have rejected the staid unequal politics of Thatcher and Regan. The nationalisation of natural resources, agrarian land reforms, and fair distribution of wealth, not to mention the establishment of huge numbers of social movements has empowered the populace and greatly improved their quality of life.
The bubble of neo liberalism has bust, and the economy as we knew it, with all the jargon, is going down the tubes. It is down to us, the ordinary working class people on the ground to reclaim our stake in our nation’s future.
In its place, we have the opportunity to build a government and economic system that stands true to the proclamation, it will take time, but let us start to debate and organise now, using next year’s elections as building blocks in a bigger project.
We have an opportunity and I am utterly convinced we will succeed, as Connolly said,
“Our demands most moderate are, we only want the earth!”
We have an opportunity and I am utterly convinced we will succeed, as Connolly said,
“Our demands most moderate are, we only want the earth!”
4 comments:
Brilliant article. Agree 100 %.
S
I agree, SF should be more clear cut in their economics. There is no shame in higher tax if it means the creation of top class public services.
Otherwise it just seems like aspirational politics - we want free this and free that, but we don't know how we'll pay for it.
And yes, the 09 elections are a huge opportunity, lets grasp them.
Grainne
To be honest econonmics bores me to tears, but I enjoyed this article and realise that thats what they want, for us to switch off.
Mick
we need to hit the electorate with grounded rational proposals which are seen to be clearly more beneficial to the country's economy than the present status quo. Running round quoting Che and Lenin will not convince people that capitalism is evil, they need to see practical solutions. Sinn Féin has the ability to do this!
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