Comical Alan strikes again. Who could put it better, that Labour are a shower of 'false revolutionaries who believe in leading people up to the top of the hill and then they'll blatantly abandon them, like they have done on many issues before'? Who are more utopian than Labour, who believe that endless electoral compromises could ever bring us 'a society that is fair, prosperous, and sustainable [Labour Party, General Election 2011]'?
It's amusing to see a Labour minister echoing Thatcher's declaration that 'There Is No Alternative'. But he couldn't be more wrong. There is an alternative. It is revolutionary, and funnily enough involves things being free.
In this massive uprising against the water charges, more and more people are realising that nothing much will change without fundamentally overhauling, or revolutionising, the system we live under.
Hundreds of thousands of us have taken to heart the idea that 'Water is a Human Right'. But we don't stop there. Not only do we think water is a human right, but food, accommodation, clothing, healthcare, education, and more. In fact, we these naturally follow from the one fundamental right we all have: the Right to Well Being.
Every person should be able to live a good life. There are more than enough resources and capable bodies and minds to provide for everyone. But instead of bitterly chiding at 'utopia' like Comical Alan, we set about trying to make that world a reality. It is the peculiar form of social organisation we presently endure which is to blame, not some law of nature. Not only would this mean that we would be materially satisfied, but importantly that we would be much, much, freer to develop ourselves as individuals. Without having to constantly fret over paying utility bills, rent, interest, mortgages, and placating the boss, we would have breathing room to learn, explore our talents, and enjoy ourselves. Furthermore, each of our potentials would be amplified due the support of our communities, like two sound waves constructively interfering. This is the essence of libertarian communism. The point of real communism is freedom.
Although our current state capitalist society is clearly not a libertarian communist one, communist social relations abound. It would be a dysfunctional family which did not relate 'from each per their ability, to each according to need'. And the same is true of groups of close friends. We all know that the the healthy way to relate to one another is by making decisions directly democratically amongst ourselves, and sharing. But more than that, the basic principles of communism have been embedded on a larger scale in our societies, state capitalist ones that is, as famous anarchist communist Peter Kropotkin wrote in his book 'The Conquest of Bread':
'Meanwhile new organizations, based on the same principle - to every man according to his needs - spring up under a thousand different forms; for without a certain leaven of Communism the present societies could not exist. In spite of the narrowly egoistic turn given to men's minds by the commercial system, the tendency towards Communism is constantly appearing, and influences our activities in a variety of ways
The bridges, for the use of which a toll was levied in the old days, are now become public property and free to all; so are the high roads, except in the East, where a toll is still exacted from the traveller for every mile of his journey. Museums, free libraries, free schools, free meals for children; parks and gardens open to all; streets paved and lighted, free to all; water supplied to every house without measure or stint--all such arrangements are founded on the principle: "Take what you need."'
Unfortunately, the neoliberal project has such public goods at the centre of its cross hairs. We can see that most starkly in Ireland with the attempted commodification of our water, and the transformation of human animals whose most basic survival requirement is water into 'customers' who pay a corporation for a 'product'. This is the project Comical Alan and Labour are driving forwards. In contrast, the project we in the WSM embark on is revolution: a major departure from this cruel system, directed by ordinary people, democratically at the grassroots and not by self-appointed commanders. This does not mean grabbing the nearest musket and storming the Dáil, but steadily building our own grassroots counterpower in our unions and community groups.
If you think that humans are capable of so much more and that we need to try something new, then you're probably a revolutionary too.
Minister Alan Kelly's full statement:
"There is also a small amount of people who want some form of Utopian society where you can get everything for nothing, and that society doesn't exist.
These people are false revolutionaries who believe in leading people up to the top of the hill and then they'll blatantly abandon them, like they have done on many issues before, and leave people with bills or leave people in vulnerable situations potentially - who knows.
False promises where you can create a Utopian society where everything is free and everything is for nothing simply doesn't exist.
We all have to make our contribution to society and that goes for everybody in whatever way they can. Some people unfortunately find themselves in situations where they can't, but outside of that everyone, I think, has a role in society and has to take part in some capacity in that society.
Unfortunately there is a small, small band of people who believe that they don't have to be part of that, they don't have to make a contribution, and certainly they are not the type of people I want to represent and they are certainly not the type of people I feel the Labour party is here to represent"
(For anyone who wants to make a similar statement, here is a template:
THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF [genuine/legitimate/orderly protesters] BUT THERE IS A [tiny minority/dark element/small, small band/sinister fringe] WHO ARE [intimidating meter installers/violent/attacking our democracy/dissidents/hard leftists/utopian/anarchy fantasists/thugs/bent on chaos/dole scroungers/loony left manipulators/taking it too far/tax evaders/terrorists/threatening law and order].)
Comical Ali was Minister for Information in Saddam Hussein's government known for his bombastic and delusional statements during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Examples here.
Our response to Kelly's last tirade against protesters, only two days previously.
