Workers Solidarity Movement

In a time with a marked absence of mass politics this Rethinking Revolution talk looks at one of the largest mass-movement in Irish history. This movement was incredibly broad involving groups as diverse as the catholic church and the fenians leading to tensions over issues we can identify with today - the role of women in society, the issue of violence in politics and the issue of reform vs revolution.

7pm in Seomra Spraoi, Wednesday 29th of July

Ireland has an indigenous revolutionary tradition that successfully mobilized tens if not hundreds of thousands in the struggle for more freedom over the 200 years since 1798. Irish republicanism has always included a radical democratic and leveling element and which continues to provide part of the culture of resistance of the most down trodden sections of the working class. Many believe this makes it the best base to build from, Andrew Flood asks if they are right?

In this audio download from the third of the Rethinking Revolution sessions  Aileen O'Carroll draws on the stories and diaries of those working in IT company’s to talk about the secrets and contradictions of working in a global industry. The myth is that IT workers happily work a 60 hour week but like workplaces of a previous era, there is a struggle over the nature of work and the length of working time within our lives. The left tends to focus on the formal visible struggles conducted through trade unions. What can this other level of often individualised struggle teach us in the fight for a new world?

This is the audio recording of the second 'Rethinking Revolution' meeting on the topic of 'Will there be a revolution in our lifetime.' "Are we spending our precious time outside of work at protests and meetings because we want to improve our lives or are we just fighting for future generations. In either case what is it that we are trying to do as we move from topic to topic and struggle to struggle?"

The left talks a lot about class but in a manner that often confuses more than it clarifies. In this audio recording of a Rethinking revolution seminar at Seomra Spraoi Paul Bowman wonders just how useful the classification obsessed approach of the left actually is.



Rethinking revolution is a series of discussions about the core ideas those of us who want revolutionary change think we have in common and so too often neglect to discuss. The discussions will be kicked off by an opinionated presentation of one or more approaches on these questions with the purpose of drawing all present into a discussion that we hope will continue long after the meeting. The talks are organised by the Outreach group of the WSM and inspired by those arguments we keep having in the kitchen at parties.