DAYSCHOOL: Capitalist Crisis and the Left Alternative
Nov 8th, 2009 by Conor McCabe
The following recordings are from the final session in the dayschool organised by Irish Socialist Network and Fourthwrite.
The session was held today, Saturday 7 November 2009, in the Central Hotel, Dublin.
The title of the session was: Building a 21st Century Left
Chair: Mick O’Reilly
Speakers: Murray Smith (New Anti-Capitalist Party, France), Ciaran Perry (independent councillor for Cabra / Glasnevin)
“In Ireland, there has been a recent surge in support for Labour as people look for an alternative to the failed neo-liberal agenda of Fianna Fail. Yet many on the Left are rightly sceptical about the Labour Party as they see its leaders refuse to support action taken by workers in opposition to cutbacks. Elsewhere in Europe, social-democratic parties have lost support from workers as they implement the same neo-liberal policies that are to blame for the current recession.
All over the continent, activists from trade unions and other social movements have been asking themselves the same question: how can we fill the gap left by the old left-wing parties as they move to the right or slide into irrelevance? Some promising examples of new political movements have emerged in continental Europe, among them the New Anti-Capitalist Party in France. Murray Smith, who has been active on the French radical Left over the past decade, will give an outline of the French experience. Recently-elected independent councillor Ciaran Perry will also be speaking about local resistance to cutbacks, with Mick O’Reilly chairing the debate.”
Introduction, Mick O'Reilly [4:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Murray Smith [24:00m]: Play Now | Play in Popup Ciaran Perry [14:57m]: Play Now | Play in Popup
These were interesting presentations, but well, it wasn’t exactly a “debate” was it? There was practically no overlap between the speakers.