Features
Below is an abridged and edited extract from Kieran McNulty’s article, War and the Working-class in Kerry 1919-1921 published in Saothar, Vol. 45, 2020, (Irish Labour History Society). The high prices during the First World War, followed by the economic depression in Ireland, led at the turn
Features
A century after partition, historian Fearghal Mac Bhloscaidh argues that it was far from inevitable, despite what some claim, and that it was a product of Ulster Unionism subverting the demand for Irish self-determination. An historical orthodoxy of sorts exists, which points to partition’s inevitability a century ago,
Features
James Connolly warned that Partition would lead to ‘a carnival of reaction both North and South.’ One part of that reaction was the close church-state relationship established in the south after independence, a relationship that gave the Catholic church a significant influence on legislation, and control over education, health
Features
Fifty years ago this week, the trial of the Mangrove Nine began. Somhairle Mag Uidhir reviews its recent dramatisation by Steve McQueen, highlighting the structural racism and community struggle the case embodies. Within the wood-panelled and imperial walls of London’s Old Bailey, nine Black women and men took
Features
The 1857 Rebellion against British rule in Colonial India hasn’t always received the attention it deserves, despite being one of the most important uprisings of the 19th century. Pranav Jani argues it’s high time we changed that. The 1857 Rebellion, sparked by mutinous Indian soldiers of the British
Features
To mark the 103rd anniversary of the Russian Revolution, Rebel republishes a short extract from Victor Serge’s classic account, Year One of the Russian Revolution. The Taking of the Winter Palace1The following extract is taken from Chapter 2 of the marxists.org transcription. Three comrades had been deputed to
Features
In 1861 Gobnait Ní Bhruadair, née Albinia Broderick, was born a member of the British aristocracy. Yet by the time of Ireland’s anti-colonial struggles in the early 20th century, she was deeply committed to the republican cause. Kieran McNulty examines the legacy of a revolutionary who always connected
Features
Alexandra Day reviews Silvia Federici’s seminal work, Caliban and the Witch: Women, the Body and Primitive Accumulation. First published in 2004, Caliban and the Witch by Silvia Federici is a work well worth revisiting in 2020. The call to ‘stay at home’ during the pandemic has raised vital questions
Features
By exploring the roots and impact of the Gothic novel, Paul O’Brien illustrates how vampires and monsters are expressions of changing class relations – and fears – during the 18th and 19th century. I first came across the phrase ‘Gothic Marxism’ in a report of a talk by the writer China
Ecosocialism
In contrast to the misconception that Marx and Engels were only concerned about economics, in this first of two articles, Mark Walsh highlights how they in fact had plenty to say about environmental degradation, focusing in particular on thier notion of a metabolic rift. “Let us not, however, flatter ourselves
Features
Forty years ago, the PAYE revolts rocked Ireland. Paul O’Neill tells the story of this oft-forgotten period when Irish workers fought for a more progressive taxation system, while the establishment struggled to reign in the movement. From 1979 to 1983 Ireland witnessed a number of militant strikes, including
Features
Eamonn McCann on the reaction to latest blow dealt to the Bloody Sunday families, followed by a statement from The Bloody Sunday March For Justice Committee on Sinn Féin’s decision to welcome the commander in chief of the Parachute Regiment within 24 hours. Many people outside Derry say – and