Usurping Democracy

national | anti-war / imperialism | opinion/analysis Sunday March 05, 2006 15:32 by MichaelY - iawm

Mansergh call for arms - stop dissent

A response to a Martin Mansergh article in the irish Times

The primary forces that have guided the history of modern political liberation and independence movements have been driven, I believe, not only by the struggle against misery, poverty and exploitation by also by a profound desire for democracy. A real democracy of the rule of all by all based on relationships of equality and freedom.

This democracy is a dream for many across the world – a dream not yet realised. This striving for democracy permeates our history in this country from 1789 onwards – from the Fenians to 1916, to the Civil Rights Movement to the entire cycle of the Womens Movement, the Ecological Movement, the Gay/Lesbian Movements, the struggle to stop the nuclear plant at Carnsore, the huge mobilisation nationally around the hunger strikes, the massive anti-Tax marches, to more recent events against the US invasion of Iraq and the use of Shannon as a warport, the Rossport mobilisation. It is also the same dream that permeates the entire cycle of protest and demonstrations around the issues of globalisation internationally, from the insurrection against the WTO in Seattle to the massive meetings in Caracas only a few days ago.

This need for democracy coincides, under present conditions, with the need for peace – at a time when war has become a foundational element of international politics. War was always considered as an exceptional state of affairs – now that it has become the rule, then the need for peace and our support for all form of resistance against war become the necessary conditions for democracy and liberation for millions of people.

It is in this context, therefore, that I read with interest an article in yesterday’s Irish Times [ March 4th] penned by Martin Mansergh, entitled ‘Usurping Government’s Role Unacceptable’. The man need no introduction…he’s been active behind the scenes ‘advising’most Fianna Fail Administrations, pulling the strings from Haughey’s cabal to the present outfit. His role in relation to FF’s policies vis-avis the North has been very considerable. It is worth noting so that he seems to be somewhat worried about recent developments in Ireland: particularly the anti-War movement, the Rossport 5 movement and last week’s Dublin riots. Mansergh’s view is that once a government is elected it is wrong for ordinary people “to second guess… government policy” particularly as these policies, according to Mansergh”…seek to promote the value and ideals of the people”!! And, of course, if we don’t like these policies, well, we can shut up and wait until the next elections!

What makes this article very noteworthy is not only its clear expression of worry and anxiety in Government circles about political developments but also its unambiguous stance of what to do about it. “Government must redress the usurpation of its authority to deal with third parties outside the State”!! One supposes the “third parties” referred to here are the Bush gang, Shell and virulent Unionism…..A call to arms therefore for the Coalition to stand firm and take control. The practicalities of such a stance and their method of communication would no doubt be left by Martin Mansergh to geniuses like our Minister of Injustice. Watch this space.

Mansergh’s notion of governmental authority stands squarely on the entire tradition of political theory that has one principle: ONLY THE ONE CAN RULE. It matters little if this ‘one’ is a monarch, an aristocrat or a democratically elected government. Only the one can be sovereign, tradition tells us, as there can be no politics without sovereignty….the choice is absolute: either the one, the State, rules or there is mayhem! To rule, to decide, to take responsibility and control, there must be one, otherwise disaster!

I will not dwell here on this notion of sovereignty- suffice to say that it is always a two-way relationship between those who have power and those who are ruled. Positions on how to redress the balance in favour of the rulers side with people like Mansergh… others go on and on about inserting themselves into the corridors of power and changing things from the inside.

I will argue that the forces of democracy, our movement, must counter the actual (or potential) violence of power not as its polar opposite in symmetrical fashion. The way of articulating our dream of democracy, as I conceive it, will progressively take the form of subtraction, a flight, an exodus from the power system. However, to quote a story, the Pharaoh does not let the Jews flee in peace. The ten plagues have to rain down on Egypt before he lets them leave. The violence of the warlords cannot be simply met by its polar opposite: with the absolute lack of violence. Our exodus has never been and will never be absolutely pacific and conciliatory. We will flee, we will exit but with active resistance.

A war against war would be the simplest way of giving this stance a name. More to follow on this theme soon I hope.