Workers' Party Árd Fheis report

by Niall - ATGWU Mon Apr 23, 2007 16:24

I was a guest at the Ard Fheis on Saturday and the turnout was quite large on the day with the delegates packed into the hall. Quite a few of them were local members, activists and supporters. The standard of the speakers was quite high and overall it was a very good ard fheis with a good selection of speakers and issues raised. I was very impressed with Cllr. Halligan's speech and the overall impression I got is that judging by the turnout and speaking to local WP activists, is that the come election day, the WP will surprise alot of people and make a mockery of the local Red C opinion poll.

Well done to all concerned. I wish John Halligan all the best.

by Paul Tue Apr 24, 2007 15:29

Glad to see that the WP have put their Árd Fheis documents and speeches online,along with plenty of photos and a video of Seán Garland's Ard Fheis address. It's been a while coming but the new WP website is a vast improvement on its predecesser.

by Serge Tue Apr 24, 2007 17:56

From reading the content of the speechs and resolutions at the WP Ard Fheis, two generalisations can be fairly made:

Most of the content is fairly uncontentious left of centre stuff. The WP have now arrived at what might be called post-stalinist politics which combines a version of left-social democracy with some hang-overs of past authoritarianism (for example, in the case of the WP, continued links with Chinese and North Korean state capitalism). This type of politics is common amongst former 'official' (no pun intended) Communist Parties in various western European countries. It is epitomised by the PCF (French Communist Party) whose disastrous result in the recent French election (1.9%) and eclipse by the post-Trotskyist LCR (4.1%) is the result of their involvement in neo-liberal coalition governments with the Socialist Party and dependence on union bureaucracy.

While I hope Cllr. Halligan does well, siimply because he is the most left wing candidate in that constituency, lets have no illusions about his politics. To quote:

"I do though passionately believe that we can marry economic success and high international achievement with our legitimate aspirations for a fair and decent society – but only if we elect sincere people who want to make a difference."

Nothing could be clearer: the working class just need to elect sincere people who will balance economic sucess with a fair society. Nothing the Greens, Sinn Féin or the old comrades in Labour would'nt agree with.

by Paul Tue Apr 24, 2007 19:38

Don't make the mistake of thinking that "economic success" means capitalism. Seán Garland's speech is very clear on that question as can be seen and heard from the ongoing video. The Workers' Party still sticks to the principle that the producers (i.e. workers) should control the means of production - workers power.