Comments on The Pensive Quill: Fred Halliday

AM, Paulie, The WRP stuff you are referring to is ...

2010-08-24T19:01:10.682+01:00

AM, Paulie,
The WRP stuff you are referring to is available online as 'POLITICS FROM THE PRISONS' available at
Cedar Lounge:
http://cedarlounge.wordpress.com/2009/05/04/the-irish-left-archive-politics-from-the-prisons-and-other-articles-about-ireland-the-workers-revolutionary-party-uk-c1988/

Paulie, I found Henry’s book a very worthwhile cr...

2010-08-21T17:05:55.178+01:00

Paulie,
I found Henry’s book a very worthwhile critique. I read it shortly after it came out. Think I was the last person quoted in it – reference to a prisoner. For me it helped identify the parameters of the Provisional struggle. I don’t believe I have written anything specific for the web on ‘the general Left critique of republicanism.’ If memory serves me right I wrote a couple of pieces in prison dealing with it which were published in the WRP paper or something called Marxist Forum. I see Liam has provided you with a few sources. They will be worthwhile if they carry the imprimatur of his approval.
Liam,
Good job in providing those sources for Paulie.
Alfie,
I found the war on Iraq galling. I was not however about to back the clerical fascists in their resistance. What they were resisting as an encroachment on their freedom to dominate people. Other elements of the insurgency I would feel different about. I thought the Brits were a bit rich in wanting to prosecute the Iraqis who killed their troops. It is a war and the invading army is being attacked by combatants who should be treated as POWs until the war is over. The Brits can’t be expected to like the armed opposition but they can’t call every country they invade ‘criminal.’

Anthony, I don't know an awful lot about Tariq...

2010-08-21T14:48:51.748+01:00

Anthony, I don't know an awful lot about Tariq Ali, only having read some of his articles on South America. I wouldn't call him totalitarian either; for example, though he broadly supports communism in Cuba, he is critical of its censorship and persecution of dissidents, saying that there need to be changes in Cuban political structures to allow for criticism and accountability. However, I think he was wrong to support the Iraqi insurgency (or segments of it anyway), though I myself was against the invasion of Iraq. For me, the insurgency just exacerbated human misery in Iraq rather than convinced the Americans and British to leave. Incidentally, I don't have too much time for the so-called 'Decent Left'; they have far too itchy trigger fingers.

Paulie: Check Revisionist Marxist Theory in Irel...

2010-08-21T14:04:50.095+01:00

Paulie:

Check
Revisionist Marxist Theory in Ireland
Author: Robert Perry
Critique, Volume 36, Issue 1 April 2008 , pages 121 - 139

Munck, R. (1992). "The New Marxist 'Revisionism' in Ireland." Capital and Class(46): 95.
(available here: http://cnc.sagepub.com/content/16/1/95.citation)

The conflict in Northern Ireland: Marxist interpretations. Capital & Class Winter 1982 6: 56-71
available here:
http://cnc.sagepub.com/content/6/3/56.short

I'm specifically thinking of Henry Patterson&#...

2010-08-21T13:39:20.702+01:00

I'm specifically thinking of Henry Patterson's 'Politics of Illusion' - a book that I personally rated very highly and one that changed the way I looked at Irish Republicanism) but actually, as a relatively new reader of your blog (I dipped into the late-lamented 'The Blanket' occasionally when I saw a copy) I'd be interested to see if you've written on the general left-critique of Irish Republicanism (hitching a wagon to a nationalist horse is always likely to be counter-productive).

I'm asking this less to tax you with a lengthy reply than to ask for a link to something in your archive ;-)

Paulie, I am surprised at the response so far to...

2010-08-21T13:14:51.891+01:00

Paulie,

I am surprised at the response so far to this piece. Thought it would have been much more hostile. What precisely are you asking have I written on elsewhere Paulie? Is it the Left and interventionism or social republicanism and the Left critique?

Alfie, 'an intervention to stop mass slaught...

2010-08-21T13:09:45.273+01:00

Alfie,

'an intervention to stop mass slaughter is a good thing.'

Hard to object to the logic.

Good post Anthony. Reading Fred on the the Kuwait ...

2010-08-21T13:09:15.989+01:00

Good post Anthony. Reading Fred on the the Kuwait War in 1991 totally changed my take on the question of Imperialism. One of the consequences for me was also to start questioning the habit that the left often has (or had?) or using the prism of 'National Liberation' and the reflexive opposition to imperialism and the conflation of anti-imperialism with 'progressive' (or whatever less-debased word you want to choose).

I've not read Fred on Ireland either, but other 'Decentist' fellow-travellers such as Henry Patterson and his questioning of the usefulness of 'social republicanism' were - for me - quite a challenge to the left case for Irish nationalism.

I was wondering if this was something that you've written on elsewhere Anthony?

Alfie, never much thought of Ali in those terms....

2010-08-21T13:08:47.218+01:00

Alfie,

never much thought of Ali in those terms. Don't really know a lot about him. Geneally speaking I think those who belong to self-styled vanguard parties, who adher to democratic centralism and have penchants for dictatorships, are the type I regard as totalitarian. But it is a loose term not scientifically applied. My experience tells me that the type of people drawn to such groups are predisposed towards authoritaranism. They like to obey and be obeyed. They can't stand an alternative point of view and are forever devising labels to stick on people who disagree with them.

Good post, Anthony. I'd never heard of Hallida...

2010-08-21T12:45:16.253+01:00

Good post, Anthony. I'd never heard of Halliday before, so I'll definitely check out some of his writings now. Have to say that I agree with him on the interventions in Bosnia and Kosovo; whether it's by Mao or Thatcher, an intervention to stop mass slaughter is a good thing. By the way, Anthony, would you class Tariq Ali as totalitarian Left?

Marty, glad you found it useful. I'm sure the...

2010-08-21T11:59:24.197+01:00

Marty,

glad you found it useful. I'm sure there is a lot in the guy's thinking you could be critical of. The obituary will irk some who see things differently. But c'est la vie

What I know of Fred Halliday could be written on a...

2010-08-21T11:37:27.020+01:00

What I know of Fred Halliday could be written on a postage stamp,thank you for bringing this most interesting man to my attention Anthony,I was going to ask about his views on Ireland but vrj5556 has answered this so I,ve a wee bit of reading to do,really enjoyed that post a cara.

vrj5556, thanks for your comment. I had not read ...

2010-08-21T10:37:43.238+01:00

vrj5556,

thanks for your comment. I had not read much of him on Ireland. I was not a constant reader of Fred and would come across him periodically. I believe he had a critical take on the Irish nationalist narrative. Not that I would criticise him for that. I will read the piece you recommended. His Second Cold War book impressed me. And his willingness to challenge the dogma was always uplifting. He made me uneasy with some of his positions but that is what good analysts do. The first steps on any journey of intellectual exploration begin with confusion. Some challenge is made to the perspective we hold and causes a bit of confusion, forcing us to impose order again and examining means that give us intellectual peace of mind. I was sad when I learned he had died.

pleased to see your tribute to Fred Halliday he wa...

2010-08-21T10:15:11.141+01:00

pleased to see your tribute to Fred Halliday he was always a touchstone for me.Surprised you didn't refer to some of his writings on Ireland see "Ireland:Ends and Beginnings" on the Open Democracy web site.Best wishes