Socialist Party of Ireland
The Socialist Party of Ireland (SPI, Irish : Cumann Sóisialachais na Éireann ) was a small left-wing party in the Republic of Ireland that existed from 1971 to 1980 . The party's headquarters were at 23 Parliament Street, Dublin 2.
history
The party was founded by former members of the Communist Party of Ireland on December 13, 1971 in Dublin and published its political manifesto on January 19, 1972. The party saw itself as a Marxist-Leninist alternative to the Communist Party, which it “distorted” because of its “ Philosophy, disordered structures and a lack of discipline and unity ”. In contrast to the Communist Party, the Socialist Party rejected the policies of the Official Sinn Féin, which were seen as a mixture of petty bourgeois, radicals, nationalists and the ultra-left. The Socialist Party supported the Communist Party of the Soviet Union as well as the Moscow Declaration of 1969.
The party's first National Congress was held in Dublin on December 1 and 2, 1973. The Congress elected a Central Committee , which consisted of the following seven members: Fergus Brogan, Desmond Hughes, Deirdre Uí Bhrógáin, Éamonn Ó Fearghail, Seamus Ó Reachtagáin and Fergus Quinlan.
In the late 1970s, the party began amalgamation talks with like-minded groups such as the British and Irish Communist Organization. Finally, the Socialist Party merged with the Democratic Socialist Party of Jim Kemmy .
Throughout its life as a party, the Socialist Party of Ireland has been very active with campaigns to legalize divorce, contraception, abortion and most importantly against the nationalism of the Provisional IRA . The party also recognized Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom .
Some party members ran as independent candidates in the Irish general election during this period; most successful was Eamonn O'Brien from Ballymun , who achieved more than 6% in 1977 in the constituency of Dublin County North .
Publications
The party's Vanguard and Advance magazines set a new standard for left-wing publications with a modern layout and high-quality photos.
Magazines
- Vanguard , 1971-1974.
- Advance , 1975.
Books / pamphlets
- Ireland into slavery: the Common Market threat , Dublin, 1972, ISBN 0904185001 .
- The socialist future. Program of the Socialist Party of Ireland. Adopted by the 1st National Congress 1-2 December 1973 , Dublin, 1974.
- Songs of the workers , Dublin, 1975.
- The two states theory , Dublin: Advance, 1978.