Author Archives: James O'Brien

About James O'Brien

History: Tried for Bakuninist deviationism, confessed his errors and was rehabilitated. Subsequently degenerated into Kautskyist Orthodoxy. Worse, is an Irish peasant.

The WSM and Anarchism: A Political Analysis

Posted on 16/08/2012 by James O'Brien

The Workers Solidarity Movement is one of the more impressive anarchist organisations of modern times. While always a small organisation it has been active on the radical left in Ireland for close to thirty years and at the same time … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Proletarian politics | 6 Comments

What is to be done: The Menshevik Programme July 1919

Posted on 11/08/2012 by James O'Brien

Below is an excerpt from the programme adapted by the leftists dominated Central Committee of the Mensheviks in July 1919. The introductory section is omitted. The document provided the basis for the alternative economic programme put to the Congress of … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Politics | Comments Off on What is to be done: The Menshevik Programme July 1919

European Minimum Programme

Posted on 27/07/2012 by James O'Brien

Ever since the German Social Democrats’ rather embarrassed shelving of the Erfurt Programme, the venerable socialist tradition of a basic set of policies that would facilitate social transformation has gone out of fashion. Trotsky was at pains to distinguish his … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Proletarian politics | 8 Comments

The rise of money

Posted on 17/07/2012 by James O'Brien

Joseph Chamberlain is nowadays a half-remembered – by aficionados of British imperial history and resentful Irish nationalists – politician from the 19th century. Mostly he is remembered for siring two sons who followed him into politics and even then he … Continue reading →

Posted in Bourgeois politics, Geopolitics, History, Politics, Proletarian politics | Comments Off on The rise of money

Disciplining Iran

Posted on 14/07/2012 by James O'Brien

This piece looks at the situation in Iran from the point of view of an American security analyst using a terse style to simplify the presentation down to the core choices. It is hoped that what it loses in nuance … Continue reading →

Posted in Geopolitics, Politics | Comments Off on Disciplining Iran

Mass Party Theses

Posted on 22/06/2012 by James O'Brien

Context: Applicable to the advanced capitalist countries Thesis 1: Primary Function 1.1 Socialism needs majority support to be viable. 1.2 There has to be a vehicle for (a) marshaling and expressing that support and (b) doing so in such a way … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics, Proletarian politics | 1 Comment