Socialist Red Network group quits People Before Profit over party's 'perfomative politics'

The Journal

3 days ago

SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY councillor Madeleine Johansson has resigned as a member of People Before Profit, citing political and strategic differences between her Red Network socialist group and the party.
The councillor for Palmerstown – Fonthill announced her retirement from PBP in a Facebook post yesterday, saying that after 20 years in the party, 'this has not been an easy decision to make'.
'I feel that the party is not the same as when I joined and I can no longer ignore the change in political principles,' she explained.
She said she would continue to work 'alongside and with members of PBP in campaigns, movements and on the council'.
'I will also continue to represent my constituents from the perspective of revolutionary socialist principles,' she said.
'I will work as hard as I always have for the working class communities that I represent.'
Johansson said she and other members of Red Network, who 'oppose all division between working class and oppressed people', have argued within PBP for years 'about the need for political honesty, deep organising in working class communities and workplaces and against opportunist practices'.
She said the group no longer feel it is possible to continue to do so, and 'instead feel the need to forge a new path for revolutionary socialist politics outside of PBP'.
In a
statement posted on the Red Network website
yesterday, the group said that there were 'many good activists in People Before Profit', including TD Richard Boyd Barrett, former TD Gino Kenny and Dublin North-West councillor Conor Reddy, who 'all work hard in communities'.
'But the nature of People Before Profit as an organisation means the fruits of all that work are often wasted.'
Even the best activists in People Before Profit tone down their socialist politics in public. Therefore, there are a number of reasons we feel that People Before Profit is no longer the political vehicle for us.
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Red Network pointed to the party's position on going into government with Sinn Féin as an issue dividing members behind the scenes, although most members, the group said, are opposed to such a move.
'Any Red TD elected to the Dáil would help kick out Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, voting for a Sinn Féin led government externally and on a case by case basis. That's the best position to be in to discipline Sinn Féin and force them to deliver on their promises.
'A Sinn Féin government would coalesce with the establishment and leave untouched the real government, the permanent government – the state bureaucracy, army chiefs and head Guards,' the statement said.
'The current left is divided into those who talk about revolution but sit on the margins of the working class or those who stand in elections and do work in communities but play down their socialist politics. We reject both these approaches.'
Red Network also said that PBP's stance on 'culture war' issues was also a factor that led to the rift.
'People Before Profit likes to engage in student moralism and performative politics. We reject that approach,' the group said.
Red Network said this has been the mistaken strategy of left parties around the world, 'as they've become more middle class they've justified a move to the right by posturing on social issues'.
'This strategy is the strategy of the Labour Party and People Before Profit have been pulled in the same direction,' the statement said.
'Class struggle can pull those who don't agree with us on social issues into common struggle,' the group said.
Contrastingly, 'the moralism of anti-racist work that's external to class struggle only mobilises those who already agree with the left. You can never escape the left bubble that way.'
Red Network also pointed to what they said was a disorganised strategic approach by PBP, describing it as 'a frenetic organisation that jumps from issue to issue, dropping one campaign to set up another.'
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