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It's an interesting example of how far workers have been pushed back in the intervening century. . . "Described by Lenin as the world’s first Red Army, the Irish Citizen Army was formed by members of the Irish Transport and General Workers Union and other trade unionists in Dublin in August 1913. Socialist and therefore also republican, the ICA was not, however, the first working class paramilitary organisation to be formed in Ireland in Ireland in the early 1900s. That honour goes to Fianna Eireann, a predominantly working class youth organisation founded by Constance, Countess Markievicz who would go on to be a key figure in the workers’ militia. *The Fianna* Markievicz, a militant left-wing republican, was moved to form the Fianna in August 1909 for two reasons. One was that, while new to Irish republicanism – she had thrown herself into it just the year before – she had already decided that any serious political movement for Irish freedom would, sooner or later, have to confront Britain in arms. Her reading of Irish history had taught her that if you built a serious political movement, at some point the British state would confront you with its military force. Unless you were armed and prepared to fight, your movement would end in ignominy, confusion and demoralisation. . ." full at: https://rdln.wordpress.com/2017/09/28/when-workers-armed/ _________________________________________________________ Full posting guidelines at: http://www.marxmail.org/sub.htm Set your options at: https://lists.csbs.utah.edu/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
