A column from Socialist Democracy, Irish sectioe of the fourth international presentca as a catch-all parts it is in fact the main party of the Irish capitalist class.
While the vote for FF is the most significant result of the lection it should be apprecialca, alter ai tae praise for Ahern dies down, that Charlie Haughey won higher slice of the vote in each of the five elections in ward for i Taoiseach. The party vote has shown no significant reversal evident since the landslide election of 1977 when Fianna Fail gained its last overall majority. Adams can only offer "change" - thile SF's TD backed Ahern Its coalition partner the Progressive Democrats preonly party that could "mind" Hr and prevent its arrogance and corruption geting out of control. Such a cynical platKOSIN tards but trust us to put them into government - doesn't do rustice to toc masty charicic of this party, Its revival is one reflection growing incouaisy that has characterised the vote actually fell by 0.72% to 3.96% even while it doubled Its election platform of income tax cuts for the rich, from 42 to 40 percent, and its promotion of wide scale privatisation allows it to be the perfect foil to FF which still likes in some quarters to preOutlook
sider moving left, bur its tion and Nice will still create problems for this deceitful increasing reliance on middie class voles risks losing as strategy. much as it gains. Its recent The contradiction in this Con nas occa that the exploiting anger at a Fianna victorious government party 1456 KoyCEHiCHby only was delcaica in two major keep it in power after an referenda in the past year, clection has not been forgotCuH Was uclore tac for office, which could only election - seeing a sustained be with FF or FG, rules out a attempt by Bertie Aberne to Quinn has waxed lyrically with the Catholic right come about being well crashing down in flames. placed to "provide SHong Now we bave a Fianna Fail opposition," triumph and the appearance the opposttion and crucially thát they no longer need a placed to provide leadership coalition - but they are still ut the election results have in danger of losing the next arcady exposca suca non- CCC CUHH. and face major struggles over public The alternative of rolling services such as health and up our siceves and getting involved more in commu- The contradiction is casy OESITE to understand, It is the conShortall TD put it simply tradiction berween class conrepresents a strategy of going sciousness and combativity.
Workers don't recognise the politics that FF made its class interests served by the own until Sinn Fein came Fianna Fail party, bur, partly along. hecause of this lack of class understanding, they are willT he Greens have the not even tried to ment and fight on local or conceal their disThere can however, be only not being asked one eventual outcome to a to go into coalition with struggle in which one of the been nice to be in govern- fragmentation of the opposie sase s scauct Irevor tion in the elections shows Sargent but they would just how far we have to go to have to 'make the best if it." build a credible opposition.
WH OO SEOH S can do no more than look forward to the next elections, they will have the strength to move effortlessly from opposition to the establishment, becoming its most conscienSOUS members, Mitchell McLoughlin of sinn Pein ately after the election for an opposition within the opposition and 'an alliance of progressive, forces to The Greens have already refused, and it has been reported that some indepenIn this regard the left made a sisaioe cont auto The Irish State, in common with the rest of Europe, witnessed a continuing fall in curnour that has occurzed in eral elections which was only slightly reversed in 1987. Ahem: head and shoulders abore a confused and dicided opposition Twenty years ago-over 76% WCHE to the polls while in this election the figure was down to 62.73% with even owcr turnouts i0 workink class constituencies.
This reveals, along with the disaffection | of increasing numbers with establishment parties, the search for new vehicles of opposition and traxmentation of that opposition, growing altenatson from thc existing system even while it delivered unprecedented The domination of the working class by parties that don't even claim to represent their interests is a measure of the poverty of class conhas to economic and political sysbe successfully challenged.