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In this issue, we follow in the footsteps of the 3 previous issues' with a balance of articles of historical and present-day interest.
The 1798 rebellion in Ireland has been marked throughout Ireland in this, the year of its 200th anniversary, with the launch of pamphlets, T.V. programmes, Summer Schools and re-enactments of battles. In the context of the Irish 'peace process' and the Good Friday Agreement, the 1798 commemorations have taken on added significance. We look at how 1798 is remembered, and indeed how large parts of its legacy are deliberately forgotten or distorted. We also take a look at how the left in Ireland have reacted to recent events in the North and the 'window of opportunity' which has opened up with the silencing of the guns.
Ireland 1998 has seen a huge growth in naked racism. The arrival on the shores of the 'Celtic Tiger' of a few thousand asylum seekers has been met by hysteria about "scroungers" and a naked attempt by sections of the media and the political establishment to whip up racism. This is of course not a uniquely Irish phenomenon, so we are delighted to carry an article from the Workers Solidarity Federation in South Afica, which looks at their analysis and experiences of fighting racism.
Since the launch of Red & Black Revolution, we have attempted to analyse past and current developments in anarchism. In this tradition, we look at the Organisational Platform of the Libertarian Communists, both in a historical context and in the context of its relevance today. We also carry an interview with the Solidarita organisation in the Czech Republic about their experiences in developing anarchism in the post-Soviet era.
We hope that you will find something of interest to you in this edition. We don't claim to know all the answers, rather we are attempting to provoke and stimulate debate on some of the crucial questions facing us. If there is anything you agree or disagree with, we would love to hear from you. It is through debate and discussion that ideas can be developed.
This is our contribution to that development of ideas. Read and enjoy!
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