The socialist does not cease to love his coun- try when he tries to make that country the common property of its people; he rather shows a greater love of country than is shown by those who wish to perpetuate a system which makes the great maj- ority of the people of a country exiles and out- casts, living by sufferance of capitalists and landlords in their native land. (Aug 1910) To me, therefore, the socialist of another country is a fellow-patriot, as the capitalist of my own country is a natural enemy. I regard each nation as the possessor of a definite contribution to the common stock of civilisation, and I regard the capitalist class of each nation as being the logical and natural enemy of the national culture which constitutes that definite contribution. Therefore, the stronger I am in my affection for national tradition, literature, language, and sympathies, the more firmly rooted I am in my opposition to that capitalist class which in its soulless lust for power and gold would bray the nations as in a mortar. (Aug 15 1914) Is it not well and fitting that we of the work- ing class should fight for the freedom of the nation from foreign rule, as the first requisite for the free development of the national powers needed for our class? It is so fitting. There- fore on Sunday, April 16th 1916, the green flag of Ireland will be solemnly hoisted over Liberty Hall as the symbol of our faith in freedom, and as a token to all the world that the working class of Dublin stands for the cause of Ireland, and the cause of Ireland is the cause of a separate and distinct nationality. (April 8 1916) 27
IRELAND A NATION Kim Jong Il: Defending Chajusong is an absolute requirement of man as a social being and his inalienable fund- amental right. It is natural that man who regards Chajusong as his life and soul, combats any en- croachment on his Chajusong. (OJI 23) James Connolly: This Ireland of ours is a nation distinct and apart from all others, and capable of working out its own destiny and living its own life. (Oct 31 1914) The small conquered nations of Europe have in a thousand ways fought to propagate the idea of nationality, to emphasise the value of small nations and their special contributions to civili- sation. (Sept 26 1914) In this hour of her trial Ireland cannot afford to sacrifice any one of the things the world has accepted as peculiarly Irish. She must hold to her highest thoughts, and cleave to her noblest sentiments. Her sons and daughters must hold life itself as of little value when weighed against the preservation of even the least important work of her separate individuality as a nation. Therefore we honour St.Patrick's Day (and its allied legend of the shamrock) because in it we see the spiritual conception of the separate identity of the Irish race -- an ideal of unity in diversity, of diversity not conflicting with unity. (March 18 1916) 28
The Irish Citizen Army in its constitution pledges its members to fight for a Republican Freedom for Ireland. Its members are, therefore, of the number who believe that at the call of duty they may have to lay down their lives for Ireland, and have so trained themselves that at the worst the laying down of their lives shall constitute the starting point of another glorious tradition -- a tradition that will keep alive the soul of the nation. We are, therefore, present to honour O'Donovan Rossa by right of our faith in the separate destiny of our country, and our faith in the ability of the Irish workers to achieve that destiny. (July 1915) However it may be for others, for us of the Citizen Army there is but one ideal -- an Ireland ruled, and owned, by Irish men and women, sovereign and independent from the centre to the sea, and flying its own flag outward over all the oceans. (Oct 30 1915) We can only hope to carry our flag to victory by securing the aid of all those workers every- where who desire to see an effective force carrying the green flag of an Irish regiment whilst uncon- ditionally under the red flag of the proletarian army. (July 4 1914) The Irish Volunteers of our time have that great quality the want of which betrayed their predecessors. That quality is: complete faith in their own country, complete confidence in her destiny to be a nation, and complete reliance upon the power of Ireland to survive all the shocks an adverse fate may bring upon her. (Jan 8 1916) We went out to break the connection between this country and the British Empire, and to estab- 29
Only such a party that strikes its roots deep among the masses and enjoys their support and trust and that knows how to organise and mobilise them, can demonstrate an invincible might and discharge its mission as the General Staff of the revolution and the political leader of the popular masses. (WPK 26) James Connolly: The forces of our enemies were united and wielded with all the precision and relentlessness with which the general staff of an army would wield the battalions and brigades which formed the component parts of that army, but the battal- ions and brigades of the army of labour when en- gaged in battle had no efficient general staff to guide and direct the whole army to the salvation of its individual units; and, worse still, had none of that esprit-de-corps which on the military battlefield would make the desertion of any sec- tion to its fate an unthinkable course to the officers of the divisions not engaged. (Feb 9 1914) FACTIONALISM AND FLUNKEYISM Kim Jong Il: What is important for a working-class party in establishing Juche is to eradicate flunkeyism and dogmatism. (WPK 19) The nationalists and self-styled Marxists followed the evil practices of flunkeyism and factional strife which had resulted in the coun- try's ruin in the past. They did not try to carry out the revolution by their own initiative 31
but dreamed of achieving independence by depending on foreign forces. At that time, those who were allegedly engaged in the communist movement formed their own party groups and called frequently at the Comintern to gain its recognition. And they endeavoured to imitate mechanically established theories and experience of others, without taking into consideration the historical conditions and specific realities in our country where a colonial and semi-feudal society was in existence. In this way, flunkeyism and dogmatism were very ser- ious obstacles in the way of revolution. (OJI 6) Party organisations should fully acquaint all cadres and their members with our Party's exper- ience of the anti-factional struggle. This will enable them always to have a sharp Party and class outlook and uncompromisingly combat against all unsound elements which undermine the Party's unity and cohesion. (OJI 36) Flunkeyism is an attitude peculiar to slaves serving and worshipping big powers and developed countries, and an attitude of nihilism which means looking down upon one's own country and nation and despising them. ... As the leader said, if a person falls into flunkeyism, he would become a fool; if a nation is servile to big powers, the country would go to ruin; and if a party is subservient to big powers, it would make a mess of the revolution and construction. (OJI 40) James Connolly: He has set Irishman against Irishman, brothers against brothers, has broken up family ties and the ties of community, and been the ready agent of every evil thing that sought to darken the national soul and sully the character of the race. 32
And so we Irish workers must go down into Hell, bow our backs to the lash of the slave driver, let our hearts be seared by the iron of his hatred, and instead of the sacramental wafer of brotherhood and common sacrifice, eat the dust of defeat and betrayal. (Feb 9 1914) My career has been unique in many things. In this last it is so also: Men have been driven out of Ireland by the British Government, and by the landlords, but I am the first driven forth by the 'socialists'. (Aug 1903) My socialist friends on the Continent will never understand why I am here. They will forget I am an Irishman. (May 1916) WAITING WITH FOLDED ARMS FOR ALL CONDITIONS TO RIPEN IS TANTAMOUNT TO REFUSING TO MAKE A REVOLUTION Kim Jong Il: The revolution can be pushed forward only by the active struggle of the revolutionaries and the popular masses. Fundamentally speaking, a revo- lution does not always break out when all the necessary conditions exist, nor is it carried out always in favourable circumstances. Waiting with folded arms for all conditions to ripen is tantamount to refusing to make a revo- lution. (OJI 34) James Connolly: ___ One hundred and nineteen years ago the freedom of Ireland lay in the power of one man to grasp, had he but had the decision of character necessary 34
to cause him to act. ... One hundred and nineteen years ago. And again Ireland looks across the sea, and perhaps those across the sea look over to Ireland, and wonder... Christmas week, 1796; Christmas week, 1915 -- still hesitating. (Dec 25 1915) The United Irishmen waited too long, the Young Irelanders waited too long, the Fenians waited too long. This is the opinion of every student of history worthy of the name. But who dare censure these brave men and women? Assuredly not the men and women of our generation. To us also a great opportunity has come. Have we been wise? The future alone can tell. In these days of March let us remember that generations, like individuals, will find their ultimate justification or condemnation not in what they accomplished but rather in what they aspired and dared to attempt to accomplish. The genera- tion or the individual that is stricken down in the attempt to achieve a high and holy thing is itself therefore high and holy. By aspiring to reach a height the generation or the individual places its soul unassailably upon that height, even should its body be trampled in the mud at its base. Upon what height or in what sunless depth of corruption has this generation placed its soul? (March 11 1916) If we don't carry this off, Nora, the only thing left for us to do is to hide our heads in shame and pray to God to send an earthquake or a tidal wave and hide us under the waters. It would be such a disgrace to our generation. (Easter Sunday, April 23 1916) Don't be too disappointed, Nora. We shall rise again! (May 12 1916) 35