The Invisible Republic: The Economics of Socialism and Republicanism in the 21st Century

Description

The book  establishes a philosophical base for the economic principles of Irish republicanism in the 21st century. It traces these from their late 18th century origins to the present day. It is unique in terms of contemporary books about Irish republicanism. There has been a dearth of economic analysis of the republican position since the creation of the modern Irish state in 1922. The book makes a link between the politics of Tone, Davis, Lalor, Connolly and Pearse through the economic experience of people living and working in not just Ireland but around the world today. The examples are contemporary but the ideological basis stretches from the present day back through the last 250 years of developing Irish republican thought. It identifies a series of key contemporary economic issues and gives a socialist republican perspective on possible solutions and strategies. Ultimately it provides a recalibration of the principles of socialism and republicanism in the 21st century. Preface The Principles of Socialist Republicanism in the Twenty-First Century Acknowledgements Contents Chapter 1: The Invisible Republic: An Introduction The Battles of Ideas: An Alternative History of Ireland Losing the Battle Controlling the Channels of Communication The Emmet Example Innovative Republicans Redefining Irish Freedom Back to Irish Freedom The Invisible Republic Uncovered The ‘Willing Republic’: We Can Do Better A ‘Fair Go’ The Power of Fraternity The Challenge of Running the National Economy The Radical Response Wolfe Tone, Individual and National Freedom Davis: “World Would Be a Factory” Lalor’s Reconquest of Ireland Preserving the Status Quo References Chapter 2: Rights and Money Introduction—The Inequalities of Money Inequality of Fiscal Policy The Issue of Interdependencies Money and Wages Money’s Real Power Too Much Money Postscript: Digital Money References Chapter 3: Market Systems The Market System an Introduction The Key Questions Are The Great Recession and Ireland The NAMA Example Markets and the Environment The Consumption Problem The Power of the Market The Question of Infrastructure What the Market System Actually Delivers Threats to Market Efficiency Prices and Demand The Real Power of Information in the Market System Conclusions References Chapter 4: Socialism: Principles, Practice and Possibilities What’s in a Name? Themes of Socialist Republicanism The Origins of Socialism Social Ownership Goods Not for Sale The Education Example The Healthcare Example State Role Ensuring Economic Equality Negative Market Outcomes What Action Should We Take? Courses of Action The Market Intervention Record A Socialist Republican Perspective Why Equality Conclusions References Chapter 5: The Republican Entrepreneur The Importance of Entrepreneurship A Republican Philosophy of Work, Creativity and Entrepreneurship Republicans and Entrepreneurs Profits and Entrepreneurs The Republican Entrepreneur Encouraging and Supporting Entrepreneurship The Problems of Directing Entrepreneurship The Worker in an Entrepreneurial Economy Failure of Understanding Economic Mimicry and Other Policy Failures Lessons Learnt Bureaucracy of Enterprise Development The Next Decades of Jobs Knowledge of the Twenty-first Century Economy What Sort of Workplace? Multiple Economies Entrepreneurship Across the Multiple Economies References Chapter 6: Counting the Republic Introduction Examples of Institutional Counting in Ireland Today Counting Freedom What We Do and Don’t Count Algorithms, Nudging and Digital Counting Counting for Planning The Republican Roots of the Irish Public Sector Conclusion References Chapter 7: Business Theologies Introduction: Business Heresies Why We Might Need Firms Firms: A Short History Powers of Firms Exercising Economic Power Political Power The Fair Trade Example The Power of the Firm and the Individual An Environmental Example The Privatisation Example The Semi State Principle Irish Life Greencore Irish Shipping and B&I Eircom Oil and Gas Rights The Role of the Media Is There an Alternative to Firms? Sinn Fein, the Media and Business State Banks Sinn Fein and Privatisation Public Spending Back to the Question of an Alternative to Firms The Size Problem Oligopoly and Size in Retail Markets What’s Wrong with Below Cost Selling? Co-Operatives and Alliances Innovation and Responding to Social Change The Value of Firms References Chapter 8: Conclusions Economic Coercion Illusion of Consumption Freedom Wrong Career Choice Wrong Economy Solution of Good Government The Markets Made Me Do It Democracy Has Been Kidnapped Final Themes Question Everything Make Government work Recognise Conflicting Tendencies The Problem of Complexity Competitive, Collaborative Creative? Searching for Solutions Helping the Invisible Republic Become Real The Principles of Socialist Republicanism in the Twenty-first Century References Index