Let them have what they vote for! Let them drudge and let them starve!

In 1910, Dubliner Robert Tressell wrote... "The present system means joyless drudgery, semi-starvation, rags and premature death; and they vote for it and uphold it. Let them have what they vote for! Let them drudge and let them starve!"

We now find ourselves facing the same situation that the workers portrayed in Tressel's novel faced - voting for a system which we perceive to be maintaining our well-being and order, but which in fact is completely indifferent to us.  As a result we are faced with the prospect of voluntarily handing back the rights, which those before us fought to attain (as limited as they were); and we are now under the illusion that we will be better-off without them.

I believe our concept of what the Irish State should be became blurred as a result of the Civil War and the political platonification during the War of Independence and the failed Easter Rising.  

In 1916 and afterwards, what kind of Republic Ireland might be was forgotten in the struggle to fight against British occupation. Arthur Griffith 'affirmed that "they elected us not as doctrinaire Republicans, but as men looking for freedom and independence"'. '...At whatever cost to ideological coherence, untiy had to be preseved and divisive issues avoided'.

Although we celebrate the Easter Rising, its principles are something which much of the population of Ireland today either don't recognise, undervalue or would not support - exactly as the people of Ireland felt in 1916.

Today we are faced with the prospect, that the rights which these people fought for  are being handed back, not solely by the politicians, but by the Irish People.

Today, although the drudgery and starvation of Tressell's characters may not be common place, it is occurring at a much more frequent rate.   What is prevalent, is an increasing sacrifice of our limited freedom for which the most we can hope for is a return to 'stability' in the markets.