The Necessity of the Leadership Principle

Democracy and the Parliamentary system have failed Ireland. We believe this to be an absolute fact. How can we come to such a dramatic and heterodox conclusion on our political system? Both reason and historical context inform us of the dangers of Parliamentary democracy and it is incumbent on every true Irish nationalist to come to grips with this central question of power.

It is said that democracy allows the people to make their opinions known and to peacefully make political change. However, when we look around our country, we see at all times discontent, disillusionment, and decline. Did the people vote for this? Is this their desire? Our political class is deeply unpopular with the electorate, and even the major political parties can barely crack 30% approval. Weak power sharing governments come to fruition, and it is called progress and compromise, meaning the people never get what they want or need.

The weakness of our political class is a feature of parliamentary democracy, not an unfortunate error. By putting ‘power’ in the hands of the people (and not the Irish people but rather an indiscriminate mass of ‘citizens’) our ruling elite can obfuscation each poor decision, can dither endlessly or ram the most unpopular policies down the throat of the people, with little push back. Why? Because it is not clear to the electorate who makes the final decision, who is truly in charge. The traitors in the Dail speak of ‘international obligations’. Obligations to who? The people are never told, and so they have no one to blame, no one to put their ire upon when Irish people are left in want.

In truth, it is not the people writ large who elect these parliamentary stooges. Rather, it is their friends and social networks who elect them. While there is nothing wrong with strong community networks, limiting a political process to this ensures that only the smooth talkers, the extraverted and the cute whore can be in power. It creates a one-sided political system and we can see the consequences of this in the unashamed gombeenism that terrorises our people. How many TDs play a double game of criticising the current system while reaping huge profits from it? One is too many. Even well-meaning politicians get sucked into the constant talk of the Dail, where everything important is put on the long finger.

Let us not forget either the history of the parliamentary system in Ireland. It was not brought to the whole island through the love of peace or democracy but rather with the conquest of Cromwell. It represents a divide in our history between Gaelic society and Anglicisation.The process of the parliament never represented the Irish people, just as it doesn’t represent it today. All through our history since this event we see the divide again and again. John Redmond’s Irish Parliamentary Party was our last example of compromise with English ways to secure Gaelic freedom. That party was brushed aside by a more authentic and natural movement that truly sought to represent Irish people and put them first in Ireland. We see a similar battle today between the compromisers and talkers, and the authentic Gaelic men of action. Clann Éireann represents the latter idea. We know that the people are the object of power, not the subject of it. We are here to fight for them and remove the parliamentary system which keeps them in chains. We will give them a new leadership and a new future.

Only the leadership principle, which ought to proliferate all through Irish life, can fight against the evils of the parliamentary system. With the power to make national decisions comes responsibility and accountability. No longer will career politicians hide behind the ‘people’ to cover their mistakes. The leader will be the first of equals and the first to be held accountable to the people.

– Clann Éireann Member