What compassion Ireland has for people in dire situations internationally stems partly from the colonised experience of subservience. Of course Ireland’s experience of being colonised is not a simple one with some from all sides enthusiastically participating in British colonialism and the possibilities it brought; for others it might have been simply a means to survival and earn some sort of living – in the 19th century a third of the British army was composed of Irish men. And some who were from a privileged background, Protestant or Catholic, also rejected the subservience which was imposed on Ireland as an island. And north of what became the border some on all rejected false divisions and discrimination.
However patterns can repeat themselves and, for example, the tendency to ape a rich elite can be seen in the lifestyle of someone like the late Charles Haughey. An old joke about Charles Haughey – CJH (christened Cathal) – was, what is the difference between CJD (’mad cow disease’) and CJH? The answer was ‘You can catch CJD’. Once the revolutionary generation in independent Ireland had died, the morality they had, such as it was, to a considerable extent went with them. Self-enrichment through politics is less acceptable now before retirement from the political fray but the loss of critical, independent and courageous thinking is still a major factor.
Why does the current Irish government think that it should get as close to EU and NATO militarism as it can (get away with)? Why have they so little understanding of conflict? Why do they seek to fly in the face of more than half a century of Irish military peacekeeping to move to a belligerent NATO model? Why do they imagine Ireland is in danger from Russia? Why do they still see the USA (Trump not withstanding) and its economic and military prowess as a leader and feel in some way indebted to that? Why do they not see that major EU and NATO rearmament is a danger? Why can they not see the possibilities of conflict resolution?
And in the North why is it still acceptable to come at issues of concern, such as the health service or education, from unionist or nationalist perspectives rather than one of justice and equality? Why is there such a lack of vision from the political class about building unity among the people and overcoming existing barriers? Why is the existing community/good relations policy so minimalist? Surveys show that most young people don’t want to stay in the North – how can a society be built that young people actually want to stay in?
Compassion should not be confused with pity. Compassion is about empathy and solidarity, it is about wishing, wanting, and working for, others to have what they should have. But compassion without courage to bring about change is meaningless. In the 1960s in the North the people who got involved in the civil rights movement, Catholic and Protestant as well, realised that subservience of one sector of society was reprehensible and inimical to any kind of justice. And, in the words of Barbara Deming (available as a mini poster at https://innatenonviolence.org/wp/posters/ )
“A liberation movement that is nonviolent sets the oppressor free as well as the oppressed”.
Of course Northern Ireland descended into the violence and the thirty years little war of the Troubles. But that was not the fault of civil rights activists who were trying to achieve a more just and peaceful society. However the lessons of the Northern conflict have not been learnt by the British or Irish governments in relation to international issues, they have not made the obvious extrapolation, that it is inclusive talking – however difficult that might be – has the potential to solve conflicts, and that getting involved in an arms race frequently ends in war. Governments tend to look to arms and militarism as a way to solve conflicts. This is dangerous nonsense.
The inferiority complex which Ireland had through the colonial experience never totally went away. In the impoverished new Free State, accompanied by ongoing net migration until the 1960s, holding your head high was perhaps difficult. Some people managed to do it. But others wanted to imitate the richer, colonial or ex-colonial powers. This is still going on with Irish foreign policy today. The ruling politicians have bought in to an inferior model of international relations, one where power grows from the barrel of a gun, and the bigger the better. They are prepared to forget the positive stands Ireland has taken in disarmament and international relations over the years. And it is highly ironic that the charge to become a full part of the EU military elite should be led by the person at the head of the ‘Republican Party’, Fianna Fáil. Once more Ireland’s leaders are choosing subservience to our ‘elders and betters’ who are neither of those things.
Subservience can be forced or voluntary, or a mixture of these. While fear of being thought ‘soft’ on international issues of concern to the great powers (including the economic power of US businesses in Ireland) can be a factor, any subservience today is effectively voluntary. Cap tugging to the USA, especially over Shannon airport’s use by the US military, and a totally false concept of being ‘good (militarist) Europeans’ regarding the EU, is rife. Undoubtedly some really do believe in US and EU militarism but it would seem that more are afraid to stand up for what might be unpopular – and this is a form of subservience, not being true to the values which you know are worthwhile. Subservience means the negation of courage and compassion.
Ireland has had a little bit of courage in saying things about Palestine and Israel but little courage in actually putting those thoughts into action (e.g. the severe delay in passing an Occupied Territories Bill). Irish political leaders in working to destroy the Triple Lock on the deployment of Irish troops overseas are totally negating the popular demand for the continuation of Irish neutrality and pulling (a flock’s worth of) wool over people’s eyes, and acting in a sleeveen manner.
Ireland has a modicum of compassion. With a bit of courage to act imaginatively, and a rejection of subservience, we could be so much more.