On The Shoulders Of Giants . . . - ‘Saor Éire Constitution And Rules 1931’
Today, as part of our On the Shoulders of Giants series, we republish the Saor Éire Constitution and Rules, written by Peadar O’Donnell and David Fitzgerald. It was first published on this day in 1931.
By 1931 the Free State was in its ninth year of existence after the counter-revolution. Cumann na nGaedheal, founded by the right-wing of pro-treaty Sinn Féin in late 1922, had held power ever since with W.T. Cosgrave as President of the Executive Council.
The 1929 Wall Street crash and the ensuing economic depression had largely cut off the traditional escape valve of emigration to North America. The flow of money sent home across the Atlantic by Irish emigrants was also drastically curtailed. These conditions added to political and social tensions in Ireland where an increasingly revolutionary situation began to manifest itself.
The radicalisation of the IRA membership, who had moved into more political work after the collapse of the military campaign in 1923, was reflected in the increased prominence given to socialist policies.
Against this political and economic background a proposal to set up an IRA sponsored organisation, styling itself ‘Saor Éire’ was put forward at the 1929 Army Congress. Although initially rejected, a redrafted programme was endorsed at the 1931 Army Congress.
The Saor Éire programme marked a radical departure for the revolutionary republican movement
SAOR ÉIRE
(An Organisation of Workers and Working Farmers)
CONSTITUTION AND RULES
NAME
The name of the organisation shall be SAOR ÉIRE
OBJECTS
1. To achieve an independent revolutionary leadership for the working class and working farmers towards the overthrow of British Imperialism and its ally, Irish Capitalism.
2. To organise and consolidate the Republic of Ireland on the basis of the possession and administration by the workers and working farmers, of the land, instruments of production, distribution and exchange.
3. To restore and foster the Irish language and culture.
MEANS
1. By organising committees of action among the Industrial and Agricultural workers to lead the day-to-day struggle of the working class and working farmers.
2. By striving to bring about the closest co-operation between workers in agricultural and rural districts and those in cities and towns, to bring them to realise that their interests are mutual and, therefore, they should be allies, as they are all victims of the same exploiting agencies.
3. By the mobilisation of the mass of the Irish people behind a revolutionary government for the overthrow of British Imperialism in Ireland and the organisation of a Workers and Working Farmers Republic.
Elaborating the objects, the task before Saor Éire falls into two phases, not distinct and separate, being both of them aspects of a continuous revolutionary period. The first will be a phase of intensive organisational, propagandist and day-to-day activity, knitting the mass of small farmers, agricultural labourers and industrial workers into a solid front on the basis of the objects, for mass resistance to the exploiting interests that enslave and impoverish us.
This building up, apart from direct organisation must be brought about by a gathering of the exploited people behind the day-to-day programme of activity and resistance in the field of rents, annuities, evictions, seizures, bank sales, lock-outs, strikes and wage-cuts, and challenging Imperialism, Capitalism and their instruments along the whole front of their attack, leading straight towards a situation where power will pass from the Imperialist into the hands of the masses of the Irish people.
The second phase will be the consolidation of that power by the organisation of the economy of the workers’ and working farmers’ republic. With the achievement of power the revolutionary toilers will have reached a point in the struggle for which the attack upon the Imperialist state and the capitalist system will take the aspect of supplanting the old form of organisation and administration by new forms.
The control of the key positions of capitalist economy will be first in importance. Banking and credits to become an immediate state monopoly, with state monopoly in exports and imports.
Landlordism in land, fisheries and minerals to be abolished without compensation and an immediate policy for raising the productivity of agriculture by making credits, machinery, seeds and instruction available to the agricultural population; establishing state and co-operative groupings on the restored lands.
The main forms of inland transport must be taken over by the state.
Control of exports, imports, credits and transport with the development of state co-operatives will gradually eliminate the forms of capitalist profit-making distribution.
To make the national wealth and credit available for the creation and fullest development of essential industries and mineral resources through industrial workers co-operatives under state direction and management the workers to regulate internal working conditions.
Sea fisheries to be reorganised in co-operatives and developed by state credits.
The provision of adequate housing to be achieved by the state organising co-operatives of the workers in the building trade. Rent shall be fixed in ratio to wages.
A minimum standard of living to be guaranteed to each citizen in work and for whom work is not available.
Free education with free school requisites.
MEMBERSHIP
Membership of the organisation shall be open to all those, over the age of sixteen, who accept the constitution.
The Branch Committees shall have power to suspend membership and to recommend expulsion to the National Executive.
ORGANISATION
The unit of organisation shall be the Branch. Each Branch shall consist of not less than twelve members, who shall pay an initiation fee of 1/-, and a monthly contribution of sixpence. Fifty per cent, of all such fees and contributions shall be forwarded to the National Executive.
The administration of the Branch shall be in the hands of a Branch Committee, consisting of a Chairmen, Treasurer, Secretary, and four other members, who shall be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Branch, to be held in January of each year.
The persons elected shall hold office for one year, but may be removed by the majority vote of the members. The Branch Committee shall meet at least once a fortnight. Monthly reports must be sent by the Branch Secretary to the National Executive.
As far as possible, Branches shall be organised on an industrial or vocational basis. Members, however, may be assigned to such Branches as the National Executive considers most desirable in the interests of the Organisation, each branch shall initiate a committee of action.
DISTRICT AND PROVINCIAL COMMITTEES
District Committees may be formed with the permission of the National Executive, where a number of Branches consider it advisable.
The District Committee shall be composed of representatives from the Branches elected on the following basis:
For each Branch of twenty members or under - 2 delegates.
“ “ “ over twenty and under fifty - 3 “
“ “ “ over fifty and under one hundred - 5
One extra delegate for each additional fifty members.
No Branch shall have more than ten delegates to a District or Provincial Committee.
CONTROL
The supreme governing body of the Organisation shall be the National Convention when in session.
“The National Convention, which shall meet annually shell be composed of the members of the outgoing National Executive and of delegates elected on the following basis;
For each Branch of twenty members or less - 1 delegate
“ “ “ over twenty and under fifty - 2 “
“ “ “ over fifty and under one hundred 3 “
And one delegate in respect of each additional fifty members up to a maximum of ten delegates.
The National Convention shall elect the National Executive consisting of 25 members who shall elect from among themselves a Chairman, Vice-Chairmen, Treasurer and Secretary. The National Executive shall hold office until next Congress and shall meet once a month.
The National Executive shall be the controlling authority when the National Congress is not in session. They shall have power to fix their quorum, to appoint committees. They shall define the powers of such committees. They shall have power to fill vacancies by co-option.
A Special Convention may be called by the National Executive or on a request by a majority of the Branches.
The National Executive shall prepare Agenda of the National Convention and issue it at least two weeks prior to the Convention. Resolutions, etc., from the Branches for the National Convention must be sent to the National Executive at least six weeks before the Annual Convention, excepting cases of Emergency Resolutions.
The National Executive shall be responsible for the conduct of newspapers and other publications of the Organisation.
EXPULSION
The power to expel members lies with the National Executive. Expelled members have the right to appeal to the National Convention.
Alterations in the Constitution shall be by a majority of the Congress.