International Viewpoint - online socialist magazine

Ecosocialism or barbarism

Paul Murphy — 2026-04-21T09:31:07Z

“The danger of a great catastrophe … is imminent. All the newspapers have written about this time and again. Everybody says this. Everybody admits it. Everybody has decided it is so. Yet nothing is being done.”

This isn't Greta Thunberg speaking truth to power. This was Lenin.

- Features / Fourth International, Ecosocialism

Catherine Connolly wins: An historic victory for the left in Ireland

Paul Murphy — 2025-10-26T08:06:10Z

Catherine Connolly's resounding victory in the Presidential election in Ireland is a watershed moment. It is the first time that the left has won a majority of votes in a national election. This was not a narrow victory either; Catherine won the largest percentage and largest total vote of any Presidential candidate in history.

- IVP609 - October 2025 / Ireland

Flotilla approaches Gaza

Mariana Mortágua, Paul Murphy — 2025-09-26T16:16:12Z

The Global Sumud flotilla is on its way to Gaza. Several dozen boats will try to break the blockade and open a humanitarian corridor. Some thoughts from those on board.

- IVP608 - September 2025 / Palestine

Time for a new united left alliance to topple Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael

Paul Murphy — 2024-07-05T07:36:31Z

“To overcome their opposition and actually implement the ecosocialist change necessary to resolve the crises faced by people would require a left government basing itself on people-power mobilisation from below.”

- IV594 - July 2024 / Ireland

Five Takeaways from the Recent Elections in Ireland

Diarmuid Flood, Paul Murphy — 2024-06-15T12:53:52Z

With the final tallies counted and remaining seats filled, PBP and RISE members Diarmuid Flood and Paul Murphy review the deeply polarised Local and European Elections which took place in the South of Ireland and outline five key takeaways.

- IV593 - June 2024 / Ireland

The Drums of War are Banging in Europe

Éric Toussaint, Miguel Urbán Crespo, Paul Murphy — 2024-06-06T12:11:07Z

These weeks see the end of the term for an ineffectual European legislature which served during the worst pandemic of this century, during Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, and with it, the outbreak of a war on European soil that evokes the worst memories of the world wars of the last century. And as we witness the televised genocide of the Palestinian people, it appears that the international system of liberal governance seems to be collapsing like a house of cards.

- IV593 - June 2024 / Europe, European Union

“To all of them we say – Rule out coalition with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael! – Sinn Féin should seek to lead an alternative minority government”

John Meehan, Paul Murphy — 2020-02-28T06:20:08Z

“At a time when left parties in Europe have been losing ground to their rivals on the Right and center, the Irish election bucked the trend. Whatever Sinn Féin does next, this was clearly a left-wing vote. The exit poll showed that health and housing were by far the most important issues for voters. Two-thirds wanted investment in public services to be prioritized over tax cuts. 31 percent agreed with the statement that Ireland ‘needs a radical change in direction'.

“It's possible that this opportunity for change will be squandered. But right now, the momentum in Irish politics is with the Left, and the traditional conservative parties are on the back foot. An election that was supposed to call time on the political turbulence of the last decade has had the opposite effect.” [Daniel Finn “Ireland's Left Turn”.]

- IV541 - February 2020 / Ireland