English (2012) Armed Struggle
Citation: English, Richard (2012) Armed Struggle: The History of the IRA, London: Pan Books.
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English (2012:22): “Not that these true revolutionaries set out neatly defined blueprints of the Ireland they sought. Far from it. For their capacity to hold together a broad-based movemnt during 1919-21 depended on their not defining too precisely the kind of end-product they desired.” [There is a case to be made that all revolutionary or anti-system movements benefit from a lack of specificity. It is more important that they set out clearly what they are opposed to and explain why opposition is desirable, necessary, and practical. What then differentiates those who are able to win support and mobilise from those who are not? Arguably, short-term solutions are far more important. This is arguably more true the further one is from realistically obtaining political power.
English (2012:129): Points to the prevalence of republican traditions in the families of early PIRA members, but also the importance of contemporary events. Thus, a combination of ideology, circumstances, triggering causes, and opportunity played a role. Summarises: “family, locality, tradition.” [Tradition is seen as shaping subsequent ideology, but really, it is a form of ideology — an example of how many scholars understand ideology in a specific way but use other terms to discuss what can be understood as ideology]
English (2012:214): “the energy and momentum of the movement in the modern period were provided primarily by the day-to-day northern experience of Catholics: there may have been an elaborate political theology, but (as, indeed, with other kinds of theology) it would only have continued meaning for people if it somehow related to lived daily experience.” [in losing touch with everyday grievances, the IK’s diagnostic framing lost its continued meaning]