Difference between revisions of "Irish coup d'état of September 2009"
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==Election Result and Aftermath== | ==Election Result and Aftermath== | ||
| − | Patton beat Boru by 179 votes to 108, with [[Fionn]] catching 44 votes, securing the government for the Irish Union Party. Upon victory, he immediately posted his Cabinet, which included names from across the political spectrum. Boru was included with others in an "Economic Dream Team" while the position of Minister for Finance was given to [[Nogin the | + | Patton beat Boru by 179 votes to 108, with [[Fionn]] catching 44 votes, securing the government for the Irish Union Party. Upon victory, he immediately posted his Cabinet, which included names from across the political spectrum. Boru was included with others in an "Economic Dream Team" while the position of Minister for Finance was given to [[Nogin the nog]], creating controversy during and after the coup. Patton also admitted to participating in partisan activity previous to his election, and called for unity. |
==The Rubicon Declaration & Immediate Aftermath== | ==The Rubicon Declaration & Immediate Aftermath== | ||
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After the coup, the centre/centre-right Irish Union Party dominated Irish politics for three months, with anti-partisanship being the norm in response to a growing demand for it and the clear partisan element of the coup. The country was particularly against any expression of partisanship up until the impeachment of [[Dubhthaigh]] in March 2010, which involved the coup as an issue. Some politicians on the right of Irish politics were not content to see Brian Boru as Minister for Finance yet again, though the coup was far from the only reason for impeachment. | After the coup, the centre/centre-right Irish Union Party dominated Irish politics for three months, with anti-partisanship being the norm in response to a growing demand for it and the clear partisan element of the coup. The country was particularly against any expression of partisanship up until the impeachment of [[Dubhthaigh]] in March 2010, which involved the coup as an issue. Some politicians on the right of Irish politics were not content to see Brian Boru as Minister for Finance yet again, though the coup was far from the only reason for impeachment. | ||
| − | The impeachment also indirectly lead to the | + | The impeachment also indirectly lead to the Irish coup d'état of March 2010 by Mannimarco and '''Padraig_Pearse''', as partisanship from the impeachment facilitated the seizure of military companies. |
==Reasons for the Coup d'État== | ==Reasons for the Coup d'État== | ||
Revision as of 11:46, 29 November 2015
The Irish coup d'état of September 2009, also known as the Ten Minute Revolution or the Joke Revolution was an action by an outgoing Irish Minister for Finance and Industry Brian Boru and other communist members of the Irish Volunteer Force. The coup has had a long lasting effect on eIrish politics, despite its extremely short duration and failure. The "Ten Minute Revolution" nickname is not strictly correct, the coup lasted approximately an hour and a half in total.
Contents
September 2009 election campaign
The election campaign for President of Ireland was outwardly civil and the result looked to continue the stability achieved by previous Irish Union Party and Irish Socialist Republican Party governments since February 2009. However, it appeared to be a victory for Patton due to a larger collection of parties supporting him for the position.
The previous two ISRP governments under Starks Hayter and Aran Tal had been heavily criticised by the right wing of Irish politics, in part due to Brian Boru's aggressive manner of handling the Department of Finance & Industry. While Patton himself did not state so during the campaign itself, many supporters for Patton's presidency continued to comment on the "excessive spending" regime under Boru's administration of the economy. The likelihood of a reversal or slowing of previous ISRP policies was high due to these factors, and was arguably proved correct later as later governments were prevented from taking strong actions by the Dáil.
Election Result and Aftermath
Patton beat Boru by 179 votes to 108, with Fionn catching 44 votes, securing the government for the Irish Union Party. Upon victory, he immediately posted his Cabinet, which included names from across the political spectrum. Boru was included with others in an "Economic Dream Team" while the position of Minister for Finance was given to Nogin the nog, creating controversy during and after the coup. Patton also admitted to participating in partisan activity previous to his election, and called for unity.
The Rubicon Declaration & Immediate Aftermath
Brian Boru responded to Patton's victory by declaring Ireland a Soviet Socialist state, in an article entitled "Rubicon Crossed".
| “ Irishmen and Irishwomen.
In the name of socialism everywhere, Ireland, through us, summons her children to her flags and strikes for her freedom! Having trained her manhood through her secret revolutionary armies, the Irish Volunteer Force and the Irish Citizen Front, having patiently perfected her discipline, having resolutely waited for the right moment to reveal itself, she now seizes that moment, and, supported by her comrades in socialism worldwide, but relying first on her own strength, strikes now in full confidence of victory. We declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of the means of production, and to the unfettered control of destinies in the hands of Irish labour. The long usurpation of that right by Irish and foreign capitalists has not extinguished that right, nor can it ever be extinguished, save for the destruction of the Irish people. In every generation, the Irish people have asserted this right by political or revolutionary means, only to have it frustrated. Standing on that fundamental right, and asserting it in revolution in the face of the world, we hereby proclaim the Irish Republic as a soviet socialist state, and we pledge our lives and the lives of our comrades-in-arms to the cause of its freedom, to its welfare, and its exaltation among the nations. The Irish Soviet Socialist Republic is entitled to, and hereby claims, the allegiance of every worker within its territory. The reserves of the Republic have been seized and kept in trust for the people. Vital means of production have been seized, and workers councils shall be formed alongside them. Until our arms or workers have brought the opportune moment for the establishment of communist government in office, the Provisional Republican Government, hereby constituted, will administer the civil and military affairs of the Republic in trust for the people. Signed on behalf of the Provisional Republican Government, Brian Boru. ” |
To that end, he seized the Central Bank org and the state companies, both of which he had access to as outgoing Minister for Finance and Industry. The move effectively put him in charge of the entire set of resources available to the Irish State. The new government was effectively powerless at that point, as the coup occurred before the admins intervened regularly in such situations.
Reaction to the coup was extremely negative, with politicians from all sides of the political spectrum condemning the action. Brian Boru soon returned the Central Bank to the government, declaring the coup to be a joke in an article.
Mannimarco continues the coup
As Brian Boru was returning the money seized, Mannimarco was seizing control of the state companies from him. The companies had been transferred to an org that both of them had access to, and Mannimarco reacted immediately to Boru's return of the state funds. Again, the government appeared powerless to retake the companies. However, Top Gun managed to retrieve them from Manni relatively soon, at which point he moved to the United Kingdom.
Aftermath of the Coup
Brian Boru had a non-binding resolution passed against him in the Irish parliament, which passed with 13 Yes votes against 2 No votes and 25 abstentions. He left the game, and returned a month and a half later. He later acknowledged the anger of the Irish people in a response to Donovan Thomas.
Mannimarco was banned for operating multiple accounts soon after fleeing to the United Kingdom, but continued to play via a new account.
The state funds were stolen soon after the coup, this time by an unknown person. While speculation about who stole the funds varies, they have been not returned by the culprit to this date. Ireland had to get a loan from the United Kingdom. While not part of the coup directly or indirectly, this theft has long been associated with it due to the short time between the two events.
Effects of the Coup
The Irish Socialist Republican Party
The ISRP changed their name to the Irish Social Democrats immediately after the coup, in an attempt to disassociate themselves from it. While it would be another three months before an ISD President was elected (Appleman), the ISD have provided the backbone of the Irish state's economic personnel until the present day. However, the shock of the coup may have contributed to the ISD's longer term decline.
As the name change suggests, the left wing of the ISRP became increasingly disaffiliated with the ISD until the foundation of The Labour Party, after which some prominent left wing ISDers joined Labour, the irony being that the founder of that party was Brian Boru.
Irish Politics
After the coup, the centre/centre-right Irish Union Party dominated Irish politics for three months, with anti-partisanship being the norm in response to a growing demand for it and the clear partisan element of the coup. The country was particularly against any expression of partisanship up until the impeachment of Dubhthaigh in March 2010, which involved the coup as an issue. Some politicians on the right of Irish politics were not content to see Brian Boru as Minister for Finance yet again, though the coup was far from the only reason for impeachment.
The impeachment also indirectly lead to the Irish coup d'état of March 2010 by Mannimarco and Padraig_Pearse, as partisanship from the impeachment facilitated the seizure of military companies.
Reasons for the Coup d'État
Stated Reasons
Boru made the following statement on the forums of the Internationale in November 2009:
| “ I launched a communist revolution on September 6th in the Republic of Ireland. It was pretty much a joke, as I thought I was going to have to quit eRepublik, but it was also a key theoretical test. It is clear that a direct seizure of power in Ireland is completely ineffective in producing a socialist state there. The people did not react well to the news, as a subversion of democracy. The conditions simply do not exist in Ireland for direct revolution. ” |
Speculated Reasons
The most common theory beyond any stated or hinted at by Brian Boru is that he launched the coup d'état in personal retaliation to Patton and his supporters for winning the election. The timing of the coup would appear to support this theory. Boru has repeatedly dismissed these claims as ridiculous on the basis that he would have kept the state funds had he been operating under a personal vendetta, as he would have had nothing to lose.
Another theory is that Boru was the puppet of Mannimarco, who has a general reputation for causing disorder. Boru has also countered this claim.
