---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Irishman frees himself from slavery…"
description: "\"The Irishman frees himself from slavery when he realizes the truth that the capitalist system is the most foreign thing in Ireland. The Irish question ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/james-connolly-16823_age_the-irishman-frees-himself-from-slavery_556513.jpg"
---

#  The Irishman frees himself from slavery when he realizes…

![“The Irishman frees himself from slavery when he realizes the truth that the capitalist system is the most foreign thing in Ireland. The Irish question is a social question. The whole age-long fight of the Irish people against their oppressors resolves itself in the last analysis into a fight for…” quote by James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/james-connolly-16823_age_the-irishman-frees-himself-from-slavery_556513.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/james-connolly-16823_age_the-irishman-frees-himself-from-slavery_556513.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/james-connolly-16823_age_the-irishman-frees-himself-from-slavery_556513.jpg)

> “The Irishman frees himself from slavery when he realizes the truth that the capitalist system is the most foreign thing in Ireland. The Irish question is a social question. The whole age-long fight of the Irish people against their oppressors resolves itself in the last analysis into a fight for the mastery of the means of life, the sources of production, in Ireland. Who would own and control the land? The people, or the invaders; and if the invaders, which set of them - the most recent swarm of land thieves, or the sons of the thieves of a former generation?”

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Recognizes that true freedom for Ireland lies in controlling its own resources and production, not just political independence.

**In simple terms:** Freedom requires economic control of land and production.

Key Takeaway

Focus on collective ownership of resources.

Themes

nationalism economics social justice colonialism class struggle

Mood

determined critical hopeful

Type

political philosophical

When to use this quote

- political activism
- community organizing
- land reform
- economic policy
- education campaigns

Key Concepts

means of production land ownership self-determination

Questions to Reflect On

- How can collective ownership be implemented fairly?
- What are the risks of replacing one elite with another?

A Different Perspective

May overlook internal class conflicts within the Irish population.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Analysis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/analysis/) [Generations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generations/) [Ireland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ireland/) [Irish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irish/) [Irish People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irish-people/) [Mastery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mastery/) [Oppressors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressors/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Resolve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resolve/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieves/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/)

## Related quotes

> [The Irishman in English literature may be said to have been born with an apology in his mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/the-irishman-in-english-literature-may-be-said-to-have-been-born-with/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [The British government needs to bring its system in Ireland under control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcguinness/the-british-government-needs-to-bring-its-system-in-ireland-under/)

[Martin McGuinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcguinness/)

> [Have you heard about the Irishman who reversed into a car boot sale and sold the engine?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carson/have-you-heard-about-the-irishman-who-reversed-into-a-car-boot-sale/)

[Frank Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carson/)

> [Look at me, man, look at me and tell me I don't know what I'm about. I'm Conor Larkin. I'm an Irishman and I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-uris/look-at-me-man-look-at-me-and-tell-me-i-don-t-know-what-i-m-about-i-m/)

[Leon Uris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-uris/)

> [An Irishman I am, begora! With a heart and a spirit on me not crushed be a hundred years of oppression. I'll be getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcdonagh/an-irishman-i-am-begora-with-a-heart-and-a-spirit-on-me-not-crushed/)

[Martin McDonagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcdonagh/)

> [He knew the world and its absurdities as only an intelligent Irishman can; which is to say that where his knowledge or memory failed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/he-knew-the-world-and-its-absurdities-as-only-an-intelligent-irishman/)

[John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/)

> [I was walking across King's Cross station when a drunken Irishman came stumbling up and flung his arms around me. He wanted to thank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-widdecombe/i-was-walking-across-king-s-cross-station-when-a-drunken-irishman/)

[Ann Widdecombe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-widdecombe/)

> [The poor silly-clever Irishman takes off his hat to God's Englishman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-poor-silly-clever-irishman-takes-off-his-hat-to-god-s-englishman/)

[George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/)

> [“A real Irishman will give everything of himself--except that kernel of his soul which makes him a mystery to other peoples.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-tully-beggars-abroad/a-real-irishman-will-give-everything-of-himself-except-that-kernel-of/)

Jim Tully Beggars Abroad

> [Mulligan: invented by an Irishman who wanted to hit one more twenty yard grounder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-bishop/mulligan-invented-by-an-irishman-who-wanted-to-hit-one-more-twenty/)

[Jim Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-bishop/)

> [You ran away from an adorable Irishman who wanted to se you naked?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-warren/you-ran-away-from-an-adorable-irishman-who-wanted-to-se-you-naked/)

[Christine Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-warren/)

> [An Irishman's wife gave birth to twins. Her husband wanted to know who the other man was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-carson/an-irishman-s-wife-gave-birth-to-twins-her-husband-wanted-to-know-who/)

[Frank Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-carson/)

> [I agree with the realistic Irishman who said he preferred to prophesy after the event.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/i-agree-with-the-realistic-irishman-who-said-he-preferred-to-prophesy/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [You're a good Irishman, right?" When Butch nodded, V said, "Irish, Irish… let me think. Yeah…" Vishous's eyes sobered, and in a voice that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/you-re-a-good-irishman-right-when-butch-nodded-v-said-irish-irish-let/)

[J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/)

> [Ideally, we'd want an Irishman coming in for the job, but, ideally it doesn't really matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clinton-morrison/ideally-we-d-want-an-irishman-coming-in-for-the-job-but-ideally-it/)

Clinton Morrison

## More by James Connolly

> [The cause of Labour is the cause of Ireland, and the cause of Ireland is the cause of Labour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/the-cause-of-labour-is-the-cause-of-ireland-and-the-cause-of-ireland/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [The Irishman in English literature may be said to have been born with an apology in his mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/the-irishman-in-english-literature-may-be-said-to-have-been-born-with/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [The Irish Republic must be made a word to conjure with - a rallying point for the disaffected, a haven for the oppressed, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/the-irish-republic-must-be-made-a-word-to-conjure-with-a-rallying/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [Whoop it up for liberty! After Ireland is free, says the patriot who won't touch socialism, we will protect all classes, and if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/whoop-it-up-for-liberty-after-ireland-is-free-says-the-patriot-who/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [Such a scheme.. the betrayal of the national democracy of Industrial Ulster, would mean a carnival of reaction both North and South, would set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/such-a-scheme-the-betrayal-of-the-national-democracy-of-industrial/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [If you strike at, imprison, or kill us, out of our prisons or graves we will still evoke a spirit that will thwart you,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/if-you-strike-at-imprison-or-kill-us-out-of-our-prisons-or-graves-we/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [However it may be for others, for us of the Citizen Army there is but one ideal - an Ireland ruled, and owned, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/however-it-may-be-for-others-for-us-of-the-citizen-army-there-is-but/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [We who hold his (Wolfe Tone) principles believe that any movement which would successfully grapple with the problem of national freedom must draw its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/we-who-hold-his-wolfe-tone-principles-believe-that-any-movement-which/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [Without the power of the Industrial Union behind it, Democracy can only enter the State as the victim enters the gullet of the Serpent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/without-the-power-of-the-industrial-union-behind-it-democracy-can/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [Just as it is true that a stream cannot rise above its source, so it is true that a national literature cannot rise above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/just-as-it-is-true-that-a-stream-cannot-rise-above-its-source-so-it/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [Yes, friends, governments in capitalist society are but committees of the rich to manage the affairs of the capitalist class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/yes-friends-governments-in-capitalist-society-are-but-committees-of/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [ Irish tory employers hid\[e\] their sweatshops behind orange flags, and Irish home rule landlords us\[e\] the green sunburst of Erin to cloak their rack-renting… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/irish-tory-employers-hid-e-their-sweatshops-behind-orange-flags-and/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [All these mountains of Irish dead, all these corpses mangled beyond recognition, all these arms, legs, eyes, ears, fingers, toes, hands, all these shivering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/all-these-mountains-of-irish-dead-all-these-corpses-mangled-beyond/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [Under a socialist system every nation will be the supreme arbiter of its own destinies, national and international; will be forced into no alliance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/under-a-socialist-system-every-nation-will-be-the-supreme-arbiter-of/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

> [The British Government has no right in Ireland, never had any right in Ireland, and never can have any right in Ireland.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/the-british-government-has-no-right-in-ireland-never-had-any-right-in/)

[James Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

[Explore all 38 James Connolly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/)

## More Age quotes

> [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/)

[Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/)

> [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/)

[Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/)

> [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/)

[Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/)

> [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/)

[Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/)

> [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/)

[Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/)

> [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/)

[Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/)

> [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/)

[Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/)

> [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/)

[Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/)

> [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/)

[Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/)

> [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/)

[Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/)

> [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/)

[Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/)

> [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/)

[Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/)

[Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The Irishman frees himself from slavery when he realizes the truth that the capitalist system is the most foreign thing in Ireland. The Irish question is a social question. The whole age-long fight of the Irish people against their oppressors resolves itself in the last analysis into a fight for the mastery of the means of life, the sources of production, in Ireland. Who would own and control the land? The people, or the invaders; and if the invaders, which set of them - the most recent swarm of land thieves, or the sons of the thieves of a former generation?",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Connolly"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/the-irishman-frees-himself-from-slavery-when-he-realizes-the-truth/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Age"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/the-irishman-frees-himself-from-slavery-when-he-realizes-the-truth/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/james-connolly-16823_age_the-irishman-frees-himself-from-slavery_556513.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/james-connolly-16823_age_the-irishman-frees-himself-from-slavery_556513.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c9/james-connolly-16823_age_the-irishman-frees-himself-from-slavery_556513.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The Irishman frees himself from slavery when he realizes the truth that the capitalist system is the most…” — James Connolly",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "James Connolly",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-connolly/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The Irishman frees himself from slavery...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/the-irishman-frees-himself-from-slavery-when-he-realizes-the-truth/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-connolly/the-irishman-frees-himself-from-slavery-when-he-realizes-the-truth/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
