The Russian Revolution
Adam Booth provides an analysis of 1917, outlining the key processes during the Revolution, and drawing out the main lessons for Marxists today.
History
Marxists must study the history of the class struggle, so that we can apply the lessons in the struggle for communism today. Here, you can find our most recent historical articles. For theoretical articles, click here.
You can also visit our education hub to find a selection of articles, books, talks and reading guides.
1934: Union power in Minneapolis
Eighty years ago in the US, a branch of the Teamsters union, Local 574 lead a magnificent struggle against ruthless bosses and their backers in government. Critically, the branch had within its ranks a revolutionary leadership able to organise the fight at every stage. Bob Faulkes looks back at a strike that has inspired union militants over the decades.
WWI – part five: The Great Slaughter begins
As the world marks the centenary of the Great Slaughter, our television screens are full of programmes dedicated to the systematic trivialisation of the lives of those involved in the First World War. Alan Woods looks at the way in which the bourgeois media and politicians commemorate a war that swept away four empires, killed 18 million people and left tens of millions of others with their lives shattered?
Burston: the longest strike in history
This weekend, on Sunday 6th September, the labour movement celebrates the centenary of the longest strike in British history, the Burston School strike, which ran from 1914 to 1939 in Norfolk. John Pickard of the Mid-Essex NUT looks back at this historic struggle and what it means for today.
What is Stalinism?
The events of the Russian Revolution1917 are the greatest in all of human history. For the first time in history, the exploited masses fought back and won. And yet within 10 years, the Soviet Union had degenerated into a bureaucratic and totalitarian regime, with Stalin at its head. How did this process occur? And what is Stalinism?
WWI – Part Four: Into the abyss
The tensions between the major European Powers, which were ultimately rooted in the struggle for markets, colonies and spheres of interest, were increasing steadily in the decades before 1914. They found their expression in a series of “incidents”, each of which contained the potential for the outbreak of war. If they did not reach this logical conclusion that was because the objective conditions were not yet sufficiently mature. In August 1914 came the “tipping point” and the Great Slaughter began.
WWI – Part Three: The strange story of the Kaiser and the Tsar
In the third part of his series commemorating the 100th anniversary of the First World War – The Great Slaughter – Alan Woods looks at the relationship between Germany and Russia, and in particular, the relationship between the Tsar and the Kaiser.
1789 and the Fall of the Bastille
14th July marks Bastille Day in France – the celebration of the 1789 French Revolution. This year’s celebrations mark the 225th anniversary of the Revolution. To commemorate this anniversary, we republish here an article by Alan Woods on the fall of the Bastille, originally written in 1989 on the 200th anniversary as part of a series on the history of the French Revolution.
Memories of the Great Miners’ Strike
In advance of the Durham Miners’ Gala, taking place this weekend, we publish here two short pieces in which those involved in the Great Miners’ Strike of 1984/85 discuss their memories of the struggle. In the first, Paul Winter recalls the Battle of Orgreave. In the second, Sharon Gaunt and David Martin discuss their experience of growing up in a mining community during the strike.
WWI – Part Two: On the brink of the abyss
In the second part of our series on the First World War, Alan Woods looks at the causes behind the war and examines the role of the individual in history. In particular, Alan analyses the interests that led German imperialism to push for war.
WWI: Assassination in Sarajevo – The first shots of the Great Slaughter
It is commonly said that the First World War was caused by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. However, this act falls rather under the category of a historical accident – something which might or might not have occurred. Alan Woods asks: if the assassin had missed his mark and Franz Ferdinand had survived, would the War have not occurred?
Orgreave: Never forget!
18th June marks the 30th anniversary of the events at Orgreave, which took place during the Great Miners’ Strike of 1984-85. We publish here an extract from a longer article, written 10 years ago, that look back at the Battle of Orgreave and ask: what happened and why?