The latest news and analysis from The Communist, alongside reports of our activity. For Marxist theory and history, click here.
In all countries across Europe, capitalism is in crisis and class struggle is on the rise – from Greece and France, to Spain and Portugal. Belgium – a country where compromise and moderation seemed for a long time to be part of the genetic make-up of society – is no exception to this rule, and mass strikes are breaking out everywhere.
The recent actions of Philip Green – the billionaire retail tycoon – have been condemned from all sides of the political sphere; few of these condemnations, however, try to address the underlying problem. Richard Fuller, a Tory MP, called Mr Green the “unacceptable face of capitalism”. This is inaccurate: Philip Green is actually the true face of capitalism.
Beyond Caring, a modern play that portrays the conditions of workers in modern day, zero-hour Britain, begins a new UK tour today, starting in Birmingham. We are republishing our review of this powerful and poignant play, along with a recent interview with the director, Alexander Zeldin.
Public sector union GMB has become one of the first major unions to not only back Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party, but also to demand that Labour MPs do likewise by giving a “clear and unambiguous” commitment not to destabilise the party. It is time for the rest of the labour movement to demand likewise from Corbyn’s opponents in Westminster.
Delegates at last week’s University and College Union’s annual congress in Liverpool voted to escalate industrial action against Tory austerity and link the struggle for free education with students and teachers. Joe Attard, a delegate from the KCL UCU branch, discusses the issues raised at this year’s UCU Congress.
The Marxist Student-led Fair Pay for GTAs campaign has won a 20% pay increase for student teachers at King’s College London following an 18-month struggle with university bosses. The success of this campaign demonstrates the potential power of workers when united and organised around a militant strategy and socialist ideas.
We publish here an edited version of an analysis originally written by Alan Woods in 1997, commenting on the contradictions within the European project in advance of the introduction of the Euro. In this document, Alan outlines the history and class character of the European Union and emphasises the need for Marxists to fight for a socialist alternative.
The pace of privatisation in education is accelerating, and those who would use it as a means to get rich quick are circling ever closer. The recent White Paper published by the government would allow universities to increase tuition fees above £9,000 and will open up higher education to privatisation and profit. Marxist Students say: Fight for free education! Fight for socialism!
The civil service union, PCS, met in Brighton last week from 24-26th May. The conference was dominated by discussions on what the union’s political stance should be given the transformation caused by the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party. Socialist Appeal supporters in PCS believe the union should affiliate to the Labour Party in order to defend Corbyn and fight for socialism.
“On lache rien!” We do not give up! This slogan sums up quite well the mood of militant determination of the French workers’ and youth movement against the El Khomri labour counter-reform which has now entered its third month. Last week saw oil refineries, harbours, nuclear power stations on strike and fuel depots blockaded by striking workers. What stage is the movement at and what are its perspectives?
On Sunday 22nd May, the Greek Parliament voted in favour of a new austerity package, involving another round of harsh cuts and privatisations. The purpose of the meeting was to free up 5 of the 86 billion euro Troika bailout rescue plan. Events in Greece demonstrate that the capitalist European Union cannot be “reformed” – it must be overthrown.
Two sides of the same capitalist coin. That is the choice on offer to workers and youth in this Tory farce of a referendum. We say: No to the bosses’ EU! No to Tory Austerity Britain! Fight for a Socialist United States of Europe! The Corbyn-led Labour Party should mobilise a mass movement to get rid of Cameron and Osborne – and Boris, Gove, and IDS too – and offer the working class a genuine alternative to austerity.