What is dialectical materialism? – A study guide with questions, extracts and suggested reading
Dialectical materialism is the revolutionary philosophy of Marxism. In this article, Rob Sewell explains this fundamental aspect of the Marxist method.
News and analysis
The latest news and analysis from The Communist, alongside reports of our activity. For Marxist theory and history, click here.
The Strange case of John Prescott
It’s amazing how people change. And it’s even more terrible when you forget
your roots. This is surely the case with poor old John Prescott, once National
Union of Seamen firebrand, and now "responsible" statesman and
minister in charge of the Labour Government’s stand against the just demands of
Britain’s firefighters.
From the rice fields to the modern day call centers – Marxism vs. Feminism. Part one.
Tomorrow, March 8, is International Working Women’s Day, and to mark
this important event we are publishing this article. It was first printed in
issue Number 5 of ‘In difesa del marxismo’, the theoretical magazine of the
Italian Marxist journal FalceMartello. Although originally written for an
Italian audience we believe it is of interest to labour movement activists and
youth around the world.
From the rice fields to the modern day call centers – Marxism vs. Feminism. Part two.
Following on from our publication of Part One of this article to commemorate
March 8, International Working Women’s Day, we are publishing Part Two, which
starts with the role of women in the Italian resistance movement and then goes
on to analyse the Italian feminist movement from the Second World War up until
today.
400,000 march in London against Blair’s (and Bush’s) plans to attack Iraq
On Saturday, September 28, the biggest anti-war demonstration ever seen in
London took place with 400,000 people marching. This shows the real mood in
Britain today.
The Perfect Storm
Strikes in Britain are at their highest level for thirteen years and the
trend is upwards. The recent council workers’ strike involving over one
million people was the largest strike by women workers ever seen in this
country. Fire fighters have voted unanimously at their recall conference to
ballot for strike action over a 40% rise in pay! If this takes place, it
will be the first national strike in 25 years. Rail and tube workers, who
have their own disputes, have threatened to refuse to work on grounds of
safety if there is no fire cover. The general public, according to a recent
Guardian/ICM poll, appear to sympathise with them. The days of workplace
"servitude" seem finally to be coming to an end.
Britain’s summer of discontent – Part Two: 1-0 to the workers, but it should have been more
This article is a follow-up to Britain's Summer of Discontent – An Earthquake in the British Labour Movement.
The magnificent one million-strong strike of local authority workers on
July 17 has forced important concessions out of the government. Anyone
who still doubted the power of militant industrial action has been
answered.
Private Finance Initiative: Britain leads the way – to disaster!
This article deals with the scandalous so-called "Private Finance Initiative" in Britain. This process allows private companies to be involved in the building and running of what were formerly public services, such as hospitals, railways, and even schools. Mick Brooks shows quite clearly that the only people to benefit from PFI have been the fat cat capitalists who run the private firms.
Britain’s Summer of Discontent – An Earthquake in the British Labour Movement
What a decisive answer to all the cynics who had written off the labour
movement in Britain. In scenes reminiscent of the late 1970s, scenes we
were told would never be repeated in Blair's New Britain, more than a
million local authority workers took strike action yesterday, the first
national public sector stoppage in 20 years. The action by members of
UNISON, the T&GWU and the GMB was described in the London Evening
Standard as "the biggest strike in Britain since the 1926 General
Strike".
Football World Cup 2002
Steve Jones from the British Marxist magazine Socialist Appeal looks at the World Cup and also the game closer to home, with the ITV Digital catastrophe.
Golden Jubilee: The “Suffering” Royalty
The Jubilee has come and gone. India and Pakistan stood on the brink of nuclear war. Suicide bombers were striking in Israel and Belfast was aflame with sectarian conflict. But on the streets of London and other British cities, millions of people cheerfully participated in street parties in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Yet this year’s festivities totally lacked the grassroots "spontaneity" of the Silver Jubilee, 25 years ago. The enthusiasm for the monarchy that has been whipped up by the media in recent weeks is at best superficial. The mood is quite different to 1977 and even more distant from that of 1952.
Report of the book launch, London, May 21, 2002 (With photos!)
This is a report of the successful meeting in London organised both to launch Ted Grant’s book History of British Trotskyism and to celebrate 10 years of .