Theory
Marxist theory is our sharpest weapon in the class struggle. Here, you can find our most recent theoretical and historical articles. For news and analysis, click here.
You can also visit our education hub to find a selection of articles, books, talks and reading guides.
An introduction to historical materialism – part two
In the second part of his introduction to the Marxist – that is, materialist – view of history, Alan Woods discusses the early stages of humanity and society, and discusses how class society and private property emerged on the basis of the development of the productive forces.
What is historical materialism? – Alan Woods
We publish here the first part in a serialisation of a new work by Alan Woods, which explains the Marxist method of analysing history. The ultimate cause of all social change is to be found, not in the human brain, but in changes in the mode of production.
30 years on: Memories of the Wapping print strike
30 years ago, beginning on 24th January 1986, print workers at Murdoch’s printing presses began a year-long strike. Along with the Great Miners’ Strike, it was one of the most militant episodes of industrial action in Britain during the Thatcher years. Jim Brookshaw, a print worker at the time, recalls his experiences of the struggle.
What would a socialist foreign policy look like?
With the recent debates in Parliament about the bombing of Syria, as well as the upcoming EU referendum and the waves of protest internationally, the question of what a socialist foreign policy could look like are high on the agenda. What kind of policies should a Corbyn-led Labour Party be putting forward?
The season of giving: philanthropy or exploitation?
Christmas, we are told, is a time of parties, feasts, and the giving of gifts. So it would seem, as Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, announced that he would be giving away some $45 billion of his wealth. Such philanthropic gestures, however, raise an obvious question: where do rich donors get all this wealth from in the first place?
Art and socialism
At the recent Red October 2015 event, Alan Woods – editor of In Defence of Marxism – gave a talk on Marxism and Art. We publish here some thoughts on the topic by Kit MacDougall of the Glasgow Marxists, based on the discussion at Red October.
World War One: The Great Slaughter
To commemorate Armistice Day – 11th November – Alan Woods analyses the factors behind the First World War – “The Great Slaughter” – and discusses the revolutionary alternative to imperialism and war today.
Victor Serge on the Russian Revolution of 1917
In these extracts from “Year One of the Russian Revolution”, published in 1930, Victor Serge explains how the events of 1917 reflected the revolutionary forces within society and outlines the key role of the Bolshevik Party and its leadership in the October Revolution, which took place 98 years ago.
Introduction to Eisenstein’s “October: Ten Days That Shook the World” by Alan Woods
To commemorate the anniversary of the October Revolution of 1917, we publish here a short speech by Alan Woods on Sergei Eisenstein’s masterpiece “October – Ten Days that Shook the World”.
Horror films: the decline of capitalism through the lens
Lenin once remarked that, “Capitalist society is and has always been horror without end.” It is a feeling unconsciously shared by millions and reflected in the popularity of the horror genre since the very beginning of cinema, demonstrating the anxieties and fears in the society of the times.
WWI – Part Eleven: Wilfred Owen and the Muse of War
In the latest part of his series looking at the First World War, one hundred years on, Alan Woods analyses the poems of Wilfred Owen and other great British poets who were drawn to write on the horrors of war.