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.
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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.
Quantum mechanics: on the cusp of a scientific revolution?
Since the 1930s a dominant trend has existed within the scientific community that explains quantum mechanics with all kinds of idealistic and mystical interpretations. Now, however, unexpected discoveries in the field of fluid mechanics has the potential to reaffirm a dialectical and materialist explanation for these scientific phenomena.
Law and Marxism: 800 years since Magna Carta
In 1215, King John I of England signed a document known as the Great Charter – Magna Carta. As a legal document, it has attained a near-legendary status as a symbol of the supposed power of the rule of law. Ben Glineicki looks at the significance of this 800-year-old document and examines the history of the law and class society.
The Zimmerwald Conference – the turning of the tide
100 years ago, on 5th September 1915, a small group of international socialists gathered in the tiny Swiss village of Zimmerwald. This was the first attempt to unite those socialists – such as Lenin and Luxemburg – who were opposed to the War, and was the embryo of the Communist International. Alan Woods explains the historical significance of Zimmerwald.
Why you should be a socialist
Rob Sewell, editor of Socialist Appeal, looks at the ongoing crisis of capitalism, the growing inequality in the world today, and the potential for transforming our lives on the basis of modern technology, and explains why you should join the fight for the revolutionary socialist transformation of society.
The Sharing Economy, the Future of Jobs, and “PostCapitalism” – part three
In the final part of his series on the rise of the sharing economy, Adam Booth reviews Paul Mason’s new book, PostCapitalism, about the impact of information technology and its contradictory contribution within the crisis-ridden capitalism system. How can we truly utilise the abundance of technology and wealth we see around us today?
The Sharing Economy, the Future of Jobs, and “PostCapitalism” – part two
In the second part of his article on the rise of the sharing economy, Adam Booth examines the impact that new technologies and business models will have on the nature of work and jobs. The trend under capitalism is towards more precarious employment and rising inequality.
The Sharing Economy, the Future of Jobs, and “PostCapitalism” – part one
We are surrounded by a wealth of technology and innovation. We are promised a world of plenty; a super-efficient system of production and distribution; and a life of leisure. And yet the reality is ecological crises, “secular stagnation”, and eye-watering inequality. In the first of a three-part article, Adam Booth examines the rise of the sharing economy.