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.
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This year marks the 100th anniversary of the October Revolution. The apologists of capitalism try to comfort themselves with the thought that the collapse of the USSR signified the demise of socialism. But what failed in Russia was not socialism but a caricature of socialism. Alan Woods replies to the lies and slanders thrown against the Russian Revolution.
In the beginning of a series of videos celebrating the 100th anniversary of the 1917 Russian Revolution, Alan Woods – editor of In Defence of Marxism, www.marxist.com – examines the lies and slanders used to attack the Revolution, the Bolsheviks, and the ideas of Lenin and Trotsky.
Andy Southwark takes a look at the history of housing in Britain and the mass struggles that have risen up time and time again in the fight for the basic right to a decent, affordable home. Today, the question of housing is a key issue, with the glaring contradiction of homelessness alongside empty mansions plain for all to see.
For over a year, from 1976-77, workers at the Grunwick photo-processing plant in north-west London became a focal point in the fight for workers’ rights. Steve Jones looks at the lessons from this inspiring and militant struggle of predominantly black and Asian workers.
On Friday 25th November, Fidel Castro died at the age of 90. His whole life was closely linked to the Cuban revolution. An appraisal of his role is therefore an appraisal of the Cuban revolution, which for over five decades resisted the onslaught of US imperialism. Jorge Martin looks at the life and legacy of Fidel Castro.
Today is the 99th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, an event which altered the entire course of human history. For the first time, the working people took power into their own hands and began the task of the socialist re-construction of society. We republish here an article written in 1992 by Alan Woods, which gives an excellent overview of the revolution and highlights its main lessons.
The British establishment normally grabs every chance to mark the anniversary of any military event. One such anniversary, however, will pass largely unnoticed this year: the invasion of Suez; the so-called “forgotten war” that would become a symbol of the death of the British Empire and the end of “Great” Britain as a major world power.
60 years ago, on 23rd October 1956, political revolution against Stalinist dictatorship lept from the pages of Leon Trotsky’s writings and roared into life in Hungary. Contrary to Stalinist slanders at the time, this was never a movement for the restoration of capitalism, but an attempt by Hungarian workers to establish a healthy socialist society.
In this final part from his series on the history of Labour’s right wing, Steve Jones examines the Blair years and the abolition of Clause IV. Today, the battle in the Labour Party between the careerist Blairite wing and the Corbyn movement has reached fever pitch. The task ahead is to reclaim the Labour Party – to complete the Corbyn revolution!
Today, 4th October, marks the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street, a momentous event in which the working people of London united to deliver a decisive blow against the menace of British fascism.
Steve Jones continues his series on the history of the right wing in the Labour Party by exploring the rise of New Labour and its key architects: Blair, Brown, and Mandelson. All along the way, Blair and his political allies were pushed on by the Establishment, who wanted a reliable 2nd XI to replace the discredited Tories.
Steve Jones continues his series on the history of Labour’s right wing by exploring the role of Neil Kinnock and the introduction of the “one member, one vote” system – a move designed to limit the role of the Left and the trade unions; a move that has horribly backfired with the election (and likely re-election) of Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader.