In just over a week, hundreds of communists across London and beyond will gather for the first-ever London Marxist School.
The school – open to anyone interested in Marxism – will take place on the weekend of 21-22 February at Imperial College London in Kensington, West London. It will be the largest educational event organised by the London Revolutionary Communist Party to date.
We’ve already sold over two hundred tickets. So sign up today to avoid missing out!
World crisis and class struggle
The school will open with a plenary talk by Jorge Martín – regular contributor to marxist.com – on ‘The end of the American century and the rise of China’.
This discussion will cover the relative decline of US imperialism, the competition posed by China, and the destabilising impact this is having on world relations, the economy, and the class struggle.
At the Davos Conference last month, the Canadian PM Mark Carney proclaimed the end of the old world order – the western alliance between the US and Europe, and the liberal capitalist order imposed upon the rest of the world.
US President Trump is now pursuing an aggressive imperialist policy of retrenchment in the western hemisphere, in an attempt to curb the rise of the US’s main rival, China.
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In a separate session, introduced by RCP Central Committee member Tom Crozier, we will discuss ‘China’s long march to capitalism’. The transformation of China from a deformed workers’ state to an advanced capitalist power is crucial for understanding world perspectives today.
This geopolitical storm is causing hell for Keir Starmer, who stands at the helm of the crisis-ridden regime in Britain. For decades, British imperialism enjoyed a lucrative position as a middle man between the US and Europe.
But this cosy arrangement is being torn up before our eyes, and this can only exacerbate the overlapping economic, military, and political crises facing Starmer’s beleaguered government.
For communists in Britain – a country so vulnerable to external shocks and international pressures – a thorough grasp of world perspectives, rooted in the Marxist method, is especially important. That is what this school will provide.
The lessons of history
We are also excited to announce that we are launching Wellred Books Britain’s latest book at the London Marxist School: A Communist History of the 1926 General Strike.
The release of this book coincides with the coming centennial anniversary of the General Strike – an event which is practically ignored by both bourgeois historians and the reformist labour leaders.
Ben Gliniecki – the author of this book, as well as the RCP general secretary – will explain how these events provide a decisive rebuttal to all of the ‘lefts’ who are sceptical of the potential of the British workers to change society.
The action of ordinary workers was heroic. They set up what were in effect workers’ councils, and brought society to a standstill – all on their own initiative.
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However, they were met with the betrayals of the reformist Labour and TUC leaders, as well as the heads of the British Communist Party – which had by this time begun to degenerate along Stalinist lines.
Today, the working class is beginning to move on the industrial front, across many different sectors. The potential for explosive struggles on the scale of the General Strike is there. But similarly, the labour leadership remains equally weak, and wedded to capitalism.
It is our job – as communists – to learn the lessons of history, so we can bridge the gap between the objective power of the working class, and the subjective strength of its leadership.
The task is to learn
Alongside the talks mentioned above, we will discuss dialectical materialism; the birth of Marxist philosophy; reformism vs. revolution; the crisis of capitalism since 2008; internationalism vs. socialism in one country; the Chartist movement; and more!
And that’s not even mentioning all of the interesting discussions and debates in the lunch breaks and social events after the talks.
In order to overthrow capitalism, we first need to understand the world, and our role as communists within it. Over the course of this weekend, we will sharpen the most important weapons in our arsenal: the ideas of Marxism.
As Lenin said to young communists in Russia in 1920: the task is to learn!
The London Marxist School will be a big milestone in our efforts to build the forces of communism in London, as we close in on 400 members across the capital.
This school is sure to propel the London Communists into a very successful year. There’s never been a better time to get organised, so get your tickets today, and join the RCP!
Full agenda
Saturday 21 February
10:15-12:00 – The end of the American century and the rise of China
12:00-13:00 – Lunch break
13:00-14:45 – Dialectics: The science of revolution
13:00-14:45 – The birth of Marxist philosophy
14:45-15:15 – Break
15:15-17:00 – From 2008 to today: Capitalism’s neverending crisis
15:15-17:00 – Reform or revolution?
Sunday 22 February
10:15-12:00 – World revolution or socialism in one country?
10:15-12:00 – China’s long march to capitalism
12:00-13:00 – Lunch break
13:00-14:45 – Chartist revolution: Britain’s first working-class movement
13:00-14:45 – Book launch: The 1926 British General Strike
14:45-15:00 – Break
15:00-16:00 – Why we are communists
Access the study guide for the School.
