Far from being a neutral force standing above society, Marxists understand that the state is a tool for the suppression of one class by another. In this talk from the recent Marxist Student Federation summer school, Fiona Lali discusses the origins of the state, and refutes the views of the reformists and anarchists on this question.
Recently there has been a renewed effort by the US to clamp down on Venezuela. Given this, we are publishing a talk by Jorge Martin from this year’s Revolution Festival on the history of the Bolivarian Revolution and Hugo Chavez. This incredible event is rich in lessons for those wanting to fight imperialism and capitalism today.Â
The BBC is a key component of the ruling class’ carefully-built state machinery. So, when two of its leading figures are forced to resign, this suggests that a hidden war is going on in the murky depths of the state, and paints a picture of an establishment in crisis.
108 years ago today, Lenin and the Bolsheviks achieved the impossible: they led millions of workers and peasants in a successful socialist revolution. But which events, struggles, and ideas led to that victory? How did Lenin become Lenin?