As with many other trends in our crisis-ridden capitalist world, the term “alt-right” meteorically arose from obscure corners of the internet to one of the most discussed political phenomena in the US and elsewhere. But what is the real strength of this racist and reactionary movement? And how do we fight back against it?

We publish here two articles by comrades in the US section of the IMT about the recent American elections. In the first, John Peterson looks at the completely unrepresentative nature of American democracy, which is designed to maintain real power in the hands of the ruling class. In the second, comrades from Socialist Appeal USA propose a programme to fight Trump and his reactionary ideas.

On Wednesday 9th November the “free world” woke up to find it had a new leader: Donald J. Trump. The establishment and its parties were shaken to the core. But this phenomenon is not confined to the United States. As the Economist stated, in reference to Francis Fukuyama and the fall of the Berlin Wall: “History is back—with a vengeance.”