Over 70 attended the freshers’ week meeting of the UCLU Marxists, where Fred Weston – editor of www.marxist.com – spoke on the topic “What is Capitalism? What is Socialism?”, analysing why there is crisis today, and outlining the potential alternative under a socialist society.
With sections of the US Federal Government now in shutdown and the possibility of default looming, we publish here an article by John Peterson of Socialist Appeal USA, who comments on the deep divisions that are opening up with the US capitalist class and their political representatives.
The Marxist Student Federation was founded by Socialist Appeal supporters as a national platform for Marxist ideas in the student movement – it is clear that there is both a need and a thirst for Marxist ideas in the movement. The response we have received at the freshers fairs with the numbers signing up and coming to our opening meetings has been phenomenal. We have never met so many young people wanting to learn about Marxism and fight to change society.
We invite our readers to this year’s International Marxist Tendency Winter School, being hosted by the UCLU Marxist Society in UCL, London. This year’s weekend school – held from 15-17th November and entitled “Marx Was Right!” – will cover the fundamental aspects of Marxism, at a time when more and more people are commenting on the relevance of Marx’s ideas. Please get in touch if you are interested in attending.
With Italian politics in turmoil, we publish here a recent article by Roberto Sarti of the Italian Marxists “Falce Martello” who explains the economic, social, and political background to this current turbulent period of crisis. Although written before the recent rebellion against Silvio Berculoni by MPs in his own party and the latest vote in favour of the ruling “grand coalition”, the article provides a thorough analysis of the deep instability that exists within Italian politics due to the ongoing economic crisis and its social impacts.
Recent polls have revealed that people are clearly not thinking the way the Tories and big business would like them to, confirming that the crisis of the system has had a profound effect on people and how they view society. Trust in the bankers to run the economy has fallen, whilst trust in the trade unions has risen. This represents a damning indictment of the capitalist campaign to discredit the organisations of labour.
In the second of two recent articles by Stamatis Karayannopoulos of the Communist Tendency of SYRIZA and member of the party’s Central Committee, Stamatis comments on the arrest of the leadership of the Golden Dawn (GD) – a neo-fascist organisation in Greece – by the Greek state in response to the assassination by a GD member of Pavlos Fyssas, a well known anti-fascist rapper – an act which has led to mass demonstrations across Greece against the GD.
We are publishing here the first of two articles by Stamatis Karayannopoulos of the Communist Tendency of SYRIZA and member of the party’s Central Committee, in which the author looks at the parlous and crisis-ridden state of the Greek economy under capitalism and analyses the political and social ramifications of continued crisis, cuts, and class struggle, including the tasks required from the SYRIZA leadership.
One of the great classics of Marxism is the book by Frederick Engels entitled “The Origins of the Family, Private Property and the State”. In this book Engels applies the Marxist method of historical materialism to the earliest periods of pre-history to analyse the past and uncover the origins of the institutions we see today. Rob Sewell, editor of Socialist Appeal, gives an introduction to the book and explains how class society came into existence.
Sunday 29th September saw over 50,000 trade unionists, students, and local residents march through Manchester in one of the biggest demonstrations ever seen in the city. The national demo, called by the TUC, was nominally to ‘Save Our NHS’ but reflected a general opposition to continuing austerity and widespread anger at falling living standards for workers whilst profits for the rich are growing.
Around 150 students crammed into the Revolution Coffee Bar at Sheffield University on Monday 30th September to hear John Dunn – Socialist Appeal supporter, ex-miner, and current member of Unite the Union – debate a motion about Thatcher’s real legacy. Richard Vivian of South Yorkshire Unite Community branch reports.
George Osborne announced that the British economy “has turned the corner”. Cameron has chimed in to hail the new “recovery”. But after years of stagnation and falling living standards, who are they trying to kid? The economy is crawling on its belly and we are still being hit with mass unemployment and wage cuts. Rob Sewell, editor of Socialist Appeal, looks at the crisis-ridden state of capitalism in Britain and worldwide.