London and local elections – Bad day for New Labour
A first look at the electoral disaster for the Labour Party in the
council elections and
Ken Livingstone’s victory in the London Mayoral contest.
Marxism and direct action
Phil Mitchinson explores the ideas of “direct action” associated with the groups that are often at the centre of organising recent anti-capitalist protests.
Global Warming – A Socialist Perspective
"According to the defenders of capitalism and the "free market", socialism in general and marxism in particular is all but dead and buried. However it may be instructive to examine one of the main environmental problems created by the free market, namely global warming. This has been described as the greatest disaster facing humankind, not to mention a myriad of other species! The question is can the capitalist system find a global solution?".
Trotsky and the Struggle Against Fascism
Leon Trotsky spent the last decade of his life in a struggle to keep alive the genuine
method of Marxism in all fields. While on all sides Marxism was being distorted and
misused both by the Stalinists and the Social Democracy to justify their own betrayal of
the working class movement, Trotsky consistently put forward a revolutionary position on
all problems facing the workers.
One of the immediate dangers facing the international working class was the rise of
fascism and therefore this new phenomenon clearly needed to be understood.
Rail industry in crisis – A fighting programme for Rail Workers in Britain
This pamphlet is written by active RMT
and ASLEF union members who support the ideas of Socialist
Appeal. It describes the conditions facing rail workers in Britain
after years of privatisation
and provides a fighting alternative.
Genetic engineering: who benefits?
Genetic engineering has come upon the world with a rush, accompanied by the usual claims of being a way of feeding the earth's poor and removing want. However these claims need to examined in the light of what has actually been done to date, and what is planned for the future. In fact the impetus for the development of genetic engineering, namely the rapid pursuit of maximum profits and futher control of world agriculture runs counter to the stated aims as well as encouraging unsafe science.
Marxism and the emancipation of women
Marxism has always been at the forefront of the cause of women’s emancipation. The 8th of March (International Women’s Day) is a red letter day for us as it symbolises the struggle of working class women against capitalism, oppression and discrimination throughout the world. We are publishing an updated version of the document we published last year on March 8, where we outline the first steps given by Marxism to fight for women’s rights, what the first successful revolution meant for the emancipation of women, conditions of women under capitalism both in advanced and Third World countries and pose the question of how to eliminate inequality between men and women for good.
Why we cannot trust the food industry
Sewage-fed cows, "mad cows", dioxin contaminated chickens, hormone injected cattle, genetically modified Soya, animal carcasses used to make animal feed, contaminated mineral water and Coca- Cola. A common thread runs through all these cases: the search for the highest profits on the part of the food industry to the detriment of everybody's health. Michele Fabbri, Italian Marxist magazine Falce Martello.
Third Way? No way!
We hear a lot about the Third Way these days. But
does this represent anything new or
is it just the socialdemocrats recognising that there is no
longer any room for manouvre?
Barbara Humphries looks at where these ideas come from
and what do they really mean.
GM foods: feeding the corporations
According to Monsanto, the American multinational currently making vast profits out of genetically modified food, the future's so bright that they could genetically modify us to wear shades! Joking apart, there is a serious issue here. Are GM foods safe?
Which Way for Blacks in the US – Black Nationalism or Socialist Revolution?
The United States is the richest and most powerful country on the planet. Yet despite
this, the poison of racism remains an integral part of America. Blacks, together with the
other racial minorities, remain the most exploited section of society, mostly employed in
the lowest-paid and menial jobs. Racism remains an everyday part of their desperate
existence. Today, despite all the "reforms" of the last thirty-odd years, blacks
continue to suffer from lynchings and violence at the hands of the state, racist
organisations and individuals, as well as being forced to live under conditions of mass
poverty and oppression. The recent gruesome murder of a black man in Texas who was dragged
to death behind a truck is a vivid reminder of American racism. Black youth are faced with
daily harassment and intimidation by the police.