ACAB from Warwick to NYC
Whether it’s killing black people in America or London, or attacking peaceful student protesters at Warwick University with CS spray, cops worldwide are racist and violent. Rob Owen looks at why that is. You have the emergence in human society Of this thing that’s called the State What is the State? The State is this organized […]
Poverty in the UK: Joseph Rowntree Foundation report
A new report on poverty contains key information about how society is changing – changes that are likely to influence the shape of struggles to come, writes Colin Wilson. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s recent report shows the government’s claimed “economic recovery” is doing little for large numbers of people – we live in a society […]
Historical Materialism 2014: Mobilise or organise
This year’s Historical Materialism conference included four[1] very useful sessions reflecting on the North American Labour movement. In the first of three articles, Unite activist Ian Allinson reports on discussions about alternative organising strategies. Workers in the North America face similar challenges to us in the UK, but generally worse: low and declining union density; […]
Strike for wages, strike for the NHS
NHS workers are on strike today from 7am to 11am over attacks on their pay. Head down and show your support at the picket lines. The rs21 leaflet supporting the strike can be found here. The NHS is at breaking point. Chronic underfunding and under-investment is putting patients at risk. Instead of ending the scam […]
Inside the NHS: why workers are taking action
Tomorrow healthcare workers from across nine unions are taking action over defence of pay at the NHS. The strike is for four hours between 7am and 11am. The rs21 leaflet in support of the strike can be found here Mary, a student nurse at King’s College London, highlights the important of those at the start […]
Scotland – what next?
In the fifth and final part of his analysis of Scottish politics after the referendum, written in late September, Scottish historian and activist Neil Davidson looks at events since the vote.
Scotland – Understanding the result
In the fourth part of his analysis of Scottish politics after the referendum, Scottish historian and activist Neil Davidson looks at the detail of the referendum results.
Not ‘crazy’ as in wacky, but ‘mad’ as in ‘fuck this’
A Marxist analysis of the mental ill health epidemic has to lay the blame squarely at the door of class society, and the alienation, injustice and misery it causes.
A critical engagement with the young Bensaïd
This piece was first presented by Jonas Liston at the recent Historical Materialism Conference in London. On first reading Daniel Bensaïd’s memoirs, An Impatient Life, two things stood out to me: a heterodox politics with an absolute confidence in the key tenets of revolutionary Marxism, combined with a willingness to engage with new and old ideas and modes […]
Scotland – the Yes campaign as a social movement
In the second part of his analysis of Scottish politics after the referendum, Scottish historian and activist Neil Davidson examines the Yes campaign.
Scotland – the reality behind the referendum
Part one of a major five-part analysis of Scottish politics after the referendum, by Scottish historian and activist Neil Davidson.
Historical Materialism 2014: Getting somewhere better?
The winners of the 2013 Isaac and Tamara Deutscher Prize, Sam Gindin and Leo Panitch, gave their award lecture on 7 November, as part of the Historical Materialism conference. They had been awarded the prize for their book The Making of Global Capitalism and the title of their lecture was ‘Marxist theory and strategy: getting […]
Village by village, town by town – how Zionists tried to destroy Palestine in 1948
In the sixth and final part of his series on Zionism, imperialism and the Palestinians, Neil Rogall describes the Nakba – the establishment of the Israeli state and catastrophe for Palestine. 1948 was a year of horror. The majority of the Palestinian people were violently evicted from their homes and their communities. Families were broken […]
Burkina Faso: African workers fighting neoliberalism
Drew Povey, a British socialist working in sub-Saharan Africa, currently in Nigeria, looks at the background to the recent ousting of Burkina Faso’s dictator Blaise Compaoré. This article was originally published on Pambazuka News. In the early 1980s, President Thomas Sankara of Burkina Faso was a beacon of hope against the increased inequality and […]
East Germany, 1989: when power was in the street
Within a few weeks in the autumn of 1989 a regime fell which had seemed invulnerable. While Reagan and Thatcher seek to take credit for these events, the truth is that millions of East German people took their destiny into their own hands.
Paradox in Palestine: Ali Abunimah speaks in London
Ali Abunimah, executive director of the Electronic Intifada website spoke at a meeting organised by the Middle East Monitor in London on the 4th November.
Morris dancing, black face paint and racism: why it’s time to stop and think
Folk traditions should not be treated as fossils that are too brittle to evolve, argues Emma Rock. David Cameron found controversy and divided opinion this week by posing in a photograph with a Border Morris side wearing traditional black face paint in Banbury, near his Oxfordshire constituency. Many in the folk world will have greeted this latest gaffe […]
Making the Palestinians the scapegoats for Nazi crimes
In part five of his series on Zionism, imperialism and the Palestinians Neil Rogall looks at the lead up to the Nakba and how the west used the establishment of the state of Israel to absolve themselves of Nazi crimes. Read part 1 of this series, The Origins of Zionism, here. The defeat of the 1936-39 […]
Adam Hanieh on the Gulf states, neoliberalism and liberation in the Middle East
Adam Hanieh is a senior lecturer at and School of Oriental and African Studies and author of Lineages of Revolt: Issues of Contemporary Capitalism in the Middle East. He spoke to Bill Crane about his book and on the trajectories of the Arab revolutions since 2011. You talk in your book about how the IMF and the World Bank see […]
People’s theatre and fun palaces: the life of Joan Littlewood
Radical left wing theatre director Joan Littlewood changed the face of modern British theatre. Marking the centenary of her birth there will be celebrations across Britain in honour of her achievements and ambitions including over 120 Fun Palaces are popping up across the country this weekend. Colin Revolting from the Revolting Peasants theatre company looks […]
Bassem Chit, 1979–2014
Miriyam Aouragh pays tribute to a Lebanese socialist whose principles, knowledge and humour touched the lives of many. Bassem Chit is no more, and with that the radical left, and the Arab left in particular, has lost a great comrade, friend and teacher. It is hard to imagine how his comrades and family in Lebanon are […]
Egypt: from revolution to repression
Anne Alexander, from the MENA Solidarity Network, is the co-author, with Mostafa Bassiouny, of the forthcoming book Bread, Freedom, Social Justice. She spoke to Amy Gilligan about workers’ movements and revolution in Egypt. Originally published in the Autumn 2014 issue of the rs21 magazine. The book begins with a detailed look at the workers’ movement […]
The bombs won’t work: they’ll make things worse.
Hanif Leylabi writes on why we should oppose the latest British military adventure in Iraq
Yes campaign falls short, but its legacy must endure
Pete Cannell reflects on a momentous referendum campaign, the significance of which goes far beyond the result. The enduring legacy of the last few weeks and months in Scotland will be the energy, clarity and vision of all those grass roots campaigners who campaigned for a Yes vote. This is what a mass movement looks like. […]
Confidence and empowerment against pessimism and cynicism in Scottish referendum
Ahead of tomorrow’s historic Scottish independence referendum, Nicholas Cimini tackles some of the arguments coming from the left in support of No In support of a No vote in tomorrow’s independence referendum, there are some Labour supporters, and others on the left, who warn against the dangers of identity politics and Scottish nationalism, stressing the […]
The Premier League’s crackdown on social media is about policing access to football
The corporate interests that run football are trying to stamp out social media and illegal livestreaming. But this will come with a higher price than they realise, writes Mark Bergfeld Who doesn’t remember Robin van Persie’s gravity-defying goal against Spain at this year’s FIFA World Cup? Oh, you didn’t see it? Don’t worry – you […]
Climate activism in the UK: Broadening, deepening, radicalising
As we prepare for an important conference on climate jobs and an international wave of climate demonstrations this weekend, Tabitha Spence takes a look at developments in the climate movement here in the UK. The year 2014 is proving to be significant for radical climate activism in the UK. The number of people getting involved […]
Something’s going on in Scotland
Pat Smith, from the International Socialists Scotland and the Radical Independence Campaign in Edinburgh, makes a case for why socialists should support Scottish Independence (Originally published in the autumn 2014 issue of the rs21 magazine) Something quite remarkable is happening in Scotland. Most active socialists in Scotland, outside of the Labour Party, have been involved […]
Trafficking and sex work in Latin America: are women really being rescued?
Jessica Gutiérrez is a therapist working with survivors of sexual violence based in Buenos Aires. She describes how her experience of a brothel raid in Mexico radically altered her views on trafficking for sexual exploitation. (photo: an “operativo de rescate” [rescue operation] in Chiapas, Mexico, 2010 – see Spanish language report in Prensa Libre) A few […]
Trouble in Toryland as the referendum gets rocky
The possibility of Scottish independence has got our rulers in a tizzy, writes Anindya Bhattacharyya. What a weird week it’s been. Monday night saw YouGov’s announcement that its latest Scottish referendum poll had the Yes camp on 51%. This sparked jubilation among independence campaigners. But the reaction of political establishment south of the border was little short […]