socialism
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Greece: A new “Marshall Plan” or a new and difficult road to socialism? By Panagiotis Sotiris
The Marshall plan aimed at the restoration of capitalist power in a post-war Europe marked by the rise of the communist Left and the existence of soviet bloc. It did not aim at social justice but at implementing bourgeois rule and a fordist regime of accumulation, in terms of full employment but also of unchallenged… Continue reading
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Video: Venezuelan Democracy: A Tension Between Centralized Power and Local Democracy
Manuel Larrabure: The Bolivarian Revolution succeeded in developing models of community power and reduced inequality but so far has failed to diversify the economy or extend workers democracy in the oil and mining sector Continue reading
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The Worldwide Offshore Banking System: Cyprus, Offshore Haven of the Russian Oligarchs By Valentin Katasonov
Will the Russian oligarchs seek new offshore havens? Get the money back to Russia? Stay in Cyprus and adapt to the new realities of life on the island? In fact, the oligarchs and their money are an issue of minor importance. It all brings more serious things in focus, like, for instance, the future of… Continue reading
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Hugo Chávez and the Bolivarian Revolution: Legacy and Challenges By Manuel Larrabure
Literally millions have been lifted out of poverty and given new opportunities to improve their lives. Examples from daily life abound. I remember speaking to an upper class anti-Chavista once who was complaining about how, since Chávez came to power, it had become difficult to find maids. Many of the poor women she used to… Continue reading
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Haiti: HLLN mourns the loss and pays Tribute to Hugo Chavez | Notable Hugo Chazez quotes
“It is impossible within the framework of the capitalist system to solve the grave problems of poverty of the majority of the world’s population.” — Hugo Chavez Continue reading
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CHINA 2013: Samir Amin on Socialism and State Capitalism in the PRC Today & Yesterday By Samir Amin
The debates concerning the present and future of China—an “emerging” power—always leave me unconvinced. Some argue that China has chosen, once and for all, the “capitalist road” and intends even to accelerate its integration into contemporary capitalist globalization. They are quite pleased with this and hope only that this “return to normality” (capitalism being the… Continue reading
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Chávez’s Chief Legacy: Building, with People, an Alternative Society to Capitalism By Marta Harnecker
When Hugo Chávez triumphed in the 1998 presidential elections, the neoliberal capitalist model was already floundering. The choice then was none other than whether to re-establish the neoliberal capitalist model — clearly with some changes including greater concern for social issues, but still motivated by the same logic of profit seeking — or to go… Continue reading
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At 21 Years Since 4 February 1992: Either Chavismo Is Socialist or It’s Not Chavismo By NICMER EVANS
In his regular column “A Critical Space for the Construction of Socialism”, leftist Venezuelan political scientist Nicmer Evans looks at the state of the Bolivarian project on the 21stanniversary of the Chavez-led civic-military coup attempt against the neoliberal government of Carlos Andres Perez, on 4 February 1992. Despite the coup’s failure, it was the event… Continue reading
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Non-market socialism: Life Without Money – An Interview with Anitra Nelson
For the contributors of the volume, socialism/communism is not just a state or goal which we have to achieve in some distant future; rather, it is built through immediate practices that reject capitalism and its key institutions – market and money. Continue reading
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The crisis in the SWP-Britain
Since its national conference in January, the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) in Britain, the country’s largest revolutionary organization, has been shaken by the most severe crisis in its history, stemming from the failure of its leadership to properly respond to rape and sexual harassment allegations made against a leading member, and, in turn, from attempts… Continue reading
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Michael Lebowitz: Socialism for the 21st century — re-inventing and renewing the struggle
First, why don’t workers put an end to capitalism – given its destruction of human beings and the environment (something Marx was so conscious of). In particular, given the declining standards of life for decades in the United States, the economic disaster in Europe and the current crises, how is it that the system is… Continue reading
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21st Century Eco-Socialism? Struggles over Nature in Venezuela
In this interview, Santiago discusses the peaks and valleys experienced by the mesas técnicas de agua and the differences between 21st century socialism and eco-socialism. He concludes by proposing a radical rethinking of the human-nature relationship. Continue reading
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New World Order “Conspiracy Theories”: Diversions and Deceptions By Colin Todhunter
Conspiracy theories just can’t fail, no matter how ludicrous they are. Try to falsify them as you may, the conspiracy theorist will just brush aside your evidence by asserting that you are part of the conspiracy against them and their theories. A paid shill in fact. Circular arguments and twisted logic are the order of… Continue reading
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Books: The Contradictions of “Real Socialism”
What was “real socialism”—the term which originated in twentieth-century socialist societies for the purpose of distinguishing them from abstract, theoretical socialism? In this volume, Michael A. Lebowitz considers the nature, tendencies, and contradictions of those societies. Beginning with the constant presence of shortages within “real socialism,” Lebowitz searches for the inner relations which generate these… Continue reading
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Video: The Concept of "Fairness": Possibilities, Limits, Possibilities
Keynote address by Michael A. Lebowitz: The Concept of “Fairness”: Possibilities, Limits, Possibilities. The talk draws on Lebowitz’s latest book, The Contradictions of “Real Socialism”. Continue reading
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What went wrong with ‘real socialism’?
Those of us who share Marx’s vision of socialism as a society of freely associated producers therefore have a responsibility to understand and explain what went wrong with 20th Century socialism, why it went wrong, and how we would avoid repeating the same mistakes in the future. Continue reading
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Chavez wins poll, days after largest-ever march By Rachael Boothroyd
More than 3 million people marched in support of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his socialist platform in Caracas on October 4, three days before Chavez was re-elected with 54% of the vote. Continue reading
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South Africa's 'Reconstruction and Development Programme'
It ain’t socialism but it was at least an attempt to begin to redress the evils of Apartheid Capitalism. Dumped of course, in its entirety by the ANC government once they got elected but still well worth reading especially in the light of the events at Marikana. Continue reading
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Video: Is Public Ownership the Solution?
Gar Alperovitz: When it comes to banking and other critical sectors, public ownership is the only solution Continue reading
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Umzebenzi Online: Why Socialism?
Never before in history has the need for a different, a humane world based on the socialist value of putting social needs before private profits been more desperately required. For thousands of years people have worked collectively to build homes and communities, to gather food, herd animals, to harvest crops, to manufacture, to paint, to… Continue reading
The New Dark Age 