Both Russian and US imperialism are ramping up their challenges to each other. Russian, and other troops in its Collective Security Organisation ,are threatening to invade Ukraine. The US is continuing its attempts to bring NATO as close to Russian border as possible. Boris Johnson, partly to divert attention from his own problems, has already…
The Media Lens Book of Obituaries
We are following up are two recent postings on the coverage Desmond Tutu’s death with this posting by D.E. of Media Lens. Referring to the Tutu case, the article makes some more general points about the liberal media’s censorship when it comes to obituaries of significant political figures. THE MEDIA LENS BOOK OF OBITUARIES…
Time, labour and the overcoming of domination: Reflections on Martin Hägglund’s ‘This Life, Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom’ – Peter Hudis
As part of our contribution to the wider discussion of what sort of society we are ai campaigning to replace capitalism, with its wage slavery and its other forms of exploitation and oppression, we are posting this review of Martin Hägglund’s This Life, Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom by Peter Hudis of the International Marxist Humanist…
Not guilty – Bristol jury finds that defendants were justified in toppling slave trader statue
At a time when there is not much to be cheerful about, the Bristol jury’s decision to find the four accused of toppling the statue of Bristol slaver, Edward Colston, not guilty, has been widely celebrated. This article by Tom Anderson was first posted on The Canary blog. NOT GUILTY: BRISTOL JURY FINDS THAT…
Summit of democracy? – Susan Pashkoff takes a critical look at rising authoritarianism in Britain and the US
There have been some on the Left who have viewed the election of Joe Biden as a return to Neo-liberalism, after a temporary Right Populist hiatus under Donald Trump. However, such has been the post-2008 crisis of Neo-liberalism that its one-time advocates have had to abandon any real commitment to the limited of extension of democracy…
Mary MacGregor speaks at Brooksbank 124 commemoration in Lochee, Dundee, 18.12.21
The Republican Socialist Platform organised a commemoration for Mary Brooksbank a communist activist, song write and poet on Lochee High Street, Dundee on Saturday, 18th December. Mary MacGregor spoke for the RSP. MARY BROOKSBANK Mill worker, writer, poet, musician, class fighter, trade unionist, revolutionary! How wonderful to be holding a commemoration for this…
Covid19 and the danger of barbarism
The following article by Mohsen Shahmanesh examines the social role of viruses and bacteria in four major historical pandemics. It was first published in Weekly Worker. DANGER OF BARBARISM We are now in the third year of the Covid pandemic, which has caused the deaths of something like five million people across the world…
Imperialism is responsible for Omicron
The following article. written by Sam Carliner of Left Voice (USA), highlights the role of imperialism in the mergence of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 IMPERIALISM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OMICRON With capitalism acting as an incubator for pandemics, and vaccine nationalism preventing an effective global response, it is no surprise that the Omicron variant…
Tom Devine, the Highland Clearances, black chattel slavery and statues
EL&SD is posting two articles about Scotland’s leading historian, Sir Tom Devine. In the first, Barry Biddulph takes issue with Devine’s earlier opposition to the removal for the statue of the Duke of Sutherland on Ben Bhraggie near Golspie. He and his wife, the Countess of Sutherland, were responsible for some of the worst…
‘Greenwashing’ by Biden’s Democrats and the SNP
The first article posted here was written by Robert Belano of Left Voice (USA). It examines the role of Biden and the Democrats in the light of Cop26. The second article is a section of a blog from opendemocracy written by Laurie MacFarlane which highlights the role of the SNP government in paving the way…