Revolution issue 2

REVOLUTIONSOCIALIST.NET ISSUE 2 20p YOUTH PAPER OF THE INTERNATIONAL MARXIST TENDENCY\"The great appear great because we are on our knees. Let us rise\" - james larkin end inequalityend capitalism EDITORIAL STATEMENT agents do that. All he does is cream profits off And if we think the situation in Britain Marx and Engels predicted, is digging its own the top. The same goes for all the speculators is bad, just look at the inequality on a global grave.All over the world there is economic crisis. and investors who make up the 634,000 rich scale. 80 billionaires own more wealth than But while almost everyone is getting poor- list. What use are these people? half the world population. While the super-rich It’s us who have the power to changeer, the super-rich have never been richer. The are living it up in mansions, partying on yachts things. If a landlord or a one percenter doesn’ttop one percent of people in Britain now own But as for the 13 million, and in fact for and private islands, and gambling in casinos show up to work no-one notices - society anda quarter of the country’s wealth. The top 5% the overwhelming majority of working people and stock markets; millions of people are living the economy tick along as normal. But if it’s us,hold on to 40% of all assets. Meanwhile the in Britain, we’re the ones who actually do the in absolute poverty, desperately trying to sur- the millions of workers in Britain and all overpoorest 20% of people in Britain own just 0.8%. work, who build the houses, who produce the vive from one day to the next. It is no accident the world, who don’t show up to work, thenThis makes Britain one of the most unequal goods and services, and keep the economy that the number of suicides is increasing, espe- everything stops. That shows the potential pow-countries in the developed world. going. Without us, nothing would happen and cially of young people. er of the working class. The wealth of the world society would grind to a halt. How is it that the is produced by us, and it should be owned by us Scandalously, the 634,000 richest people lazy parasites at the top have all the money, How long can this situation go on? There’s as well. More than that, political power shouldhave 20 times as much wealth as the 13 million while we’re doing all the work? only so much people can put up with. Acceler- be in the hands of those who actually make so-poorest people in this country. Are these greedy ating inequality, which is inevitable under capi- ciety work - the working class.fat cats really worth that much to society? And The fact this that this is how capitalism talism, is bringing a lot of anger to the surface.are the 13 million really worth so little? What works. It rewards the rich by making them rich- Established political parties from the Republi- We have to get organised and prepare thedoes a super-rich landlord actually contribute er, especially at a time of crisis. And it punishes can Party in the USA to Labour in Britain are forces to overthrow capitalism. We need toto society, apart from ripping off people? He the rest of us by making us work harder for beginning to splinter. The pillars of the capital- build a movement to drive out the Tories; takedoesn’t build the houses - the builders do that. less money. Karl Marx himself said that a hall- ist world from US imperialism to the European the banks, the land and the wealth out of theHe doesn’t maintain the houses - the plumbers, mark of capitalism is a growing accumulation Union are cracking under pressure. This is all clutches of big business; and build a new so-carpenters and electricians do that. He doesn’t of wealth at one end of society, and a growing thanks to working class people searching for cialist society where the economy is run foreven manage his own properties - the letting accumulation of misery at the other. The dis- an alternative to the dead-end economic and need, not profit. Only in this way, in Britain and gusting inequality we see today isn’t a mistake political system we have today. Capitalism, as internationally, will we put an end to inequality - it’s capitalism in all its glory. once and for all

REVOLUTIONREVOLUTION FESTIVAL A HUGE SUCCESSIn late October, on the 99th anniversary of the great Russian Revolution, hundreds of youngpeople, students and workers met in centralLondon. We discussed revolutionary politics,philosophy, economics, history and the pros-pects for class struggle today. Over 200 revolu-tionaries from eleven different countries spentthe three days exchanging ideas and tacticsfor spreading the ideas of Marxism. It’s reallyencouraging and inspiring to see so many peo-ple ready to study and fight for revolutionarysocialism.MARXISM AND HISTORYDuring the weekend there were a couple ofguided Marx and Lenin tours around London.We went to all the places that Karl Marx andVladimir Lenin themselves lived and workedwhen they were in London, from the British mu-seum where Marx wrote Capital, to ClerkenwellGreen where Lenin had his office. There were also sessions on the Marxistview of History which was a great introductionto historical materialism in general, and thensome more specific sessions on Hitler and theRise of Fascism in Germany and Women, theFamily and the Russian Revolution which hadsome great lessons for today about how tofight fascism and for women’s rights. A particular highlight was the book launchof Trotsky’s biography of Stalin at which Trot-sky’s own grandson, Esteban Volkov, spokeabout the ideas and legacy of the great Russianrevolutionary.MARXIST ECONOMICS essential if we’re going to overthrow it. really interesting introduction to the ancient ism? which clarified the ideas on which modern forerunners of Marx’s ideas. The session Order revolutionaries base themselves. We discussedWe discussed how capitalism works in general MARXIST PHILOSOPHY out of Chaos: Dialectics of Nature developed Corbyn and the Crisis in Britain along with thein a session on Work, Exploitation and Profit As was discussed in the session on The Revo- these philosophical ideas to a much higher lev- perspectives for class struggle in Britain. Theand then went into more detail with sessions lutionary Philosophy of Marxism, Marxism is, el, leading to a fantastic discussion. sessions What Will Socialism Look Like? andCapitalism, Automation and Technology and in essence, a philosophy. So the session Mate- Workers’ Control, Democracy and Power in-Corbynomics, Keynesianism and Capitalist Cri- rialism and Dialectics in Ancient Greece was a WHAT WE’RE FIGHTING FOR spired us with ideas about the kind of worldsis. The discussion in these sessions was fan- A great discussion was had on What is Trotsky- we’re fighting fortastic. Understanding how capitalism works isEverywhere young people are angry at what been at the forefront of change. They are tice. They explained only the revolutionary dent fees, zero hour contracts, high rents, and is going on. The capitalist system is in deep searching for an alternative to this rule of overthrow of the system and its replacement every other attack on young people, but wecrisis and it offers no future for young people. bankers and capitalists. Conditions every- with a socialist planned economy would take will link these issues with the need to changeIn one country after another they are begin- where are preparing revolutionary events. humanity out if this nightmare. society. Don't stand on the sidelines. Join usning to challenge the establishment and its in this fight.cronies. From Greece, France and Spain to We believe that for us to be successful the We need to build a revolutionary leader-Kashmir, Brazil, South Africa and the United scientific world outlook of Marxism is abso- ship that will not compromise with capitalism. “WITHOUT REVOLUTIONARY THEORY, THEREStates, youth are taking to the streets. Many lutely essential. Marxism provides us with the We need to prepare ourselves for the stormy CAN BE NO REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT” LENINare drawing revolutionary conclusions. knowledge of revolution. Marx, Engels, Lenin events that lie ahead. The REVOLUTION paper is and Trotsky, demonised by the ruling class, helping to prepare this. Our task is to educate, HEAD TO SOCIALIST.NET/JOIN-US.HTM This is not surprising. Youth have always showed the way forward in theory and prac- organise and agitate. We will fight against stu- TO JOIN!2

SOCIALIST.NETTHEY DON'TREPRESENT USDaisy powellBy January 2017, three of the world’s largest build council houses economies might be led by women, withAngela Merkel in Germany, Theresa May in give everyone a secure homeBritain and Hillary Clinton potentially becom-ing the USA’s first female president. The media frankie toynton newca\stle marxists Rather than building low-cost homes, we good quality, low cost homes on the pretencepaints these women as inspirational figures. have seen suburbs explode with expensive that there is not enough room, whilst sitting onBut as the leaders of right-wing parties that In 1991, almost four million local authority houses for the upper-middle class, and been huge swathes of land and houses.protect ruling class interests, how will they dwellings were in use in England alone. By told that the country is full - “too many immi-actually impact the lives of women? 2007, that figure had halved and remains des- grants, not enough space”. To be absolutely To access this locked-down land, to devel- perately low today. This doesn’t reflect a fall in clear, the housing crisis is not caused by immi- op the brownfield sites safely and productively, As one of the world’s most powerful peo- demand (there are over three million people grants but by the super-rich property develop- and to implement a worthwhile social housingple, Angela Merkel has done little to benefit in the UK on council house waiting lists) but ers who refuse to build affordable homes. programme, we must expropriate the propertyworking class women in Germany. In 2015, rather a deliberate neglect of crucial low-cost of the ruling class. They won’t use it except toten years after Merkel became Chancellor, housing by New Labour and Conservative gov- There are enough homes already built to make a profit by building houses that no-onethe gender pay gap remained at 22%, one of ernments. house the country’s population, but many are can afford. Why should they get to waste thishighest in Europe. Merkel’s solution of legal kept empty by private owners, landlords or land to satisfy their own greed when hundredsquotas allowing more women into the board- The National Housing Federation has es- agencies who are waiting for a hike in value. of thousands of working class people are strug-room is a weak policy that doesn’t address timated that private landlords make a £9.4bn On top of that there are over 66,000 hectares gling to find a place to live?the real causes of gender inequality. Instead it profit from housing benefit due to more benefit of brownfield sites (spaces of derelict devel-serves a capitalist system reliant on women’s claimants being forced into the private sector. opment) in the UK. As if this was not enough, Without radical action we will be forcedunpaid domestic labour. As Marxists our task Corbyn’s pledge to invest in housing is a step the Queen’s land ownership has expanded re- to wait until our thirties to buy a home of ouris not to get more women in the boardroom in the right direction, but doesn’t go nearly far cently to 340,000 acres, not including private own, or pushed into the snakepit of the privatebut to abolish the boardroom altogether. enough. If Labour is genuinely willing to wage estates such as Balmoral. With the private rented sector. We want affordable and plentiful war on the private landlords real progress estates included, the Royals’ land ownership council housing now. And to guarantee decent No stranger to boardrooms is Hillary Clin- could be made in solving the housing crisis. matches that of the Ministry of Defence, at homes for all, ultimately we call for a socialistton, who takes massive donations from Wall 600,000 acres. The ruling class refuse to build housing policy in a socialist BritainStreet whilst portraying herself as a defend-er of women’s and LGBTQ rights. Clinton’s bigbusiness pals rely on the oppression of wom-en to divide the working class amongst itselfand keep wages low. Someone with such acozy alliance with the status quo will achieveexactly nothing when it comes to promotinggender equality. Meanwhile, Theresa May, the unelectedleader of the Conservative Government inBritain, provides a comparison with the hatedMargaret Thatcher. Like Thatcher, May has nointention of protecting the interests of work-ing women, who are increasingly relying onfood banks, juggling multiple jobs and caringfor family members as public services are cutby Tory austerity. These millionaire leaders of developedcapitalist countries have little in commonwith the majority of women and are more in-terested in protecting capitalism than remov-ing the roots of gender discrimination andinequality. The only way to break down thesebarriers is for men and women to unite in sol-idarity, fighting for universal childcare, publicownership of the media and employment forall, electing leaders who will fight alongsidethemA FEMALE IMPERIALISTIS STILL AN IMPERIALIST jack ashworth, manchester marxistsThe emphasis on Hillary Clinton being the better candidate in the US election, usuallybased on the fact that she would be the firstfemale president (something she has used asthe primary issue of her campaign) is flawed. She is a war-mongering imperialist andI doubt many women in Pakistan, Honduras,Syria and all the other countries she's respon-sible for destroying through wars, coups anddrone strikes would identify with her particu-lar brand of feminism. I'm not at all endorsing Trump, the manis scum, but just because Hillary is moremedia-savvy and better at rationalising herbloodthirsty imperialism doesn't make herany better in my opinion 3

REVOLUTION by leninwhat is dialectical Throughout the civilised world the teachings of Marx class-conscious worker. evoke the utmost hostility and hatred of all bourgeois But Marx did not stop at eighteenth-century material-materialism??? science (both official and liberal), which regards Marxism as a kind of “pernicious sect”. And no other attitude is to ism: he developed philosophy to a higher level, he enrichedPhilosophical materialism is the outlook which ex- be expected, for there can be no “impartial” social science it with the achievements of German classical philosophy, plains that there is only one material world. There in a society based on class struggle. In one way or another, especially of Hegel’s system, which in its turn had led to is no Heaven or Hell. The universe, which has always all official and liberal science defends wage-slavery, where- the materialism of Feuerbach. The main achievement was existed and is not the creation of any supernatural be- as Marxism has declared relentless war on that slavery. To dialectics, i.e., the doctrine of development in its fullest, ing, is in the process of constant flux. Human beings expect science to be impartial in a wage-slave society is as deepest and most comprehensive form, the doctrine of the are a part of nature, and evolved from lower forms of foolishly naïve as to expect impartiality from manufacturers relativity of the human knowledge that provides us with a life, whose origins sprung from a lifeless planet some on the question of whether workers’ wages ought not to be reflection of eternally developing matter. The latest discov- 3.6 billion or so years ago. With the evolution of life, at increased by decreasing the profits of capital. eries of natural science—radium, electrons, the transmuta- a certain stage, came the development of animals with tion of elements—have been a remarkable confirmation of a nervous system, and eventually human beings with But this is not all. The history of philosophy and the his- Marx’s dialectical materialism despite the teachings of the a large brain. With humans emerged human thought tory of social science show with perfect clarity that there is bourgeois philosophers with their “new” reversions to old and consciousness. The human brain alone is capable nothing resembling “sectarianism” in Marxism, in the sense and decadent idealism. of producing general ideas, i.e., thinking. Therefore of its being a hidebound, petrified doctrine, a doctrine matter, which existed eternally, existed and still exists which arose away from the high road of the development of Marx deepened and developed philosophical materi- independently of the mind and human beings. Things world civilisation. On the contrary, the genius of Marx con- alism to the full, and extended the cognition of nature to existed long before any awareness of them arose or sists precisely in his having furnished answers to questions include the cognition of human society. His historical ma- could have arisen on the part of living organisms. already raised by the foremost minds of mankind. His doc- terialism was a great achievement in scientific thinking. trine emerged as the direct and immediate continuation of The chaos and arbitrariness that had previously reigned in The Marxist view of the world is not only materi- the teachings of the greatest representatives of philosophy, views on history and politics were replaced by a striking- alist, but also dialectical. For its critics, the dialectic political economy and socialism. ly integral and harmonious scientific theory, which shows is portrayed as something totally mystical, and there- how, in consequence of the growth of productive forces, out fore irrelevant. But this is certainly not the case. The The Marxist doctrine is omnipotent because it is true. It of one system of social life another and higher system devel- dialectical method is simply an attempt to understand is comprehensive and harmonious, and provides men with ops—how capitalism, for instance, grows out of feudalism. more clearly our real interdependent world. Dialectics, an integral world outlook irreconcilable with any form of superstition, reaction, or defence of bourgeois oppression. Just as man’s knowledge reflects nature (i.e., develop- It is the legitimate successor to the best that man produced ing matter), which exists independently of him, so man’s in the nineteenth century, as represented by German philos- social knowledge (i.e., his various views and doctrines— ophy, English political economy and French socialism. philosophical, religious, political and so forth) reflects the economic system of society. Political institutions are a su- It is these three sources of Marxism, which are also its perstructure on the economic foundation. We see, for exam- component parts that we shall outline in brief. ple, that the various political forms of the modern European states serve to strengthen the domination of the bourgeoi- MARXIST PHILOSOPHY sie over the proletariat. The philosophy of Marxism is materialism. Throughout the Marx’s philosophy is a consummate philosophical ma- modern history of Europe, and especially at the end of the terialism which has provided mankind, and especially the eighteenth century in France, where a resolute struggle was working class, with powerful instruments of knowledge. conducted against every kind of medieval rubbish, against serfdom in institutions and ideas, materialism has proved MARXIST ECONOMICS to be the only philosophy that is consistent, true to all the teachings of natural science and hostile to superstition, Having recognised that the economic system is the founda- cant and so forth. The enemies of democracy have, there- tion on which the political superstructure is erected, Marx fore, always exerted all their efforts to “refute”, undermine devoted his greatest attention to the study of this economic and defame materialism, and have advocated various forms system. Marx’s principal work, Capital, is devoted to a study of philosophical idealism, which always, in one way or an- of the economic system of modern, i.e., capitalist, society. other, amounts to the defence or support of religion. Classical political economy, before Marx, evolved in Eng- Marx and Engels defended philosophical materialism land, the most developed of the capitalist countries. Adam in the most determined manner and repeatedly explained Smith and David Ricardo, by their investigations of the eco- how profoundly erroneous is every deviation from this ba- nomic system, laid the foundations of the labour theory of sis. Their views are most clearly and fully expounded in the value. Marx continued their work; he provided a proof of works of Engels, Ludwig Feuerbach and Anti-Dühring, which, the theory and developed it consistently. He showed that the like the Communist Manifesto, are handbooks for every value of every commodity is determined by the quantity of socially necessary labour time spent on its production. states Engels in Anti-Duhring, “is nothing more formed, renewed from top to bottom. Therefore, than the science of the general laws of motion every organic entity is both itself and yet some- and development of nature, human society and thing other than itself. thought.” Put simply, it is the logic of motion. This phenomenon cannot be explained by met- Not everything is as appears on the surface of aphysical thought or formal logic. This approach things. Every species, every aspect of organic life, is incapable of explaining contradiction. This is every moment the same and not the same. It contradictory reality does not enter the realm of develops by assimilating matter from without and common sense reasoning. Dialectics, on the other simultaneously discards other unwanted mat- hand, comprehends things in their connection, de- ter; continually some cells die, while others are velopment, and motion. As far as Engels was con- renewed. Over time, the body is completely trans- cerned, “Nature is the proof of dialectics.”4

SOCIALIST.NETthe secret of The basis of the capitalist system is productionsurplus value for the sake of profit. This profit is derived from surplus value, which is the unpaid labour Where the bourgeois economists saw a relation be- that this freedom meant a new system of oppression and of a worker. But how is this possible when alltween things (the exchange of one commodity for another) exploitation of the working people. Various socialist doc- workers are paid wages? The answer, in short,Marx revealed a relation between people. The exchange of trines immediately emerged as a reflection of and protest is that workers are not paid the full value ofcommodities expresses the connection between individu- against this oppression. Early socialism, however, was uto- what they produce.al producers through the market. Money signifies that the pian socialism. It criticised capitalist society, it condemnedconnection is becoming closer and closer, inseparably unit- and damned it, it dreamed of its destruction, it had visions The working day can be split into two parts:ing the entire economic life of the individual producers into of a better order and endeavoured to convince the rich of a part of the day in which the worker produc-one whole. Capital signifies a further development of this the immorality of exploitation. es the value of their own wages; in the rest ofconnection: man’s labour-power becomes a commodity. The the working day, which is effectively unpaid, thewage-worker sells his labour-power to the owner of land, But utopian socialism could not indicate the real solu- worker produces a “surplus” of value – valuefactories and instruments of labour. The worker spends tion. It could not explain the real nature of wage-slavery that the capitalist gets for free. This surplus isone part of the day covering the cost of maintaining him- under capitalism, it could not reveal the laws of capitalist then either re-invested into production, or pock-self and his family (wages), while the other part of the day development, or show what social force is capable of be- eted for the consumption of the capitalist.he works without remuneration, creating for the capitalist coming the creator of a new society.surplus-value, the source of profit, the source of the wealth The wage that the worker is paid gives theof the capitalist class. Meanwhile, the stormy revolutions which everywhere in illusion of a decent day’s work for a decent Europe, and especially in France, accompanied the fall of day’s pay, but in actual fact the wage is only the The doctrine of surplus-value is the corner-stone of feudalism, of serfdom, more and more clearly revealed the amount of money needed to sustain that work-Marx’s economic theory. struggle of classes as the basis and the driving force of all er; the amount needed to feed, clothe, shelter, development. and educate the worker, etc., and thus allow the Capital, created by the labour of the worker, crushes continuing exploitation of labour.­the worker, ruining small proprietors and creating an army Not a single victory of political freedom over the feudalof unemployed. In industry, the victory of large-scale pro- class was won except against desperate resistance. Not hands.duction is immediately apparent, but the same phenome- a single capitalist country evolved on a more or less free The argument, so beloved of bourgeois sociolo-non is also to be observed in agriculture, where the su- and democratic basis except by a life-and-death struggleperiority of large-scale capitalist agriculture is enhanced, between the various classes of capitalist society. gists, that the working class has ceased to exist, hasthe use of machinery increases and the peasant economy, been stood on its head. In the last period importanttrapped by money-capital, declines and falls into ruin under The genius of Marx lies in his having been the first to layers of the working population who previouslythe burden of its backward technique. The decline of small- deduce from this the lesson world history teaches and to considered themselves to be middle class have beenscale production assumes different forms in agriculture, apply that lesson consistently. The deduction he made is proletarianised. Teachers, civil servants, bank em-but the decline itself is an indisputable fact. the doctrine of the class struggle. ployees and so on have been drawn into the ranks of the working class and the labour movement, where By destroying small-scale production, capital leads to People always have been the foolish victims of decep- they make up some of the most militant sections.an increase in productivity of labour and to the creation of tion and self-deception in politics, and they always will bea monopoly position for the associations of big capitalists. until they have learnt to seek out the interests of some Job security has ceased to exist, the trades andProduction itself becomes more and more social—hun- class or other behind all moral, religious, political and so- professions of the past have largely disappeareddreds of thousands and millions of workers become bound cial phrases, declarations and promises. and life-long careers are barely memories. The lad-together in a regular economic organism—but the prod- der has been kicked away and for most people auct of this collective labour is appropriated by a handful of Champions of reforms and improvements will always middle-class existence is no longer even an aspira-capitalists. Anarchy of production, crises, the furious chase be fooled by the defenders of the old order until they real- tion. A dwindling minority can count on a pension onafter markets and the insecurity of existence of the mass of ise that every old institution, however barbarous and rotten which they could comfortably live, and few have sig-the population are intensified. it may appear to be, is kept going by the forces of certain nificant savings. More and more people live from day ruling classes. And there is only one way of smashing the to day, with little idea of what the future may bring. By increasing the dependence of the workers on capi- resistance of those classes, and that is to find, in the verytal, the capitalist system creates the great power of united society which surrounds us, the forces which can—and, This is a devastating condemnation of the capi-labour. owing to their social position, must—constitute the power talist system. However, this process of proletarian- capable of sweeping away the old and creating the new, isation means that the social reserves of reaction Marx traced the development of capitalism from em- and to enlighten and organise those forces for the struggle. have been sharply reduced as a big section of whitebryonic commodity economy, from simple exchange, to its collar workers moves closer to the traditional work-highest forms, to large-scale production. Marx’s philosophical materialism alone has shown the ing class. In the recent mass mobilisations, sections proletariat the way out of the spiritual slavery in which all that in the past would never have dreamt of striking And the experience of all capitalist countries, old and oppressed classes have hitherto languished. Marx’s eco- or even joining a union, such as teachers and civilnew, year by year demonstrates clearly the truth of this nomic theory alone has explained the true position of the servants, were in the front line of the class struggle.Marxian doctrine to increasing numbers of workers. proletariat in the general system of capitalism. Capitalism has triumphed all over the world, but this Independent organisations of the proletariat are multi-triumph is only the prelude to the triumph of labour over plying all over the world, from America to Japan and fromcapital. Sweden to South Africa. The proletariat is becoming en- lightened and educated by waging its class struggle; it isREVOLUTIONARY CLASS STRUGGLE ridding itself of the prejudices of bourgeois society; it is ral- lying its ranks ever more closely and is learning to gaugeWhen feudalism was overthrown and “free” capitalist so- the measure of its successes; it is steeling its forces and isciety appeared in the world, it at once became apparent growing irresistiblywhat is the class struggle?Marx and Engels explained in the Communist larisation of society into two great antagonistic Manifesto that a constant factor in all of re- classes, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Thecorded history is that social development takes tremendous development of industry and technol-place through the class struggle. Under capital- ogy over the last 200 years has led to the increas-ism this has been greatly simplified with the po- ing the concentration of economic power in a few 5

REVOLUTIONM A R X I S T S T U D E N T. C O M @marxiststudent @MarxistStudent UPCOMING MARXIST SOCIETY MEETINGS CAMBRIDGE: Marxism and the media (23 Nov) Crisis in the Middle East (30 Nov) Brexit and the European crisis (1 Nov) Is Capitalism killing our mental health? (8 Nov) SOAS: What will socialism look like? (15 Nov) The US elections - Trump vs Hillary (2 Nov) Book launch @ Waterstones - Trotsky’s Stalin Capitlalist crisis and the next world slump (9 (17 Nov) Nov) Film showing: Land and Freedom (29 Nov) SOUTHAMPTON: KENT: Trump and Sanders: the US political earth- The Russian Revolution (7 Nov) quake (3 Nov) China: from permanent revolution to coun- Women in emancipatory politics: past present ter-revolution (14 Nov) and future (10 Nov) Marxism and Art (21 Nov) Women’s struggle in Pakistan (17 Nov) Terrorism and fundamentalism (28 Nov) The Philosophy of Karl Marx (24 Nov) Brexit and the crisis of the British establish- The conflict in the Middle East (1 Dec) ment (5 Dec) History of the British Labour Party (8 Dec) Marxism and the black struggle (15 Dec) SUSSEX: The origins of the family and the subjugation QUEEN MARY: of women (2 Nov) Marxism and Art (10 Nov) The US elections and the rise of Trump (9 Nov) Marxism and Feminism (24 Nov) Marxism and Religion (16 Nov) KINGS COLLEGE LONDON: UEA: Marxist economics and the labour theory of Marxism and Feminism (10 Nov) value (10 Nov) Capitalism and economic crisis (24 Nov) The Middle East: revolution and reaction (17 Nov) OXFORD: Marxism and the USA: beyond Bernie Sanders Trump, Clinton, Sanders and the US elections (24 Nov) (1 Nov) “The opium of the people”? Marxism and reli- Marxism, feminism and the fight against op- gion (1 Dec) pression (8 Nov) What will socialism look like? (8 Dec) Terrorism and Imperialism (15 Nov) What’s the alternative to austerity (22 Nov) LEEDS: Marxism and Religion (29 Nov) Imperialist war and fundamentalist terror Dialectical materialism: the philosophy of We also have active Marxist societies in the Marxism following universities, please check our web- Marxism and feminism site or email us for info: US election results and prospects for the US revolution GLASGOW, EDINBURGH, DURHAM, LIVER- POOL, SHEFFIELD, MANCHESTER, SWAN- NEWCASTLE: SEA, CARDIFF, READING, OXFORD, WAR- Marxism and Anarchism (2 Nov) WICK, LEICESTER, UCL, LSE, PORTSMOUTH The US election results (9 Nov)Come to the marxist studentfederation's 2017 conferenceSATURDAY 11TH FEBRUARY 2017 | CENTRAL LONDONSpeak to the organisers of your local Marxist society or get in touch [email protected] for all the info

SOCIALIST.NETIMPERIALISM AND WARWHAT IS IMPERIALISM? 100 YEARS ON: WAR AND REVOLUTIONMORDECAI levi ALAN WOODSCAMBRIDGE MARXISTS Tensions between the major European In this war it played the role of chief lender shortages that sparked off riots and mass Powers, which were ultimately rooted and quartermaster to the European bellig- strikes across the country. There wereAt the heart of capitalism is the constant drive in the struggle for markets, colonies and erents. mutinies in the armies and navies of Italy, for profits. The drive to squeeze as much spheres of interest, were increasing steadi- Austria, France, and Britain. Internationally,wealth out of the working class as they can is ly in the decades before 1914. The outbreak After draining the blood from its Euro- the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 had a pro-absolutely necessary for individual capitalists. of the First World War was the inevitable pean rivals and turning them into its sup- found effect.But what works for one capitalist is poison for result of the clash of imperialist interests. plicants and debtors, America’s interven-the capitalist class as a whole. The gap between tion in the war tipped the scales decisively It is easy to draw pessimistic conclu-what the worker earns and what he is expect- Somebody once said to Lenin war is in favour of the Entente, bringing about sions from human history in general, anded to buy to keep the economy going only gets terrible, to which he replied: “yes, terri- Germany’s defeat. All this meant that the wars in particular. Contradicting all thelarger as the forces of production develop. These bly profitable”. The European war suited USA became the arbiter of Europe’s destiny pessimistic predictions, the imperialistcontradictions hamstring the system. One way the American industrialists rather well. and a major factor in world politics. war ended in revolution. The Russian Rev-for capitalists to overcome these contradictions Capitalism in the USA had developed with olution offered humanity a way out of theis by expanding into new markets. whirlwind speed in the last decades of the This bloody conflict was brought to an nightmare of wars, poverty, and suffering. 19th century. At the beginning of the War end by revolution. By 1917, in all the bellig- Now, as then, the conditions are being pre- This is the economic basis of imperialism, in Europe America was already a powerful erent states, the discontent of the masses pared for an explosive upsurge of the classand is why Lenin called it ‘the highest stage of young nation with a mighty industrial base. was growing. In particular the people of struggle on a world scalecapitalism’. The cheap goods of the advanced Germany were beginning to suffer foodcountries flood the markets of the economicallybackward ones. Capitalists draw up trade deals FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM IN CONGObetween rich and poor nations, but this trade isnot an equal exchange. The industrial might of Patrice Lumumba, the Democratic Re- lese industry to take it out of the hands of NIGEL WARRENthe imperialists is overwhelming. If the poorer public of the Congo’s first democratical- predatory foreign imperialists. The Congo-nation refuses to agree to the terms set by the ly elected Prime Minister was assassinat- lese capitalists were completely incapable Congolese capitalists to free the countryricher one, the latter can direct a proportion of ed by US and Belgian imperialism in 1961. of offering even the most basic reforms, from the bloody grip of imperialism. Theits industrial might into military might. Ultimate- like free and fair elections and legal rights, country’s vast mineral resources are beingly the capitalist class in poorer nations becomes Lumumba led a movement for the lib- because any reform threatened the inter- plundered by Belgian, French, and Ameri-nothing more than tool of the richer foreign cap- eration of the Congo and had a vision of ests of their imperialist masters. Lumum- can companies. In 2008, 5 million peopleitalists. national and pan-African unity. But from ba saw that to win these basic democratic were slaughtered in the second Congo the point of view of international capital- rights the working class can rely only on war, a conflict born out of the pursuit of Imperialism can be seen as national capital- ism, the role of Africa was nothing more themselves and their power to transform precious stones for profit by foreign capi-ism overflowing its boundaries in the search for than to be a passive provider of cheap raw society through socialist revolution. talists. There is no solution to this problemnew profits. There is, however, more than one materials. under capitalism. The Congolese massesnational capitalism. As these different nation- You only need to look at the state of must fight alongside the African, Europe-al cliques of capitalists spread their tentacles Lumumba quickly realised that the the Congo since Lumumba’s assassina- an, and American working class to end theacross the world they come into conflict with only way meaningful change could happen tion to see the complete inability of the horrors of imperialism across the worldeach other, causing crisis and war was through the nationalisation of Congo-After a recent meeting of my local Marxist so- nically I’m still bound by my oath to the Queen, army sides with the working class, the workers dynamite in the ciety I had a discussion with James, who had but I’d choose the revolution over the Queen any have no armed enemy to fight against and the foundations ofbeen in the army since he was 16 and decided day. And it’s not just me, I asked all the guys in revolution would be entirely bloodless. The po-several years later to give it up and become a my unit, most of whom are still in the army, and tential split in the army that James’s comment imperialismstudent. On the subject of whether a socialist they all said exactly the same thing. Even my describes is what’s happened in every revolu-revolution in Britain today would be violent, lieutenant agreed”. tion from Russia in 1917 to the Arab revolutions richard baywooddJames said: in 2011. This is why even the most powerful mili- Without an army to rely on, the capitalist es- tary imperialist state has dynamite built into its “I wouldn’t shoot at my friends and family tablishment wouldn’t be able to repress a mass foundationsif there was some kind of mass uprising. Tech- movement of workers and young people. If the 7

REVOLUTION SOCIALIST.NETDEFEND EDUCATIONlondon met STRIKES back! AGAINST GRAMMAR SCHOOLS!alex johnson,, london msf harry smith,, TEACHING ASSISTANTStaff at London Metropolitan university have been on branch reps have been sacked so I took over as branch Education is strained at the You’re four times more likely to go to strike over the appalling attacks on education being secretary. For someone on an hourly paid contract to moment. Teachers are over- a grammar school if you’re privatelycarried out by university management. I interviewed the be doing that is absolutely ridiculous. They're closing worked, underpaid and unable educated before the age of 11. At alocal branch secretary of the University and College Un- the courses that I teach on. I think [closing] the musi- to do their jobs effectively. As a time when working class people areion (UCU) on the picket line. cal instrument making is quite indicative of the whole result the schooling system is furious with Britain’s political and thing. They're trying to teach courses which are basical- failing young people. The intro- economic situation the introductionSO, WHAT DO YOU DO AT THE UNIVERSITY? ly cheap, online, that gives students - the students that duction of grammar schools will of state grammar schools clearlyI teach music technology, primarily on a musical instru- are coming here come from very working class back- make the situation far worse. shows just how out of touch the To-ment making course which has run for about 150 years grounds, they come from a very diverse population. They Grammar schools are an anti- ries and the establishment really are.down on Commercial Road. The course is now being deserve the same education as someone who goes to quated system which turn educa- Rather than work to increase fundingclosed as part of the restructuring. The restructuring is Oxford. tion into a privilege rather than a for schools and alleviate the pressureone of the things we're striking about. Several courses right. Of course such privileges on teachers, parents and children,across the university are being closed. We've got a pro- This strike is only one part of our action. What we're go to those in society who can the Tories are determined to carry ongram of 295 redundancies, our union reps have been actually aiming for is greylisting of the university, which afford to pay for a private tutor. attacking working class peoplesacked to stop the union having a voice, and that's in- in a sense is an academic boycott, so a message is sentstilled a message of fear in the staff. The other one big out to UCUs of other universities telling them not to con- sammy meikle, SCHOOL STUDENT negative impact on those that can’tthing is they're threatening to increase casualisation nect to London Met. We've done it before, and it's the attend than the benefit to those whoacross the university. I'm on an hourly paid contract only way we can see that we can try and convince the It comes as no surprise that can. How is that promoting socialso I'm a casualised worker. I've been here for 12 years management to come to the table and consult with us. Theresa May wants backward mobility? You can’t have true “socialteaching four courses. The trade unions should be being consulted, and we're reforms that effectively give mobility” in class society, where one not. They just impose these things upon us. And the last state schools the ability to select group of people survive by keepingHAVE YOU ALWAYS BEEN A CASUALISED WORKER? thing they've done is to sack our reps, and they need to students based on ability. May another class down. We thereforeYep, I should have been made permanent after 4 years, reinstate them. That's what we're striking about. But we claims she is supporting strong must do away with selective school-they refused to do it and they refused to take seriously are aiming towards the greylisting, which hopefully will “social mobility” to try and win ing and the class system. This meansthat I teach all the courses. I'm now the branch secre- come into effect in October. They need to consult with us public support. But how can she fighting against capitalism and for atary of London Metropolitan UCU because our two other and we're hoping that they'll come to the table talk about mobility whilst imple- society where people are free to de- menting austerity? Not only is she velop their full potentialsouth african students fight back a hypocrite, but she’s also a liar because in areas where grammarben morken schools exist they have a greaterOn Tuesday, 20 September, mass student strate on Tuesday. dum to the university management. They were which the students have raised over the last protests erupted across South Africa after During the week protests also erupted at then confronted by the police after they start- few months including fees, police brutality,Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande an- ed marching to the Boardwalk Hotel Casino racism, exploitation, financial exclusion, unem-nounced that universities can raise tuition fees Central University of Technology, Nelson Man- and Entertainment World, a playground for the ployment, homelessness, and inequality are inby up to 8% next year. dela Bay University, and the University of Fort superrich. The students were forcibly removed fact, consciously or unconsciously, a fight for a Hare. In Pietermaritzburg students from the and stun grenades were thrown by the police complete transformation of South African soci- Almost immediately, students from across University of KwaZulu-Natal marched to the pro- when they entered the complex. Nine of them ety. In other words, the movement has revolu-the country rejected the announcement by the vincial government. Police shot rubber bullets were arrested. The next day the students pro- tionary aims.minister. Throughout the entire week the pres- and released tear gas on protesting students tested at the magistrate court and demandedsure mounted as students brought one univer- at one of the residences on campus. At the the release of the “NMMU 9”. However, the court The students are correct to demand freesity after another to a standstill. Students at University of the Free State academic activities decided to remand the nine students in custody higher education for all. But this demand canthe University of Witwatersrand, University of were suspended, and at the Mahikeng Campus until 12 October. only be correct when it is linked to the expro-Pretoria, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Universi- of North West University all classes were can- priation of the country’s vast mineral wealth,ty of Free State, Stellenbosch University, Nelson celled. By the end of the week the majority of uni- the nationalisation of the mines, the banks, theMandela Metropolitan University, Tshwane Uni- versities across the country were closed and private monopoly industries, and the means ofversity of Technology, University of Cape Town, In Port Elizabeth, students from Nelson all academic activities halted. production, under the democratic control andand North West University started to demon- Mandela Metropolitan University gathered at management of the working class the South Campus to hand over a memoran- Taken in their totality, all these issues