Revolution - issue 1

REVOLUTION 20pSOCIALIST.NET YOUTH PAPER OF THE INTERNATIONAL MARXIST TENDENCY\"The great appear great because we are on our knees. Let us rise\" - james larkinCorbyn and the fight A WORLD ONfor radical socailism THE BRINK#KEEPCORBYN @HandsOffCorbyn @defendcorbynsocialism BY BEN GLINIECKI EDITORIAL STATEMENT have today isn’t an example of capital- We say remove the capitalist para- Capitalists all over the world are lurching from one ism gone wrong. It’s an example of cap- sites and put the people who work and emergency to the next with increasing panic. The BrexitWhat’s happening right now in the La- italism working exactly as it’s supposed use these businesses in control of them. vote caused the value of the pound to collapse and Brit- bour Party is unprecedented. Hun- to. It’s a system designed to protect the We need to fight for the working class, ain’s credit rating to be rapidly downgraded. It was also adreds of thousands of people, including rich at the expense of the rest of us. not the 1%, to run the economy. And to serious blow to the already struggling euro.many who have never been involved in With capitalism falling to pieces right do so democratically for need, not profit.politics before, are getting stuck into the now our aim shouldn’t be to save it but Greek capitalism is on the verge of buckling under thefight for Jeremy Corbyn and against the to finish it off and replace it with some- We’re with Corbyn. We’re fighting weight of debt and austerity. The French working classright-wing. thing better. for him in Labour and we’ll back him all has been enraged by the government’s attacks on working the way with these policies. It’s time to conditions. In Italy the banking index has plummeted by This Corbyn revolution in Labour has We’re for international socialist revo- complete the Corbyn revolution. Don’t 35% since January, meanwhile there have been massivethe potential to go much further. People lution. We’re for the nationalisation with- stand on the sidelines - join us and the strikes in Belgium. In Spain Podemos has smashed the oldare sick of the bureaucrats and career- out compensation of banks, big business fight for revolutionary socialism two-party political system.ists that have dominated Labour for and land. These monopolies that controldecades. We need to kick out these Tory the decisive sectors of the economy The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has cut fore-infiltrators who have done everything are totally owned and controlled by casts for economic growth in Europe next year by 0.2%.they can to make Labour a pale shadow a handful of super-rich individ- This is likely to be cut even further. And it’s not just inof the Tories. We’re fighting to take the uals, despite the fact that it’s Europe - since April the IMF has cut its forecast for worldParty back for the working class. the hard work of millions of economic growth by another 0.1%. working class people that All over the world it’s the same. Peo- keeps the economy going. Capitalism is a global system. That was once itsple are starting to challenge the estab- strength but now it means crisis in one place dragslishment that has dominated their lives others down in a never-ending spiral. Debt levels andfor so long. From the Sanders movement a weak export market are crushing economic growthin the USA to Podemos in Spain people in China to a dangerously slow pace. This means Southare refusing to leave politics in the American countries can’t export raw materials to Chinahands of the ‘professional’ politicians as easily any more, creating a crisis which has an impactany longer. From South America to SouthAfrica the working class is getting on on politics, for example the recent impeachment of thethe move. Brazilian president. Meanwhile the low price of oil adds fuel to the accelerating counter-revolution We defend Corbyn because he’s the in Venezuela.cutting edge of the anti-austerity and an- Imperialist adventures in the Middle Eastti-capitalist movement in Britain. He’s got and North Africa have wreaked havoc andpeople talking about what socialism is strengthened Russia’s position in the region.and how we achieve it. And he’s become The USA used to charge into whateveran expression of the accumulated anger country it liked and get its own way butdirected against the British establish- Syria, Ukraine and others prove that thisment. What’s needed now is a clear is no longer the case.socialist policy to put economic and The whole world is in the midst ofsocial power in the hands of working violent convulsions. Capitalism as aclass people. system has exhausted itself and the capitalist politicians, academics and Some say that it’s possible to have strategists have no solution to thea nicer capitalism than what the Tories problems we face today. The caseoffer. While we fully support the idea of for international socialism hasmore investment and higher taxes on never been clearer. In the famousthe rich, we don’t buy the idea that we words of Marx and Engels: “Work-can have this, at least not in any kind of ers of the world unite. You havelong-term stable way, without fundamen- nothing to lose but your chains.”tally challenging the capitalist system. Capitalism is crisis. The world ofinequality, austerity and oppression we

REVOLUTIONzero hoursand theexploitationof the youthZERO TOLERANCE Iwork on a zero-hours contract in the NHS. workplace means that more mistakes tend the sickness This means that when I get sick or have to to be made, plus the fact that we don’tFOR ZERO HOURS take time off for other reasons I don’t get get paid for training means staff lack the of the nhs paid or looks after by my employer. This training required. Under these intolerableharry fitzwilliam, poses serious risks for the health, both conditions mistakes are inevitable. We emily francesca, mental and physical, of me and my col- get blamed, but in reality it’s a problem of unison londonlondon young labour leagues. privatisation in the NHS, which is a symptom of capitalism in a deep crisis.As is now common for so many, after Loads of the people I work with are spending three years at university and single mothers and people who struggle There’s huge pressure on us not togaining a debt of almost £40,000, the only to make ends meet. We take these precar- ‘waste the resources of the NHS’, as if we’rework I have been able to find is in a local ious jobs because they pay slightly above responsible for the lack of resources in thebar on a zero-hours contract. average, and we have no choice but to risk healthcare system. When slimy politicians our health and job security to earn enough use the NHS as a political football (re- Marx said that capitalist competition money to make it to the end of the month. member the £350m NHS Brexit bus?) whileis three-sided. He used the example of a The NHS takes advantage of us while we’re cutting funding and the number of staff inbattle between two armies, buyers and in this situation, to avoid the cost of the wards, it’s not our fault when patients, staffsellers, each of whom also fight amongst benefits related to a secure job. and the NHS as a whole is struggling just tothemselves. Whichever ‘army’ fights least tread water.amongst themselves will fare best. I work with patients suffering from mental illness. Insecure jobs mean a high We’re not just employees of the NHS, we, The bar I work in ‘employs’ many more turnover of staff, which negatively impacts like everyone else, are also its patients. Wepeople than is required to fill all the avail- the patients who need stability in their won’t stand by while our health becomesable shifts. Every week, a text is sent out treatment. Also, a permanent number of the victim of a bankrupt capitalist systemasking when you would like to work. This new staff who are not familiar with themeans every member of staff is compet-ing against every other member of staff vicious My work-life balance as a newly qualified issues that are directly tied to the drive for profit.in order to receive enough shifts, which exploitation teacher is non-existent. As austerity cuts are As long as private profit exists, businesses willmeans staff members are much less likely of teachers implemented, staff are shed from schools and squeeze hours from workers for less pay.to complain. the additional work load lands with teachers. If I natasha sorrel work less than 55 hours a week I’m lucky. But if We shouldn’t put up with this any more! Why If you ‘cause a fuss’, the fear is that sheffield marxists I don’t do this unpaid overtime it’s the poorest, should business owners claim the profits whilstyou won’t receive a shift the next week. most vulnerable children in society who suffer, a everyone else struggles? We need to fight to takeMany staff members complain about not fact faced by anyone who works at the coal face control of major businesses to spend their profitsreceiving enough shifts to pay for their of public services. to benefit everyone. We need to fight to overthrowliving costs and many others have to work capitalism! We have to fight to bring about social-in multiple bars, sometimes working two Young workers are acutely aware of their ism and allow people to enjoy their lives insteadshifts a day. unpaid over-time, unstable contracts and low pay; of working away their free time! The issue of zero-hours contracts is 60% of academic staff in Britain scrape The way my pay is calculated means that EXPROPRIATEnot an issue of ‘good’ or ‘bad’ capitalists. by on casual contracts, myself included. I work about 80% of my hours for free. How- THE FAT CATSObviously, some capitalists will be nicer Before starting as a Graduate Teaching ever, a recent campaign we ran through thethan others but at root, capitalism is a sys- Assistant (GTA) at King’s College London I UCU will result in some improvements for JOE ATTARDtem of production for profit, which works received four hours of training (which in- casuals next year: we might only work half KINGS COLLEGE LONDON MARXISTSthrough private investment from compet- volved watching the Monty Python ‘Spanish our hours for free. Meanwhile, our Principaling capitalists. The smaller and weaker Lesson’ sketch as an example of ‘poor teach- earns £452,000 a year: that’s where yourcapitalists are forced out of business by ing practice’) before I was thrust in front of student fees are going. Expropriate the fat-the big and powerful. an overcrowded room of undergraduates, cat bosses and reinvest in teaching! feeling like a total fraud. I work in a small, independent localpub for a manager I like personally but the new generation “Britain’s young generation are at risk This comes against a bleak backdrop.capitalist system means this pub will be needs a new of being the first cadre of workers in There is a housing crisis the likes of whichrun out of business by the major monopo- system modern times to see their lifetime earn- haven’t been seen since the end of thelies such as Wetherspoons, which also use ings fall, according to new research” Larry Second World War, with Jeremy Corbynzero-hours contracts ruthlessly, if they did harvey dodds Elliot gloomily states in a recent article in astutely noting that “starter homes atnot treat their staff in this manner. The Guardian. This was in response to the £450,000 for young people earning 7% less leeds marxists, findings of a Resolution Foundation report, than their parents' generation” isn’t “actu- The only way, therefore, to completely which noted that, given the flagging econ- ally a very good prospect for people owningget rid of this kind of practice is to get rid omy, low productivity, and the fact that pay their own homes”.of capitalism. We want to ban zero-hours growth has fallen behind productivity gainscontracts and give everyone decent for two decades, it is probable that millen- This is on top of the crippling debtworking conditions, but boycotts and reg- nials will earn less over their life time than which increasing numbers of young peopleulations on their own are not enough. We those who belong to Generation X. are burdened with after leaving University.must build socialism by taking the major The Intergenerational Foundation havemonopolies under public ownership andrun democratically by the workers. This iswhat a revolution looks like 2

SOCIALIST.NETSCHOOL STUDENT REVOLUTIONWHY WE ARE REVOLUTIONARIES LAURIE CASSIDY just our anger and disillusionment, but Marxist KEELAN KELLEGHER AND NICOLA GILLS with a quality of life lower than the one ideas and solutions, connecting the struggle enjoyed by our parents. Marx explainedOver the last year, my college, like many others, against the problems of our everyday lives to the Capitalism is in crisis and we're paying how capitalism was once able to push was faced with serious budget cuts of 40%. struggle for socialism. We enjoyed at least some for it. Since the 2008 financial crash the economy and society to new heights.Suddenly our class sizes were expanding, our support from much of the student body. that saw 'hedge fund capitalism’ finally But now it can only take us backwardsteachers were being laid off mid-way through implode under the weight of its own as our wages and prospects are sacri-the year, and stresses on both staff and students Whilst our comrades were a clear minority, debt, it is people like us and our fami- ficed for the system to survive.began to rise. most students were furious at the government lies, the working class, that have carried and the capitalist system it defends. Towards us the burden. Under these conditions the decision When student numbers were increased by and our ideas, they were more open, curious rath- to enter revolutionary politics is not justaround 10% each year - in order to get more fund- er than opposed. We received only a little animos- First they attacked our right to study about principle or common sense. Ining - the IT system collapsed due to overload and ity, and that was from die-hard right wingers who in higher education with the raising of reality the decision was not there to becould not be fixed. were despised and rejected by the vast majority. tuition fees to £9000. Then they attacked made. Rather we were forced into it by the benefits system that our friends the intolerable state of the world under Worst of all was the sacking of dedicated In fact, the majority were in favour of a lot of and families relied on to survive. Then capitalism.mental health professionals - in the school with the work of the Marxist society, especially our they attacked working rights and tradethe highest suicide rate in the country - and their practical work such as solidarity to support the unions. The situation requires far morereplacement with gap year students on minimum teachers’ strike. When a debate was held in the than tinkering with capitalism to try andwage. school over whether capitalism or communism Now we find that we have little revive it. Instead it requires a revolu- was a better system, our comrades won the final chance of owning a home and a debt of tion that will transform the way society Previously I had been a left winger, but vote with 52 against 48. . over £50,000 for attending university, a is organised so that production is nomoderate. But as a result of these cuts, I was privilege enjoyed for free by those who longer driven by profit at the expense ofdriven to more radical conclusions. Many more Sixth forms are in turmoil. Today’s 16-18 year voted for fees. Wages have fallen by 10% the worker. Our task now is to take whatof my friends at college were pushed in the same olds have known crisis for our entire adult lives. on average, unless you’re of the banking capitalism has given us; mass, organ-direction. We are outraged that our futures and our lives are class of course. ised labour and mechanisation, and to being sacrificed to the greed of the rich. We must make that work for all of us and not just Cambridge is a city with massive inequality, a build Marxist societies in schools and sixth forms All capitalism has to offer us is a the bosses!high rate of homelessness, and a mental health because we can win a new generation of revolu- future of renting and working till we diecrisis which has been worsening rapidly in recent tionary class fighters and end this evil systemyears. We became more and more disillusionedwith capitalism the more that we began to realise SCHOOL STUDENT UPRISING INthat it was the root cause of these problems. LIVERPOOL FLASHBACK TO 1985 We took over the Marxist society which hadpreviously been mostly inactive, and began to have NIKO TSILI those who didn't participate in thismore regular meetings. By the end of the year we scheme, making it underpaid forcedaffiliated to the MSF. Nowadays people assume that stu- labour. This created a series of reac- dents are unaware of what is going tions throughout the country because, We were able to tap into the angry mood on outside their houses, but that isn't at the time, most students left school atamongst the student body. By organising explicitly the case now and hasn't been in the the age of 16.Marxist meetings on a wide range of subjects past.we gave the chance for students to discuss their A national strike was held by schoolgrowing anger at the capitalist system in concrete In Liverpool in 1985 30,000 students students. The streets of Liverpool wereterms. skipped their classes and 10,000 took overflowing and, although the protest to the streets in an attempt to stop the happened in a number of cities, Liver- Crucially, we created a place to discuss not Youth Training Scheme (YTS) being set pool had the largest participation. up by the government.found that any additional earnings a degree may down to improve competitiveness is an attempt to One striker said recently: “We heldhelp a graduate earn are wiped out by debt and are resolve this. But the result is the exact opposite of The YTS was a workplace training off the end of dole for 16 year olds by a“simply not enough to cover the interest accruing what is intended - lower wages mean less dispos- scheme which was aimed at 16-17-year couple of years, as it was introduced inon the average loan”. able income, which means fewer commodities are olds on a voluntary basis. However, as the Fowler Review anyway in 1988, but bought, finally meaning overproduction is exacer- happens with apprenticeships today, that half-day strike affected the rest of Add to this increasing inequality, a lack of avail- bated further. The result is that capitalism is in a many capitalist employers took advan- my life!”.able jobs, a wage collapse on par with that experi- downward spiral. tage of those young people and exploit-enced in Greece, and the prospect of no meaningful ed them by paying less than £30 per These past events gives us ideaseconomic growth for at least half a century, and it It is important that we campaign for cheaper week! about how to act in the political turmoilseems an understatement to say millennials are housing and more public housing, that we fight for occurring today. We should be marchingcaught between the hammer and the anvil. higher wages, that we push for free education for The government was thinking about and striking again; against inequality, all. But we must not forget that without socialist scrapping unemployment benefits for capitalism and austerity All of this is part of a bigger picture – the de- revolution, it is impossible to achieve these de-caying capitalist system. The global market is satu- mands once and for all 3rated with overproduction of goods. Forcing wages

REVOLUTIONWHY WE ARE fighting foby Rob Sewell“WE SHALL NOT ACHIEVE SOCIALISM WITHOUT A STRUGGLE” - LENINWe have the brains to send rockets to It is like the country has been struck by a Just like under slavery, the slaves did all Of course, Mr Buffett doesn’t run all these Jupiter, map the human genome and natural disaster or war. People are in need, the work and the slave-owners lived off their companies himself. He employs managers toeven invent self-driving cars, so why can’t we but they can’t afford to buy the things they labour. In feudal times, the peasant serfs did do that for him. After all, he is a busy man.solve our everyday problems? The wonders of produce. all the work and the nobility lived off their pro-modern science are truly amazing – so why duce. Under capitalism, although disguised, “But I work damn hard”, he would nocan’t we provide enough homes or eradicate Big business apologists say there is no it is the same. The workers do all the work doubt object. They are not always in the Ba-poverty and hardship? alternative. This is the way the “market” works and the capitalists take all the profits. While hamas or on the golf course, not ALL the time - as if shutting down factories like matchboxes the workers are free, they are forced to sell anyway. They read the papers to see how their Britain is not a backward country starved and chucking people out of work is natural. themselves for a wage. At work, they produce shares are doing. This can be exhausting, butof resources. However today in the 21st In the process, the rich are getting richer and more value than they receive in wages. This it does not produce real wealth (see Capitalistcentury ordinary people are suffering from the poor poorer. is where the profits come from, the unpaid parasites).unemployment, homelessness, zero-hour con- labour of the workers.tracts, falling living standards and increased But is this right? Should people suffer CAPITALIST PARASITESstress at work. Young people, even if they get unemployment? Should people live in poverty? Long ago, the capitalists actually produceda degree, are prevented from getting a decent Should people be homeless? Should we allow things. But today, they are parasites. If you Before the war, a man called John Stracheyjob or career. The future looks bleak and people die for lack of medicines? People go look at the Sunday Times Rich List, you see answered the question of whether the capi-people are understandably very angry. hungry, while agriculture is subsidised to that most rich people get their money from talists deserve their wealth. Let us imagine keep land idle to keep up profits! inheritance, property, insurance, banking, a country, he said, in which all the roads had Meanwhile, the billionaire class and their financial services, and such like. They buy and toll gates across them (although the roadstycoon friends (the infamous 1%) own fine We say we must put an end to this! We sell currencies or bonds. They even trade in were maintained at the public’s expense, asmansions, art collections, super yachts, luxury must do away with this dog-eat-dog society, junk bonds and are involved in take-overs, now). Let us suppose that the toll-gate ownerscars and travel around in private jets. They where a tiny elite scoop all the benefits at the acquisitions, and buy-outs. lived by their gates, and when a vehicle cameemploy servants and nannies on minimum expense of the majority. down the road, they would run out and openwages to be at their beck and call. The stock exchange is like a giant gam- and shut their gates, and the vehicle owners Working people have the skills and bling casino. The livelihoods of millions are would pay a toll. The economists of such a The 62 richest people on the planet own know-how. They built the houses, skyscrap- hanging on the throw of the dice of these country would certainly say that these toll-gateas much as the poorest 3.6 billion; the top 1% ers and bridges. They built the ocean liners, billionaire gamblers. Driven by greed, they owners earned every penny they got. After all,owns more than the bottom 99%, and the top aeroplanes and submarines. They even built would sell their granny if they could make a they were working very hard, out in all sorts ofone-tenth of 1% own almost as much as the rockets that can reach the end of our solar profit from it. weathers, opening and shutting their gates.bottom 90%. system. We have the potential talent to get things done. And this talent must be used not Take the billionaire Warren Buffet. His The economists would say that these While the rich wine and dine in luxury, a lot to make the rich super-rich but to solve our business has a cash pile of $67bn for “acquisi- hard-working toll-gate entrepreneurs were ab-of ordinary parents forego meals in order to basic problems. tions”, namely buying and selling companies. solutely indispensable. In fact, the roads couldprevent their children going to school hungry. He said it was like an “elephant hunt”. Mr not function without them. And if anybodyWhile the super-rich bask in riches, rickets But under capitalism, where profit is king, Buffet, rifle in hand, managed to bag a textile said that the traffic would run better if thereand tuberculosis have once again returned this is not allowed. The bankers and capital- company and turn into the largest conglomer- weren’t any toll gates, they would be told notto our poverty-stricken cities. Welcome to ists who run our society are only interested in ate in the United States. to ask such disruptive questions!society in the 21st century! making more and more money. No profit, no homes built. No profits, no jobs. On their grave This conglomerate covers insurance and Whether a person works hard and is paid a“BEHIND EVERY GREAT FORTUNE IS A stones will be inscribed R.I.P - Rent, Interest, banking, railways, manufacturing and energy fortune does not mean that his or her work isCRIME” - HONORE DE BALZAC Profit. companies, and has tentacles in other large of the slightest use. This applies equally to to- companies. Mr Buffet financed the merger day’s hedge-fund managers, currency specula-WHY SHOULD WE PUT UP WITH THIS? WHO REALLY PRODUCES THE WEALTH? between Kraft and Heinz and the takeover of tors, bankers and big business sharks, as withOur capitalist economy operates with booms Canada’s Tim Hortons coffee chain by Burger the toll-gate owners of old. They are parasites,and slumps. With every slump, industries are Very few of these super-rich people actually King. His latest addition is a network of US living off the labour of others.closed down or “mothballed” and workers are work. They spend most of their time wining car dealerships. For him, it is like a game ofthrown onto the dole. Workers in Port Talbot and dining and on the golf course. They Monopoly. One rich capitalist described our timesand other steel towns are facing such a crisis, instead employ managers and accountants to as “an era of rewarding ourselves with otherthat threaten to turn their communities into look after their money in off-shore accounts. “Take-overs” are then made more profita- people’s money.” These blood-suckers live a lifeghost towns. But even if they did work, they wouldn’t actu- ble by sacking workers. This reduces “costs” of luxury, where an army of attendants cater ally produce anything of value. They simply and squeezes those workers who are left. for their every need, as with all ruling classes. shuffle their money around. It is the working That’s how they make more money, from the class that produces the wealth of society, not sweat of the workers. them.4

SOCIALIST.NETor socialist revolutionEYE-WATERING INEQUALITY the opposite end. Machines replace labour, reduce the age of retirement to 50. 60This billionaire class – the infamous 1% - can- making people “redundant”, while those who Why not? Capitalism has shown it cannotnot personally consume their ever-increasing remain in work are force to work even harder. secondspiles of wealth. They can only gorge so much Work becomes increasingly a crushing burden work, but is in a state of permanent crisis. Wecaviar and champagne! They can only live on the shoulders of fewer and fewer workers. need a rationally planned system, democrati- Last year 2.7 million childrenin one mansion or drive one limo at a time. You no longer work to live, but live to work. cally run by ordinary people. under the age of 5 died fromTherefore, most of their wealth is invested to Everyone is chained to a treadmill that is malnutrition worldwide. Mean-get more wealth! They are sick with greed and getting faster and faster. Some people actually Despite the monstrous bureaucratic while in Britain 15 million tonneshave acquired riches beyond anyone’s wildest work themselves into an early grave. While regime of Stalinism, the Russian economy of food and drink is thrown awaydreams. work gets harder and harder, the billionaire after 1917, gave a glimpse of the colossal class become more idle and richer still. possibilities of a planned economy. For each year. “Work hard and one day you too will be instance, in the ten years from 1958 to 1968, 22,000 children worldwiderich!”, so we are told. Of course, this is a joke. But as we produce more with fewer work- 100 million houses were built in Russia, more die every day due to living inA few individuals may manage to crawl up the ers, who will be left to buy the goods that are than the whole of Western Europe, Japan and poverty. Meanwhile at the age ofladder by treading over everyone else. But the produced? Robots or new machines can’t buy the United States put together. Imagine with 25 Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke ofreality is: workers can work as hard as pos- things or consume stuff. We end up again in the democratic traditions of British workers Westminster, recently inheritedsible, but they will always be workers. Hard a crisis of overproduction - the economics of and the high level of culture and technique, we a £9bn fortune, on which hework won’t improve our lot, but simply makes today’s madhouse capitalism. would not need a bureaucracy, but would have dodged the inheritance tax.the capitalists richer. Today, the share of na- a democratic socialist Britain. Imagine what A woman working for Sportstional cake going to labour is falling, while the You only have to think: we have more we could achieve? Direct gave birth in the ware-slice going to big business is growing. time-saving gadgets than ever before, but we house toilets for fear of what apparently end up with no time. If used for the The use of automation and the free time would happen to her if she took In Britain, average top boss’s pay has benefit of society as a whole, automation and it provides could give people the opportunity time off work. Meanwhile thesurged to almost £5million – 183 times that of robotics could be of colossal benefit. It would to develop themselves to the full. For the first billionaire boss of Sports Direct,workers, up from 160 times in 2010. The top allow us to do away with most manual work time, it would free people to become involved Mike Ashley, commutes to workten highest chief executives earned over £156 and abolish the burden and stress of over in the running of industry and society. Genuinemillion between them. work. Instead of working longer and longer workers’ democracy, freed from bankers by helicopter. hours, this technology would allow us to have and capitalists, would thrive. In place of this Over 7,500 people sleep “ANY CITY, HOWEVER SMALL, IS IN FACT a working day of say three hours in a five-day dictatorship of big business, we will have the rough in London every night. DIVIDED INTO TWO, ONE THE CITY OF THE working week, with higher pay. Again, a work- democratic rule of working people. Meanwhile there are an estimat- POOR; THE OTHER OF THE RICH; THESE ing week of 10 or 5 hours would be possible, ed 57,000 empty homes in the ARE AT WAR WITH ONE ANOTHER” - where everyone would share the benefits But ordinary people can’t run society, they PLATO say. They don’t have the expertise. But that is city. Of course, on the basis of capitalism, this not true. Working people do all the real work Average wages in BritainCAPITALISM IS CRISIS would not be possible. “All production is for around here. They can tell you exactly how have fallen by 10.4% since 2010.In addition, crises are built into the capitalist the purpose of ultimately satisfying a con- best to run their own workplace or office. Meanwhile last year MPs award-system. “Crises”, explained Karl Marx, “by sumer”, states the economist John Maynard They can run it far better than the managers. ed themselves a pay rise of 11%their periodic return put on its trial, each time Keynes. But this is not true. Production under Of course, we would welcome the help of and next year the Queen will getmore threateningly, the existence of entire capitalism is geared to the maximisation of technicians, computer analysts, scientists,capitalist society…” The main contradiction profit, not the satisfaction of need. engineers and those with skills. a £2.8m pay rise.of capitalism is that the working class cannotbuy back all the wealth it produces. This leads WHAT WOULD SOCIALISM LOOK LIKE? The colossal wastage under capitalism 5to overproduction, where too much is pro- would be done away. For example, govern-duced that can be profitably sold. This leads to The resources are there. But they are in the ments spend hundreds of billions of dollars onfactories closing and workers forced onto the hands of the capitalists. The only way around weapons of mass destruction. There are nowdole. We experienced such a capitalist slump this would be take the control of the economy 15,700 known warheads on the planet, within 2008-9, which was the worst since the Great out of their hands and put it into our hands. enough power to destroy the world severalDepression of the 1930s. We are still reeling To do this a socialist government would need times over. What a scandalous waste! It wouldfrom the effects. to nationalise - not the small shops (who we be far better to convert factories producing would help to escape the grip of the landlords bombs into ones producing things we need. Mass unemployment has become a fact and banks) - but the 150 major monopoliesof everyday life. Over 10% unemployment is that completely dominate the economy, along Socialist planning is a natural stepconsidered a problem, but 5% of people out of with the banks and finance houses. Of course, forward. Even the capitalists, who preach thework is considered “full employment”! Millions we would not compensate these fat-cat virtues of the market, do not apply the marketof people, especially of young people, see their owners, as they have been bleeding us for far in their own factories and workplaces. Heretalents wasted. Even if you have a university too long. They could emigrate to some desert everything is planned down to the last item,degree, it makes little difference. Every year, island, where they would enjoy themselves for using the latest technology. All we are sayingmillions of work-years of potential production the remainder of their lives. is that the whole economy should be run onare wasted due to capitalist unemployment. such a planned basis, rather than being left toThe system is stuck in a blind alley... and On that basis, we would then draw up the vagaries of blind market forces. Of course,things are getting worse. a democratic plan of production based on by planning, we do not mean the dictates peoples’ needs, and harness all the resources of unelected managers, but the democratic In 2013, a report by the Oxford Martin to get the job done. Production based on need, involvement of all.School estimated that half the jobs in the US not profit, would increase production by 20%were at high risk of vanishing within a decade or 25% every year! The billions of extra wealth This will allow us finally to all live our livesor two. Yes, half the jobs! Gone! created could be used to benefit everyone! We to the full. Art and culture, which was the could end homelessness and overcrowding by preserve of a privileged minority, would nowCAPITALISM IS MADNESS launching a mass house building programme. be available to the mass of people.This loss of jobs is not confined to the USA, We could slash rents to no more than 2% ofbut applies everywhere. The fact that people income (instead of 50% today), introduce a liv- Such a revolutionary transformation wouldlose their jobs because of automation and the ing wage for all, provide free gas and electric- not simply take place in one country. It will beuse of robots is crazy. What a condemnation of ity, and introduce free public transport, which the basis for a world revolution and the estab-capitalism! The tremendous advance of robot- would cut pollution and improve our health lishment a world federation of socialist states.ics and technology could open up unparalleled (and would dramatically reduce pressureopportunities of a world free from burden on the health service). We would build more Society will then be based on the principleand toil. However, under capitalism it serves schools and hospitals and make all education “from each according to their ability, to each free, with grants for those who wish to go to according to their need.” In other words, an continue their studies in university. We would international classless society based upon solidarity and the harmonious satisfaction of everyone’s needs and where the miseries of capitalism will end up in the dustbin of history. That is a future worth fighting for. Join us!

REVOLUTIONM A R X I S T S T U D E N T. C O M @marxiststudent @MarxistStudentREVOLUTIONARY STRATEGY IN UNIVERSITIES ELLEN MORTON, MSF EXECThe Marxist Student Federation is an organ- movement and society as a whole. We run Marx- isation of young people across the country, ist societies in schools and on campuses wherejoined together to fight for the overthrow of anyone is welcome to come along to discuss,capitalism and to establish a new, socialist soci- debate and learn more about Marxism. Weety. We operate through groups in universities, are also active in student politics, engaging inschools and colleges where we come together debates with other societies, running in studentto discuss and debate the ideas of Marxism elections, and having a strong presence at theand how they relate to current issues such as NUS conference where we put forward boldglobal warming, terrorism or the refugee crisis. socialist demands.We also join up with workers to link the studentmovement to the greater struggle for socialism. We know that the student movement must link up with the wider struggle, and so we For young people today, capitalism offers support striking workers on the picket lines,no future. Our generation is faced with unprec- we march at demonstrations and we run cam-edented levels of unemployment, the clawing paigns, such as the Mexico Solidarity Campaign,back of the welfare state and other reforms the Youth Against Blacklisting campaign andwon in the past, as well as poor housing, high our new revolutionary housing campaign.rents and student debt. More and more youngpeople are looking for alternatives to the cur- It’s clear that the economic and politicalrent broken system. In recent years young peo- situation in the UK is part of an internationalple across the world have become politicised picture of high unemployment, rising povertyand active; whether that’s through coming out and the shaking of the establishment; a picturein support of Jeremy Corbyn, fighting for an OXI of capitalism in crisis. We link up with othervote in the Greek referendum, being involved revolutionary youth across the world, fromin #BlackLivesMatter in the USA or fighting the sending delegates to the Esquerda Marxistabrutal government repression of teachers and youth camp in Brazil to sending messages ofstudents in Mexico. support and solidarity to the Revolutionary Young Marxists involved in the student protests Our aim is to introduce as many of these in South Africa. Only through fighting togetherpeople as possible to the ideas of Marxism, can we overthrow the rotten capitalist system.so that real gains can be won for the student Join us!marxists glasgow Corbyn, Fight for Socialism’ to link up with are also being made with students at Shef- This year in Glasgow University Marxist what’s going on in politics right now. field Hallam University. Overall, 2016/17 looksto take Society we'll have one or maybe two stalls to be a strong year for Marxist education and at our freshers fair, where we will be selling Another really exciting event we have organisation in Sheffield. books and papers as well as signing people coming up is a ‘Socialism vs Capitalism’ de- up to our mailing list and hopefully the MSF. bate. Southampton Marxists are also hoping DE MONTFORt to arrange more society events with other In our introductory meeting we've decided to societies including the Feminist Society. LEICESTERunivers take a slightly different approach from usual. We will also be running a weekly Marxist After a successful first year, the De Montfort Rather than a general ‘What is Marxism?’ Reading Group in which we will be reading Marxist society is ready for another year topic we are thinking instead we will discuss and discussing several short Marxist texts, on campus. Last September, at the Fresher’s like The Communist Manifesto by Marx and Fair we had nearly 80 people register for our ‘What is going on with the world?’ as this Engels, and The State and Revolution by Lenin. society, and this next year we plan to get an even bigger following, however challengingities seems to be the question most young people As usual, the society will continue to sup- that may be. We will be working harder to are asking themselves when they see Trump, port the strikes and actions of university staff engage more with new and current DMU ISIS, Brexit etc. on the news and on social and will be showing solidarity with workers students that hold the same thirst for more on the picket lines at both local and national radical, socialist-inspired change on campus media. This is a great opportunity to put for- rallies. and across the city of Leicester. ward the Marxist explanation and solution to SHEFFIELD Some grand plans we have lined upby storm these things. We are also obviously planning include, a Marxist weekend away in Scotland to have a meeting on Scotland and its ongoing Sheffield Marxist Society is now entering next Spring, more weekly lead-offs (and individual political situation in which we can its 5th successive year. This wealth of debates) on key theoretical concepts, and we put foreword a Marxist perspective on the knowledge and experience is reflected in the will be aiming to be more active in campaigns a diverse committee of dedicated members. and demonstrations all across the country. As SNP, Scottish Labour and the possible second With 3 undergraduates, an international a society, we strongly support Corbyn and aim postgraduate, a PHD student and 2 workers, to empower students on campus to support Scottish Referendum. Sheffield will be well equipped to intervene his movement too. Overall, our key aim is to and inform in political events in the area. remain optimistic, regardless of what the SOUTHAMPTON Student Union will throw at us again this year Sheffield’s late term times mean that the and to stand ready for radical political and Southampton University’s Marxist student first meeting will not be held until the 2 nd of social change, even if it may only be presently society has been growing rapidly, becom- October. However the group is holding regular at a small scale ing one of the largest in the Marxist Student meetings throughout the summer and will be Federation. To keep the society alive and prepared to make an effective impact at the growing we have planned events such as Fresher’s Fair on the 28th September. Links ‘What is Marxism?’ to introduce new members of the society to the basic ideas, and ‘Defend6

SOCIALIST.NETSTALIN - BETRAYER OF THE REVOLUTIONby ed rosier, manchester marxistsThe Russian Revolution was the most important The failure of the German revolution in 1918 socialism but a totalitarian caricature. event in history, where for the first time the left the USSR completely isolated in the world. Whilst it would be easy to attribute the subse-workers came to power and swept out all the With no support from any countries, the Russianlandlords and capitalists. That revolution was led Revolution was in a “besieged fortress”. At the quent degeneration of the Russian Revolution toby the Bolshevik Party under Lenin and Trotsky. time, 70% of Russians were illiterate. Therefore the cruel and power obsessed nature of Stalin’s new regime had to rely upon many officials from character, this is a flawed analysis. As Marx says, However, due to the revolution’s isolation in the old Tsarist regime. Many of the worker Bolshe- whilst individuals create their own history, theya backward semi-feudal country, surrounded by viks were killed in the civil war waged the White do not act as “free agents”, but are mouldedhostile imperialist powers, the revolution suffered counter-revolutionary armies backed by foreign by the objective conditions around them. It wasa bureaucratic degeneration. After Lenin’s death, a intervention. the isolation of the revolution under terriblebureaucracy seized power, at whose head was Jo- backward conditions that produced Stalinism.seph Stalin. He consolidated power by eliminating This meant that a layer of bureaucrats began If the revolution had succeeded in the West, theall opposition, especially Trotsky’s Left Opposition. to creep back. Many of these careerists had no Russians would have been given assistance and interest in seeing the success of a genuinely the bureaucratic deformations eliminated. But the Trotsky, who opposed Stalinism to the end, socialist revolution. This was the beginning of isolation sealed the fate the Revolution.wrote a biography of Stalin, to explain Stalin’s rise a period in which economic growth continuedfrom obscurity to become the dictator of the So- rapidly thanks to the planned economy (instead In terms of what this means for 21st centuryviet Union. However, the book was never finished of a capitalist economy), but where the grip of the revolution, it is vital that we oppose any bureau-as Trotsky was murdered by a Stalinist agent in working class was increasingly weakened. With cratic imposition. We are fighting for a workers’August 1940. more defeats internationally, the bureaucracy democracy, where there is complete control by the strengthened its hold on power. working class. There will be no one party state, The first complete edition of Trotsky’s unfin- there will be free elections, the right of recall, noished biography of Stalin has just been published The masses were tired and weary after years official on higher than workers’ wages and theby Wellred Books. It was recently launched in Mex- of war, civil war and exhaustion. The Bolsheviks rotation of all functions between different people.ico by Alan Woods, the editor, and Esteban Volkov, looked to world revolution to save them. Stalin,Trotsky’s grandson in the place where Trotsky was who was a second rate figure, reflected the inter- Socialist revolution in the West be completelymurdered. ests of the bureaucrats. After Lenin’s death, Stalin different to Russia in 1917. The conditions in managed to wheedle himself into power at the Russia of widespread illiteracy and economic As Trotsky explained, a “river of blood” sepa- head of a growing bureaucratic reaction. Instead backwardness don't exist. There is a very highrates Stalinism from Bolshevism. An understand- of world revolution, he put forward “socialism cultural level, where people can participate fullying of Stalinism and its counter-revolutionary na- in one country”, which suited the bureaucrats. in the running of society. We do not need a bureau-ture is vital for all socialists and revolutionaries. Through this base of support he consolidated cracy as much of the economic organisation ofThe Marxist analysis contained within the book his rule and purged the heroes of the revolution society can now be computerised. Additionally thewill be key for anyone attempting to understand who opposed him, including, most famously, Leon interconnectedness of the modern world makes aeither the USSR or the role of Stalin. Trotsky who he exiled and murdered. revolution in one country far more likely to spread rapidly around the world. Stalin’s dictatorship in the USSR can be char- Stalin’s mediocrity reflected the interestsacterised as a degeneration workers’ state, where of the officialdom. Stalin was created by the On this basis, with a correct leadership, thethe economy is nationalised, but the working machine. He became their figure head, creating world revolution is now far more likely to succeedclass has been denied control by a monstrous re- a totalitarian regime in the USSR and in the and develop than was the case in the 20th century.gime run by bureaucratic and dictatorial methods. leadership of the so-called Communist Party. The Marxists can have high hopes therefore for the Communist Parties were purged and became a success of the world revolution which is already The Bolsheviks did not believe you could mouthpiece for the Moscow bureaucracy. The beginning to take shape amongst the workingestablish “socialism in one country”, especially result of Stalin’s dictatorship, documented by classes in every country. Head over toin backward Russia, but was the beginning of a Trotsky in his book, was not the establishment of wellredbooks.net now to order your copy of the firstworld socialist revolution. Unfortunately, the rev-olutions in other countries were betrayed by their ever complete edition of Trotsky’s Stalinreformist leaders.Everywhere young people are angry at what been at the forefront of change. They are tice. They explained only the revolutionary against student fees, zero hour contracts, is going on. The capitalist system is in searching for an alternative to this rule of overthrow of the system and its replacement high rents, and every other attack on youngdeep crisis and it offers no future for young bankers and capitalists. Conditions every- with a socialist planned economy would take people, but we will link these issues with thepeople. In one country after another they are where are preparing revolutionary events. humanity out if this nightmare. need to change society. Don't stand on thebeginning to challenge the establishment and sidelines. Join us in this fight.its 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 capital- “WITHOUT REVOLUTIONARY THEORY, THEREStates, youth are taking to the streets. Many lutely essential. Marxism provides us with the ism. We need to prepare ourselves for the CAN BE NO REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENT” LENINare drawing revolutionary conclusions. knowledge of revolution. Marx, Engels, Lenin stormy events that lie ahead. The REVOLUTION and Trotsky, demonised by the ruling class, paper is helping to prepare this. Our task is HEAD TO SOCIALIST.NET/JOIN-US.HTM This is not surprising. Youth have always showed the way forward in theory and prac- to educate, organise and agitate. We will fight TO JOIN! 7

REVOLUTION SOCIALIST.NET “LANDLORDS DERIVE THEIR LIVING FROM THE RENTS THEY EXTORT OUT OF THE POISONOUS SLUMS IN WHICH THEY ARE SLOWLY MURDERING THE CHILDREN OF THE WORKING CLASS” - JAMES CONNOLLYnationalise the HOUSING SUPPORTconstruction FRANKIE s;lashed ALEX JOHNSON TOYNTON UNITE LONDONcompanies NEWCASTLE Iwork for a housing association for to help out as much as I can, but the MARXISTS homeless people, working with association itself is cutting staff and really vulnerable people who are piling more and more work on thoseHome, the saying goes, is where the heart is. Yet First time buyers' prospects are staggeringly homeless through drug or alcohol of us who are left. The little extra I increasingly it is there that we are forced to bear grim. A single person now has to save up for an addiction or disability. Loads of the can do to help these people I have tothe most sickening attacks. Manipulative agen- average of thirteen years to buy a first home. For staff where I work have been made do in secret because it’s not allowedcies, dodgy landlords and a pathetic government students, the outlook is also appalling. Numerous redundant recently and standards by the association.house-building programme are pricing millions, espe- universities fail to offer accommodation for under have been lowered dramatically.cially those of us under thirty, out of a decent home £100 per week, and once freshers' We’ve contacted trade unionsof our own. In response we need a revolutionary year is over, agencies swoop like Thanks to austerity my housing about the situation and I’ve been get-housing campaign. We demand a socialist housing vultures to pick any remaining cash association has lost almost all of ting involved in Unite. But I’ve beenpolicy in a socialist Britain. from the carcass of our gener- its contracts with the local council asked by my boss not to publicly ation. We have to fight these to support homeless people. The con- display any association with Unite at We have to take on the enemy's forces and tac- parasites. tracts have instead gone to compa- work because he wants to promotetics. Take house prices, for example; the house price nies who undercut associations like a more “workplace positive environ-to earnings ratio is over 9:1 in London. The price of a Our campaign needs mine by paying their staff appallingly ment”, whatever that means.typical home in the UK is now £198,564, well beyond to lay bare the devious low wages and making them workthe means of the majority. This leads us to housing establishment and the under terrible conditions. This isn’t just happening where Ibenefits, which are nowhere near adequate to cover need to overthrow work. It’s happening everywhere andthe near-five million people who rely on them. it. Expropriations of As a result the vulnerable people it’s a product of austerity policies profiteering landlords; previously looked after by my asso- and the capitalist system. When the The abject neglect of council housing over the nationalisations of ciation have lost almost all of the system can’t provide decent housinglast twenty-five years means that the number of local construction com- support they were relying on. I try for everyone and acceptable workingauthority dwellings have halved to just two million panies and well or-since 1991. Meanwhile, the Tories' laughable notion ganised rent strikes STRIKE LIKE A GLASWEGIANof what an affordable housing programme should be are on the order ofmeans that over 1.3 million people are on a waiting the day, and it is richard baywood the rent strike. She built an armylist for “affordable homes” for which rent (£2,400) Corbyn and the of women who physically stoppedmay exceed the average monthly salary (£2,200). This new generation In 1915 women in Glasgow led bailiffs from evicting rent strikersforces people into the grasping hands of the private around him who a militant and successful rent by pelting them with flour bombs.rented sector. must take up strike. Unscrupulous landlords By November 1915 the strike was the fight.. Join so big and successful that the Notoriously dodgy private landlords remain at our campaign saw the First World War as a government was forced to fix rentslarge, ripping off anyone who falls into their clutches. for a socialist chance to increase rents while at pre-war levels.A landlord in England may evict a tenant, on nothing future where working class men were awaybut a whim, with just six months notice. The Wilsons everyone The way we're being treated byare an example, shameless profiteers who were res- has a safe, at war. They saw the women rip-off landlords today is enough tocued by the Bank of England but happily evict tenants secure as a soft target who wouldn't cause movements like this to breakon housing benefit. The same goes for the UK's larg- place to call be able to fight back against out again. There's a lot we canest housing agency and the unfortunate executives at home. learn from Mary Barbour and theGrainger PLC, who had to settle for a reduced bonus rent rises. How wrong they Glasgow rent strike, and this timeof just £2,192,000 in 2015. were. around we'll be aiming for an even bigger victory Political activist Mary Barbour led the fightback and initiatedREVOLUTION! - A THREE DAY FESTIVAL OF MARXIST IDEAS - SESSIONS INCLUDE: WHAT IS TROTSKYISM? DEFEND CORBYN, FIGHT FOR SOCIALISM MARXIST ECONOMICSHUNGARIAN UPRISING OF 1956 80 YEARS SINCE SPANISH CIVIL WAR MARXIST PHILOSOPHYFRI 21 - SUN 23 OCTOBER | CENTRAL LONDON | £10 | [email protected] FOR MORE INFO