Capitalism

Put people before profit to fight Coronavirus

The government's response to the Coronavirus puts big business first, but we need real solutions that benefit the public instead, argues Richard Allday
Teachers in New York forced schools to close; we need to do the same

Don't play dice with people's lives. Close schools now, argues Shabbir Lakha
Laugh through the lockdown

Five of the best novels to keep you laughing while you sharpen your critical faculties from John Rees
Branson's pickle

Richard Branson tries to be a poster boy for capitalism's supposed humanity but in truth he respresents its worst depravity, argues Morgan Daniels
Coronavirus is exposing capitalism - video

Kevin Ovenden speaks to Double Down News on how the nature of capitalism is being shown for what it is in this crisis
Coronavirus, climate, and capital: capitalism's destructive irrationality

Capitalism is subjecting itself to great strain and we must be prepared to help it on its way, writes John Clarke
Coronavirus: keep calm and carry on is not a policy but an abdication of responsibility

Government response is a key factor in how the virus is affecting populations and we will all pay for the inertia of our own, argues Kevin Potter
Coronavirus: market failure

In his third note on the Covid-19 outbreak, Dr Yannis Gourtsoyannis examines the role of the market in the apparent crisis on our shelves
Coronavirus: 8 demands we should make on the government

Any effective response to the virus outbreak will require radical solutions that put human lives before profits and markets, argues Alistair Cartwright
Coronavirus – the trigger for a slump?

Michael Roberts explains why Coronavirus has destabilised the global economy
Coronavirus: how effective are facemasks?

In his second note on the political economy of the imminent Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Yannis Gourtsoyannis looks at the antinomies of facemasks
A flood of anger

Outrage at government inaction is growing in the country's flood-hit areas, reports John Westmoreland
The socialist argument against the Tory anti-immigrant offensive

The labour movement cannot give any credence to the Tories' arguments and must ferociously oppose this anti-immigration clampdown says Kevin Ovenden
Coronavirus: an effect of global agribusiness

Growing profit first and food second is the reason for the virus. Look to modern industrial farming for the culprit, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh
In the Red Corner: the Marxism of José Carlos Mariátegui - book review

Mike Gonzalez, In The Red Corner, recovers José Carlos Mariátegui’s Marxist understanding of Latin America in the context of the development of capitalism, finds Orlando Hill
As Australia burns, climate strikes set for a new phase

Lucy Nichols reports on twelve months of student-led protest
Leaving the EU: this is about what sort of society we want – and it isn’t Johnson’s

As Britain leaves the EU at 11pm tonight, the future is up for grabs, and the fight continues, argues Martin Hall
How America Became Capitalist - book review

James Parisot’s How America Became Capitalist uncovers the contested and contradictory history of capitalist development in the United States, finds Dominic Alexander
Our world is burning

As the wild fires rage, Laura Morales gives a personal view of the situation in Australia
Capitalism and colonialism: hiding the past on stolen land

John Clarke reflects on the legacy of capitalism and the genocidal dispossession of indigenous peoples in Canada
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism - book review

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism raises important questions about the authoritarian use of digital technologies, but the solution needs to be radical, argues Reece Goscinski
The Coming Revolution: Capitalism in the 21st Century - book review

The Coming Revolution is an impressive guide for Marxists looking for a way to approach contemporary capitalism, argues Josh Newman
The Debt System - book review

The Debt System argues that international debt is a system of exploitation of poorer countries, which should be regarded as illegitimate, finds Phil Armstrong
Our NHS is not for sale - all out to tell Trump

With proof that the NHS is ‘on the table’, we need to make next week’s anti-Trump demo massive, argues Tom Lock Griffiths
Gold Digger - TV review

The oppression of family and class unite in this taboo-busting drama, writes Sofie Mason
Neoliberalism, the left and the Crisis of the British State - book extract

In the first of two excerpts from ‘The British State: A Warning’, Chris Nineham examines how neoliberalism has shaped our state institutions
Labour's right, billionaires shouldn't exist

Billionaires are evidence of the grotesque inequality in society and Labour is right to say a fair society wouldn't have them, writes Shabbir Lakha
The British State: A Warning

As the left prepares for the possibility of taking power, Chris Nineham's timely new book analyses the British state and what the left can expect
Labour must be anti-Establishment not pro-Remain

The buccaneer politics of Johnson’s deal has to be fought tooth-and-nail, argues Chris Nineham
Pensions: the system isn't working

We need a radically different system based on needs that works for pensioners and young people alike, argues Reuben Bard-Rosenberg
William Morris: father of socialist ecology

William Morris is one of the greatest environmentalists of the socialist tradition and his work becomes more relevant by the day, writes Gabriel Polley
Glasgow strikes for climate justice

This is an issue that unites the class, writes UCU activist Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
There are no jobs on a dead planet: we want system change not climate change

The message from Newcastle is clear
The Biofuels Deception: Going Hungry on the Green Carbon Diet - book review

Biofuels turn out not to be a sustainable replacement for fossil-fuels, but just another way for agribusiness to maintain profits, finds Elaine Graham-Leigh
Labour: these aren't clever tactics, they are the establishment's tactics

The real trap is in playing the establishment's games, writes John Rees
“Life-long member of the non-pretty working classes” - All Woman review

In All Woman, Kathy Burke has tackled ‘beauty’ and ‘motherhood’ and next up is that big messy hot potato of ‘relationships’, writes Sofie Mason
The Amazon fire: a neoliberal crime scene

The destruction of the Amazon rainforest is no accident, it is the product of Bolsonaro's neoliberal policies, argues Nathan Street
Amazon fire: our lungs are on fire

Chrissy Brand joined the demonstrators outside the Brazilian Embassy in London on August 23rd. She is one of millions who realise that climate change can only be held at bay by a fundamental system change
The caring capitalists of corporate America

When American capitalists pretend to care we know they are afraid, argues John Clarke
A new global recession is coming

Capitalism expands in booms and slumps and we're due a slump, writes Michael Roberts
Where is the love?

An anti-arms trade campaigner explains what the DSEI arms fair is and why it is so important to join the protests against it when it comes to London in September
Can the Working Class Change the World? - book review

If the working class is to change the world, it needs serious strategies to find unity and overcome divisions, not woolly moralism, argues Richard Allday
The Coming of the American Behemoth - book review

Roberto’s The Coming of the American Behemoth argues that fascist-like processes arose from the essential workings of monopoly capitalism in 1930s America, finds Martin Hall
What is Modern Monetary Theory, and can it work?

Modern Monetary Theory will not offer us the full-blooded attack on capitalist economic organisation that we need, argues Susan Newman
From Commune to Capitalism - book review

A valuable analysis of China’s turn to neoliberalism since the late 1970s needs to be put in the longer context of Chinese state capitalism, argues Sean Ledwith
Nasty but vulnerable: why we can get rid of Boris

Boris Johnson is dangerous and it is imperative we build a movement to stop him, argues Katherine Connelly
The problem with citizens’ assemblies

As a citizens' assembly to deal with climate change is announced, Elaine Graham-Leigh looks at the idea’s limitations
Stonewall 50

Marking the half-centenary of the Stonewall riots, Morgan Daniels looks at the history of the Stonewall Inn and what it means for radical queer politics everywhere
A Canadian genocide

Challenging Canadian colonialism means challenging Canadian capitalism, argues John Clarke
The London working class have not forgotten Grenfell

The second demonstration in two days about the horrific disaster at Grenfell Tower shows that the anger and solidarity are still strong, reports Orlando Hill
Grenfell: justice delayed is justice denied

Two years on, the anger and the grief from this urban atrocity is still undimmed, reports Isabel Carr
The Common Wind charts the black resistance movement that won - book review

Scott’s classic The Common Wind shows the world-historic impact of the Haitian Revolution of 1791, the first successful slave revolt in history, finds Dominic Alexander
Alastair Campbell isn’t a victim, he’s trying to destroy Corbyn’s leadership

Alastair Campbell is trying to destroy Corbyn's leadership. The left cannot win by capitulating to him, argues Katherine Connelly
Heineken In Africa: A Multinational Unleashed - book review

Olivier van Beemen’s meticulous exposure of Heineken’s activities in Africa show the damage done by neo-colonial capitalism, argues Ellen Graubart
Marxism in 30 minutes with John Rees - video

John Rees gives a presentation explaining what Marxism is and why it's still relevant at a London Counterfire public meeting
William Godwin: A political life - book review

A new biography lauds William Godwin, but some contemporary radicals of the 1790s offer better inspiration for the modern left, argues Dominic Alexander
Rebels for life: next steps for the climate justice movement

Recent climate activism has shifted the debate but unless the system of profit-seeking is addressed then the ecological danger will remain, argues Bill Perry
We need the labour movement to win the fight against climate change

The fight for workers' rights and jobs goes hand in hand with the fight against climate change, so we need the environmental movement and trade unionists to work together, writes Richard Allday
Thank God it's Friday: 300 years of Robinson Crusoe

On the 300 year anniversary of the publishing of Robinson Crusoe, Morgan Daniels analyses what the book really tells us from a Marxist perspective
Capitalism and climate change - can we avert disaster? - video

At a London public meeting, Elaine Graham-Leigh explains why climate change is a product of capitalism and the solution has to be one that confronts the system
World in Crisis: A Global Analysis of Marx’s Law of Profitability - book review

Marx’s law of profitability is shown in World in Crisis to explain today’s long depression, but ending capitalism requires a political strategy, argues Dominic Alexander
Seven demands for stopping climate change

Environmental activist and author, Elaine Graham-Leigh, highlights seven key demands the movement against climate change needs to be making
The Brexit crisis and the disintegration of Britain's political system

Brexit is a crisis that cuts deep into the ruling class and Theresa May's failures have brought to the fore the cracks in Britain's political system, argues Sean Ledwith
Why the EU is not internationalist

Seeing the EU as internationalist is a fundamental error rooted in a misdiagnosis of its aims and effects, argues Chris Nineham
Keywords: The New Language of Capitalism - book review

Leary’s Keywords insightfully updates a classic critique of the use of language by power, to understand the vocabulary of neoliberal capitalism, finds Oliver Eagleton
A Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank merger spells trouble

The proposed merger of German banks is a disaster waiting to happen and exposes the weaknesses at the heart of European capitalism, argues Chris Bambery
Climate Leviathan and A Foodie's Guide to Capitalism - book reviews

Two books on environmental crisis say that anti-capitalist politics are needed, but mistakenly reject the existing revolutionary tradition, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh
Old Gods, New Enigmas: Marx’s Lost Theory - book review

Mike Davis punctures many myths about Marx and shows how important the history of working-class struggle remains for today, finds Dominic Alexander
Better to overthrow the system than try to outsmart it: review of ITV's Cleaning Up

What’s not to like about humble cleaners taking advantage of massive corporations and making money from insider trading in Sheridan Smith’s latest series Cleaning Up on ITV?
Marxism and the Brexit crisis

The Brexit crisis is best understood through a strong methodological framework, argues John Rees
On new terrain - book review

Kim Moody’s book on labour, unions and capitalism, is very valuable, but revolutionary organisation is essential, argues Richard Allday
For a left populism - book review

Mouffe’s elaboration of a left populist strategy contains some useful insights but ultimately rests on the centrist ideology that it appears to criticise, argues Josh Newman
Rosa Luxemburg was a revolutionary socialist

Written in 1983, Lindsey German's introduction to Tony Cliff's book on Rosa Luxemburg gives a brief snapshot of her revolutionary life and ideas
Climate chaos is the most political issue of our time, to stop it we need systemic change

Climate breakdown is a political issue, and to stop it we need to tackle it at the root, argues Jim Scott
EastEnders at Christmas

The producers may stop short at liberal individualism, but Sofie Mason argues that the viewers of EastEnders may reach other conclusions as to what is to be done
The Apocolypse of Settler Colonialism - book review

Gerald Horne exposes how the Three Horseman of the Apocalypse - Slavery, Capitalism and White Supremacy gave birth to the rise of the West, finds Adam Tomes
The rise and fall of neoliberalism

The neoliberal order established since the 70s is collapsing and what comes out of it is down to us, argues Chris Bambery
England’s Discontents: Political Cultures and National Identities - book review

Mike Wayne’s England’s Discontentsprovides a valuable analysis of how Britain is ruled and the ideology and culture of its elite, argues Chris Bambery
A Marxist analysis of Eastenders

More than just a sentimentalised view of working class life, Eastenders can often cut through some of the big issues facing working people argues Sofie Mason
Stop Tommy Robinson, All out for 17 November - Counterfire Freesheet November 2018

Opposing the far right, people's vote, police racism, precarious workers, climate chaos, universal credit and more in this month's Counterfire freesheet
Philip Green: an embodiment of the system not an anomaly

Philip Green is a particularly odious example of the exploitation endemic to capitalism, and our response needs to confront the system that enables him, argues Mona Kamal
The Cry: capitalism ruins families - TV review

BBC One's drama The Cry paints a picture of shame and guilt associated with the family and specifically parenting under capitalism argues Sofie Mason
Marx and the fight against climate change - Counterfire Media Podcast

Elaine Graham-Leigh and Tom Lock Griffiths discuss the Marxist perspective on ecology and the fight against climate change in the third episode of Counterfire Media's Podcast
Amazon's pay raise is a tactical retreat as workers fight back

Corporate exploiters like the Jeff Bezos giant are feeling the heat as workers organise, but its pay announcement should be treated carefully, writes John Clarke
Banksy: the shredding on the wall

Banksy shredding his painting moments after it sold for over £1m at auction showed up the out-of-touch super-rich and everything wrong with modern art culture
France in 1968: myths, realities and unanswered questions

50 years on from the 1968 crisis, John Mullen gives an overview of events in France, the debates historians are having and the lessons today's anticapitalists should take
Orange is the new black - analysis

Beyond the sly humour and emotive character interactions lies a story of deep institutional repression and desire for radical new approaches to justice, argues Jago Corry
The Battle for Paradise - book review

Naomi Klein gives a stirring account of the struggle against disaster capitalism in Puerto Rico after 2017’s Hurricane Maria, finds Ellen Graubart
No business as usual: Trump’s trade wars

Trump’s trade war is another phase of capitalist crisis that could lead to a harsher world, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
Learnt nothing and forgotten everything: the next crash is coming - weekly briefing

Finance capital is a game for the rich and when it goes wrong it's our side who are expected to pay the price, argues Lindsey German
Taking back the city: direct action amid the Dublin housing emergency

Homelessness is on the rise and the state is siding with the landlords. Josh Newman reports from Dublin
UK wage stagnation is not a puzzle to solve, but an injustice to fight

Wealth redistribution has to become the key priority in our fight against austerity, insists Susan Newman
Dead-End Lives: Drugs and Violence in the City Shadows - book review

A study of poverty and drug addiction in the slums outside Madrid reveals the callous and destructive nature of the neoliberal city, argues Chris Bambery
The summer of climate chaos

The heatwave seems to be over, but with floods in Kerala to wildfires in California making history, capitalism still can’t fix climate change, writes Elaine Graham-Leigh
The dynamics of disaster

Capitalism will destroy humanity. Only working class mass mobilisation and struggle can stop this, argues John Westmoreland
The Cynical Educator - book review

Today’s education system may be making professionals into Cynics, but the answer is collective struggle, not ancient philosophy, argues Dominic Alexander
Interest rates, wages and the UK economy

As he analyses the state of the economy, Michael Roberts finds that the capitalist sector of the British economy has failed to deliver for the needs of the people
Bullshit Jobs: A Theory - book review

David Graeber’s new book raises many questions about the function and worth of work, but doesn’t entirely explain why useless work persists, finds Clare Solomon
Marxism and human nature

Mainstream conceptions of human nature are rooted in the historical development of capitalism. Elaine Graham-Leigh argues that we can only understand nature through the dialectic method
The collapse of everything, and what to do about it - weekly briefing

Two major demos in the next four weeks is a fantastic opportunity to hardwire our politics to the street, argues Lindsey German
The Storm Clouds Gather: Is there a future for the European Union?

The gathering crisis in European Union should make it clear the EU provides no haven from racism or austerity
Karl Marx: before all else a revolutionist

200 years since Marx’s birth and 170 years after the 1848 revolutions, Katherine Connelly reflects on Marx’s revolutionary contribution
Grenfell one year on - the Tories still don't care

As we approach the anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, the Tories have learnt no lessons and show only disregard and contempt argues Steph Pike
Too rich to fail - weekly briefing

“One rule for them and one rule for us” is a key mantra for neoliberalism and it has to be destroyed, argues Lindsey German
Two sides of a city: homelessness and the royal wedding

We cannot turn a blind eye to the class cleansing where homeless people are moved on whilst royal wedding fans camp out unhindered
The limits of Keynesianism part 4: the Keynesian attack on the labour theory of value

In the fourth part of our series, Dominic Alexander looks at the problems with Keynesian critiques of Marx's labour theory of value
After Windrush: this racist government must go - Counterfire Freesheet May 2018

Windrush, May 68, Palestine, UCU strike, Marx and more - Counterfire freesheet edition 025, May 2018
Was Marx an economist? What was his contribution to economics?

In her speech at 'Why Marx Was Right', Susan Newman argues that Marx's analysis of capitalism goes against everything modern economics stands for
The limits of Keynesianism part three: Marx, Keynes and the analysis of the trade cycle

In the third part of our series on Keynesianism, Dominic Alexander looks at cycles, crisis, and why Keynesianism always looks to fix capitalism
Marxism in 800 words

As we approach Karl Marx's 200th birthday, Alex Snowdon summarises Marx's key ideas in as few words as possible
Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Marx on his 200th birthday

On 5 May, leading Marxists are getting together to celebrate Marx’s 200^th birthday. Chris Nineham argues why the event matters so much.
The limits of Keynesianism part two: the assumptions Keynes makes

In the second part of our series on Keynesianism, Dominic Alexander outlines the economic and philosophical underpinnings of Keynesian thought
The limits of Keynesianism part one: John Maynard Keynes and orthodox economics

In the first part of our series considering the merits and pitfalls of Keynesian economics, Dominic Alexander looks at the history of Keynes' contribution
Basic Income: progressive cloak and neoliberal dagger

BI is not an answer to inequality under neoliberalism. Social transformation will come through collective struggle, argues John Clarke
A Redder Shade of Green - book review

Ian Angus’ essays range across many issues at the intersection of politics and environmental science, illuminating the meaning of ecosocialism, finds Kevin Crane
Paris and London: A Tale of Two Radical Cities

Chris Bambery on the history of two great capital cities, and the architecture of power.
Why we’re heading for another economic crash

Our economy continues to be tied to the vagaries of speculative finance
Environmental entropy is inescapable in capitalism

No truly effective green politics can do without a coherent argument against the capitalist mode of production, argues Nathan Street
You don't hate snow, you hate capitalism

As a blast of cold Siberian air has frozen the UK over, Tim Hinson explains how increasing temperatures in the Arctic is to blame
Studies in Pre-Capitalist Modes of Production - book review

This collection of studies on pre-capitalist societies develops vital debates on the application of the Marxist method to history in general, argues Dominic Alexander
Brexit: the need for independent working-class, anti-capitalist politics

We build on the schism in capitalist politics resulting from Brexit divisions by putting anti-racism grounded in working class politics front and centre argues Kevin Ovenden
Unco-operative capitalism - weekly briefing

The showdown between public need and private greed will mean taking on the banks and the City from the get-go, argues Lindsey German
Automation: the future, but what future?

We cannot consider automation without taking into account the mode of production in which it's operating, argues Nathan Street
Carillion, Capita and the death of a dogma

Private companies cannot be allowed to continue running public services. The consensus around this practice is thankfully crumbling, argues Sean Ledwith
The Economic Struggle for Power in Tito's Yugoslavia - book review

Vladimir Unkovski-Korica locates the roots of Yugoslavia’s bloody collapse in the ‘market socialism’ of the Tito years
We need real solutions, not tickboxing and tokenism

Jeremy Hunt saying that the NHS doesn't need more funding suggests his idea of a solution is more unpaid labour for working class women argues Kevin Ovenden
Creating an Ecological Society: Towards a Revolutionary Transformation - book review

Magdoff and Williams provide a powerful case that ecological disaster can be overcome by a revolutionary transformation of social relations
Frankenstein at 200

Frankenstein was published 200 years ago. It's a horror story but the horrors it described are rooted in capitalism as well as the imagination
Capitalism and technology: are robots going to take over - video

At a London meeting, Marxist economist Michael Roberts discusses whether or not the robot takeover is inevitable, and would advancement lead to living standards improving or further exploitation
Marxism, Social Reproduction and Women’s Liberation with Lindsey German and Kate Connelly - video

At an important Counterfire discussion, Lindsey German and Kate Connelly speak on women's oppression and how gender roles are played out within the structure of capitalism
Trump - Year One

Making sense of the Trump presidency is impossible without a systematic understanding of the forces of reaction and capitalism which paved his way, argues David Bush
Istvan Meszaros and Marx's theory of alienation

The late Hungarian philosopher explained how alienation can only be overcome by collective action which challenges capitalist relations of production
On Marx’s account of the commodity

Understanding Marx's Capital requires a clear grasp of his analysis of the commodity, writes Matthew McManus
Post-modern Trumpism and loneliness: the rise of vulgar authoritarianism

What is at the root of Trump's appeal?
The Paradise Papers show us the true nature of the monarchy

The Paradise Papers have exposed once more the deep inequalities that plight our country but they also show us a glimpse of the secretive and devious workings of the Crown argues Patricia Pino
The return of the S-word in the US

As market fundamentalism is falling out of favour, especially among the young, socialist ideas are gaining traction, writes Des Freedman
Marx, Capital and the Madness of Economic Reason - book review

David Harvey’s latest book, using all three volumes of Marx’s Capital, demonstrates the social irrationality of modern capitalism, finds Dominic Alexander
The hype machine: employers and threats of automation

The reality of automation and its impact on the labour market is a lot less dire for workers than it seems
Robots and AI: utopia or dystopia? - part 3

Michael Roberts suggests that robots will not be taking over the world of work any time soon
May Day, May Day! The Tory ship is sinking

John Rees on the reasons for the Tory debacle and what comes next
Automation and Basic Income: beyond the hype

Basic Income is not a beyond left and right answer to automation, argues David Bush
Robots and AI: utopia or dystopia? – part two

Michael Roberts explains why we would never get to a robotic society under capitalism
Robots and AI: utopia or dystopia? part one

Robots will not end the contradictions within capitalist accumulation, argues Michael Roberts
Uber: not fit, not proper

Unfettered capitalism begins to feel the leash, writes Lindsey German
Night Thoughts - book review

Night Thoughts is the subversive musings that Wallace Shawn cannot admit during the day; witty and involving, the book should be spread widely, finds Dominic Alexander
It's capitalism that has flooded Houston

Storm Harvey was as severe as it was because of climate change, but it is capitalism that made it a disaster, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh
Facing the Anthropocene: Fossil Capitalism and the Crisis of the Earth System - review

The Anthropocene is the result of post-1945 capitalism, according to Ian Angus, in a vital contribution to the ecosocialist argument, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh
Lukács, alienation and class consciousness - video

The work of Hungarian Marxist Georg Lukács, who developed one of the most powerful critiques of capitalist ideology, is introduced by Chris Nineham
Trump sends for the Marines: what could possibly go wrong? - weekly briefing

The Trump administration is like a cross between the declining Roman Empire and a reality show that has gone wrong
What is Marxism Part 1 - video

In the first of a series of meetings on Marxist theory Lindsey German introduces Marx's critique of capitalism
Brexit: division and unity on the Left

Brexit gives us a unique opportunity. Let's take it
Sound System: The Political Power of Music

Dave Randall’s Sound System is a wide ranging and highly engaging discussion of politics and music that you just can’t put down, finds Sofie Mason
Multiracial, working class unity in the fight to get justice for Grenfell Tower residents

The emergence of a united, multiracial working class has the power to deliver justice for Grenfell and get rid of the Tories, writes Tom Whittaker
Grenfell Tower fire: anger rising

With the death toll slowly rising but information still largely considered inaccurate, anger is growing. Julie Al-Hinai reports from the ground.
Capitalism in the Web of Life: Ecology and the Accumulation of Capital

Jason Moore shows that capitalism is innately destructive of its environment, but the solution is revolutionary socialist organisation, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh
The Tory crisis is the crisis of neoliberalism

The roots of their problem go deep, argues Dragan Plavšić
A People’s History of Modern Europe

Pelz’s People’s History of Modern Europe gives an illuminating history of the class struggles and revolts which accompanied the modernisation of Europe, finds Tom Whittaker
The coming war in Labour

A Corbyn-led government will provoke a determined backlash from the British establishment, including the Labour right. Radical social movements must be ready
Trump: war on the climate, war on the working class

Trump's attacks on environmental protection prove once again that he's only on the side of the capitalists, never the working class
Excitement in the French elections: the meaning of Jean-Luc Mélenchon

The leftwinger's inspiring campaign raises crucial questions about the potential and limits of state action in favour of the working class, writes John Mullen
The Highland Clearances: a capitalist tragedy

The history of the Highlands is steeped in the suffering of capitalism's victims, writes Chris Bambery
Epidemics, multinationals and capitalism

From Ebola to swine flu, multinationals and their capitalist production systems are the real causes of new epidemic diseases, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh
Fake news: capitalism and ideology - video

How can we tell fact from fiction? In this talk, Milly Williamson takes a look at how 'fake news' has always been a function of capitalism
Marxism and Women's Liberation

Judy Cox welcomes Marxism and Women’s Liberation as a timely and valuable discussion of the causes and consequences of women’s oppression
Revolution 1917: then and now

Society today may seem to be far from revolution, but the discontent because of inequality and war are bubbling under the surface argues Lindsey German
Last Stand at Standing Rock

Indigenous people and 'water protectors' were cleared out of the Oceti camp this week following Trump's go ahead to the DAPL reports Kara Bryan
Five days to revolution

This Saturday some of the world's greatest experts on the Russian Revolution are coming to London to discuss its significance today
The Capitalist University: The Transformation of Higher Education in the United States since 1945

Henry Heller’s The Capitalist University shows how higher education has served capitalism for over a hundred years, finds Orlando Hill
Trump's new Horsemen of the Apocalypse

As President-elect becomes President, Sean Ledwith takes a look at the Trump administration
What PMQs told us about Brexit and the NHS

In this week's Prime Minister's Questions, Corbyn and May battled on Brexit and the NHS. Cameron Panting takes a look at the reality behind the rhetoric
The British state and The City - part 3

The third in a three-part series, in which Chris Bambery takes a look at the intertwined history of the state and the City of London
Their Brexit and ours

The din of ruling class squabbling should not distract socialists from their own agendas, contends Lindsey German
The British state and The City - part 2

The second in a three-part series, in which Chris Bambery takes a look at the intertwined history of the state and the City of London
The British state and The City - part 1

The first in a three-part series, in which Chris Bambery takes a look at the intertwined history of the state and the City of London
Standing Rock: the struggle continues

The struggle at Standing Rock can only be overcome by challenging the system as a whole, argues George Mueller Waite
A festival of re-distribution: the real spirit of Christmas

In purging Christmas of any social meaning, capitalism creates its own gravediggers, argues Dominic Alexander
Art, Literature and Culture from a Marxist Perspective

Tony McKenna’s cultural essays show the rich possibilities of Marxist analysis for a range of art and literature, argues Sean Ledwith
The centre cannot win

Donald Trump should have been the dream opponent. A narcissistic blowhard opposed by his own party. He should have been a walk over
Beneath the bonnet: capitalism and cars

A clash of new and old forms of capitalism exposes the anarchy and wastefulness within our rotten system, writes Chris Bambery
'Brexit: what should the left be fighting for?' with Lindsey German - video

What does Brexit mean? What should we be demanding? Lindsey German takes on these questions in the second talk of our new series, tackling the big issues of the day
A dagger pointed at the heart of the Euro

Italy is set to vote in a constitutional referendum, but this is about much more than Renzi's reforms, argues Alastair Stephens
Royal Bank of Scotland: socialism for the rich

The final reckoning of the 2007/8 crash will be played out in the realm of politics not economics, argues Chris Bambery
Unionising university workers - extract

In the third extract from The Capitalist University, Henry Heller writes about growing resistance to the corporate university
Universities and the Cold War - extract

The second extract from Heller's The Capitalist University describes intellectual and political conformity that dominated academia during the Cold War
The hidden spaces of struggle

Space and place in the cityscape are battlegrounds, and we have to fight to hold them, argues Chris Bambery
Universities, corporations and class - extract

We republish the first of three extracts from Henry Heller's new book The Capitalist University, which resonates with the marketisation of HE in Britain
Uber drivers win employment case

Uber drivers win the right to be classed as workers as opposed to self-employed, in a huge step forward for the labour movement, reports Lindsey German
Can neuroscience change our minds?

Steven and Hilary Rose debunk the ideologically loaded claims of reductionist neuroscience in a short but clear book, finds Elaine Graham-Leigh
Defend the Kinsley School cleaners

The small disputes, which appear separate, are coming together to form a movement, argues says John Westmoreland
Bubbles always go pop: capitalism and the Hanjin bankruptcy

Chris Bambery takes a look at what happened to Hanjin shipping company and what it tells us about comptemporary capitalism
Tupac Shakur: Rap Revolution

A look at the political life of Tupac Shakur, and the implications for today's black movement, from Sean Ledwith
Imperialism in the Twenty-First Century: Globalization, Super-Exploitation and Capitalism's Final Crisis

John Smith’s Imperialism shows how neoliberalism has deepened inequality and exploitation worldwide, while the working class has expanded, finds Alex Snowdon
Things you need to know about the British economy

Tony Norfield’s The City explains British finance capital and its global role, and also has important political implications, argues Chris Nineham
Modern slavery finds its roots in capitalism

As Theresa May declares her intention to stamp out slavery, John Westmoreland delves into the roots of its modern form
BHS collapse: Not just a case of a bad apple

Vladimir Unkovski-Korica looks at the context behind BHS' collapse
China on Strike: Narratives of Workers' Resistance

China on Strike gives in insights into Chinese workers’ struggles and the nature of capitalism in China, writes Orlando Hill
The Secure and the Dispossessed: How the Military and Corporations Are Shaping a Climate-Changed World

Climate change is driven by the demand for profits, but the ruling class is recasting it as a security issue, finds William Alderson
Food, free markets and capitalist philanthropy

Free markets cause food shortages, and philanthrocapitalism does nothing to solve the problem, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh
In or out: what is the future for British capitalism?

Whichever way the vote goes on 23 June, Chris Bambery argues we all need to come together to resist austerity and racism
Socialism… Seriously: A Brief Guide to Human Liberation

Danny Katch's Socialism...Seriously is an entertaining and witty introduction to socialism, finds Ralph Graham-Leigh

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Capitalism

Capitalism

The government's response to the Coronavirus puts big business first, but we need real solutions that benefit the public instead, argues Richard Allday

Don't play dice with people's lives. Close schools now, argues Shabbir Lakha

Five of the best novels to keep you laughing while you sharpen your critical faculties from John Rees

Richard Branson tries to be a poster boy for capitalism's supposed humanity but in truth he respresents its worst depravity, argues Morgan Daniels

Kevin Ovenden speaks to Double Down News on how the nature of capitalism is being shown for what it is in this crisis

Capitalism is subjecting itself to great strain and we must be prepared to help it on its way, writes John Clarke

Government response is a key factor in how the virus is affecting populations and we will all pay for the inertia of our own, argues Kevin Potter

In his third note on the Covid-19 outbreak, Dr Yannis Gourtsoyannis examines the role of the market in the apparent crisis on our shelves

Any effective response to the virus outbreak will require radical solutions that put human lives before profits and markets, argues Alistair Cartwright

Michael Roberts explains why Coronavirus has destabilised the global economy

In his second note on the political economy of the imminent Covid-19 pandemic, Dr Yannis Gourtsoyannis looks at the antinomies of facemasks

Outrage at government inaction is growing in the country's flood-hit areas, reports John Westmoreland

The labour movement cannot give any credence to the Tories' arguments and must ferociously oppose this anti-immigration clampdown says Kevin Ovenden

Growing profit first and food second is the reason for the virus. Look to modern industrial farming for the culprit, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh

Mike Gonzalez, In The Red Corner, recovers José Carlos Mariátegui’s Marxist understanding of Latin America in the context of the development of capitalism, finds Orlando Hill

Lucy Nichols reports on twelve months of student-led protest

As Britain leaves the EU at 11pm tonight, the future is up for grabs, and the fight continues, argues Martin Hall

James Parisot’s How America Became Capitalist uncovers the contested and contradictory history of capitalist development in the United States, finds Dominic Alexander

As the wild fires rage, Laura Morales gives a personal view of the situation in Australia

John Clarke reflects on the legacy of capitalism and the genocidal dispossession of indigenous peoples in Canada

The Age of Surveillance Capitalism raises important questions about the authoritarian use of digital technologies, but the solution needs to be radical, argues Reece Goscinski

The Coming Revolution is an impressive guide for Marxists looking for a way to approach contemporary capitalism, argues Josh Newman

The Debt System argues that international debt is a system of exploitation of poorer countries, which should be regarded as illegitimate, finds Phil Armstrong

With proof that the NHS is ‘on the table’, we need to make next week’s anti-Trump demo massive, argues Tom Lock Griffiths

The oppression of family and class unite in this taboo-busting drama, writes Sofie Mason

In the first of two excerpts from ‘The British State: A Warning’, Chris Nineham examines how neoliberalism has shaped our state institutions

Billionaires are evidence of the grotesque inequality in society and Labour is right to say a fair society wouldn't have them, writes Shabbir Lakha

As the left prepares for the possibility of taking power, Chris Nineham's timely new book analyses the British state and what the left can expect

The buccaneer politics of Johnson’s deal has to be fought tooth-and-nail, argues Chris Nineham

We need a radically different system based on needs that works for pensioners and young people alike, argues Reuben Bard-Rosenberg

William Morris is one of the greatest environmentalists of the socialist tradition and his work becomes more relevant by the day, writes Gabriel Polley

This is an issue that unites the class, writes UCU activist Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

The message from Newcastle is clear

Biofuels turn out not to be a sustainable replacement for fossil-fuels, but just another way for agribusiness to maintain profits, finds Elaine Graham-Leigh

The real trap is in playing the establishment's games, writes John Rees

In All Woman, Kathy Burke has tackled ‘beauty’ and ‘motherhood’ and next up is that big messy hot potato of ‘relationships’, writes Sofie Mason

The destruction of the Amazon rainforest is no accident, it is the product of Bolsonaro's neoliberal policies, argues Nathan Street

Chrissy Brand joined the demonstrators outside the Brazilian Embassy in London on August 23rd. She is one of millions who realise that climate change can only be held at bay by a fundamental system change

When American capitalists pretend to care we know they are afraid, argues John Clarke

Capitalism expands in booms and slumps and we're due a slump, writes Michael Roberts

An anti-arms trade campaigner explains what the DSEI arms fair is and why it is so important to join the protests against it when it comes to London in September

If the working class is to change the world, it needs serious strategies to find unity and overcome divisions, not woolly moralism, argues Richard Allday

Roberto’s The Coming of the American Behemoth argues that fascist-like processes arose from the essential workings of monopoly capitalism in 1930s America, finds Martin Hall

Modern Monetary Theory will not offer us the full-blooded attack on capitalist economic organisation that we need, argues Susan Newman

A valuable analysis of China’s turn to neoliberalism since the late 1970s needs to be put in the longer context of Chinese state capitalism, argues Sean Ledwith

Boris Johnson is dangerous and it is imperative we build a movement to stop him, argues Katherine Connelly

As a citizens' assembly to deal with climate change is announced, Elaine Graham-Leigh looks at the idea’s limitations

Marking the half-centenary of the Stonewall riots, Morgan Daniels looks at the history of the Stonewall Inn and what it means for radical queer politics everywhere

Challenging Canadian colonialism means challenging Canadian capitalism, argues John Clarke

The second demonstration in two days about the horrific disaster at Grenfell Tower shows that the anger and solidarity are still strong, reports Orlando Hill

Two years on, the anger and the grief from this urban atrocity is still undimmed, reports Isabel Carr

Scott’s classic The Common Wind shows the world-historic impact of the Haitian Revolution of 1791, the first successful slave revolt in history, finds Dominic Alexander

Alastair Campbell is trying to destroy Corbyn's leadership. The left cannot win by capitulating to him, argues Katherine Connelly

Olivier van Beemen’s meticulous exposure of Heineken’s activities in Africa show the damage done by neo-colonial capitalism, argues Ellen Graubart

John Rees gives a presentation explaining what Marxism is and why it's still relevant at a London Counterfire public meeting

A new biography lauds William Godwin, but some contemporary radicals of the 1790s offer better inspiration for the modern left, argues Dominic Alexander

Recent climate activism has shifted the debate but unless the system of profit-seeking is addressed then the ecological danger will remain, argues Bill Perry

The fight for workers' rights and jobs goes hand in hand with the fight against climate change, so we need the environmental movement and trade unionists to work together, writes Richard Allday

On the 300 year anniversary of the publishing of Robinson Crusoe, Morgan Daniels analyses what the book really tells us from a Marxist perspective

At a London public meeting, Elaine Graham-Leigh explains why climate change is a product of capitalism and the solution has to be one that confronts the system

Marx’s law of profitability is shown in World in Crisis to explain today’s long depression, but ending capitalism requires a political strategy, argues Dominic Alexander

Environmental activist and author, Elaine Graham-Leigh, highlights seven key demands the movement against climate change needs to be making

Brexit is a crisis that cuts deep into the ruling class and Theresa May's failures have brought to the fore the cracks in Britain's political system, argues Sean Ledwith

Seeing the EU as internationalist is a fundamental error rooted in a misdiagnosis of its aims and effects, argues Chris Nineham

Leary’s Keywords insightfully updates a classic critique of the use of language by power, to understand the vocabulary of neoliberal capitalism, finds Oliver Eagleton

The proposed merger of German banks is a disaster waiting to happen and exposes the weaknesses at the heart of European capitalism, argues Chris Bambery

Two books on environmental crisis say that anti-capitalist politics are needed, but mistakenly reject the existing revolutionary tradition, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh

Mike Davis punctures many myths about Marx and shows how important the history of working-class struggle remains for today, finds Dominic Alexander

What’s not to like about humble cleaners taking advantage of massive corporations and making money from insider trading in Sheridan Smith’s latest series Cleaning Up on ITV?

The Brexit crisis is best understood through a strong methodological framework, argues John Rees

Kim Moody’s book on labour, unions and capitalism, is very valuable, but revolutionary organisation is essential, argues Richard Allday

Mouffe’s elaboration of a left populist strategy contains some useful insights but ultimately rests on the centrist ideology that it appears to criticise, argues Josh Newman

Written in 1983, Lindsey German's introduction to Tony Cliff's book on Rosa Luxemburg gives a brief snapshot of her revolutionary life and ideas