Marx

Civil War in France: Marx and the Commune - video

Katherine Connelly gives a brief history of the Paris Commune, its impact on Karl Marx and the lessons we can take from Marx's pamphlet Civil War in France at Counterfire's Marxism in a Day event
‘The point is to change it’: Why you should come to Marxism in a Day

Next Saturday Counterfire is hosting a day of discussion about Marxism and its relevance to today’s multilevel crisis. The organisers explain why it matters.
Marx and the Robots. Networked Production, AI and Human Labour - book review

A new collection of essays provides important sceptical discussions of the impact of robotics and AI on the economy, finds Elaine Graham-Leigh
Marxism and Class part three: Class analysis or identity politics?

In the third part of the series on class, Chris Nineham explains why a class analysis is needed to understand and fight oppression
The Marxist theory of history - video

John Rees explains the Marxist understanding of history and why it matters in the struggle today
Can Heterodox Economics Make a Difference? Conversations with Key Thinkers - book review

Can Heterodox Economics Make a Difference?gives us a wide range of economic views but the ‘key thinkers’ aren’t listening to each other, finds Orlando Hill
Marxism or Moralism?

Morals do not sit outside social antagonisms and politics is not a simple question of individual beliefs argues David Bush.
Value and Crisis: Essays on Marxian Economics in Japan - book review

Makoto Itoh’s Value and Crisis provides a valuable exposition of a school of Japanese interpretation of Marxist economics, finds Phil Armstrong
Revolutionary Ideas: What is the Marxist method? - Video

Introduced by John Rees at Counterfire's Revolution! Festival
The Return of Nature: Socialism and Ecology - book review

Bellamy Foster’s Return of Natureshows that ecological science and socialism have developed together from Marx and Engels’ writings, finds Dominic Alexander
CLR James on the Paris Commune: They showed the way to labour emancipation

On the 150^th anniversary of the Paris Commune, we repost this article by renowned Marxist CLR James from 1946 on Marx and the Commune
Karl Marx and the Paris Commune

Marx’s analysis of the Paris Commune is a brilliant example of the interaction between revolutionary theory and practice, argues Katherine Connelly
The Paris Commune: when workers ran a city

Ahead of the 150th anniversary of the Paris Commune, John Westmoreland looks at the first working-class government and why it's an important historical milestone
The Adventures of the Communist Manifesto - book review

Hal Draper’s edition of the Communist Manifesto with commentary strips away layers of falsifications and misconceptions to reveal afresh Marx’s meaning, finds Dominic Alexander
Engels 200 – His Contribution to Political Economy - book review

The central importance of the revolutionary Friedrich Engels to Marxism, as an individual thinker as well as collaborator, is forcefully argued in Roberts’ Engels 200, finds John Clarke
Engels: giant of the socialist movement - video

On the bicentenary of Engels' birth, Lindsey German looks at his life as a socialist revolutionary, activist and theoretician
Engels: a working class hero

The life long comrade of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels made a huge contribution to socialist ideas and to revolutionary activity. Lindsey German looks at his legacy
Rosa Luxemburg: an interview with Dana Mills

Katherine Connelly interviews Dana Mills, author of a new biography on Rosa Luxemburg, on her crucial contribution to revolutionary thought
The Ballot or The Streets or Both? From Marx and Engels to Lenin and the October Revolution - book review

August Nimtz’s study of Lenin’s approach to elections reveals the continuities with Marx and their enduring relevance to revolutionary politics, argues Alex Snowdon
Is revolution possible in the twenty-first century? – explainer

Katherine Connelly looks at the continuing possibility of revolution for transforming society today
The South Sea Bubble: England's first stock market crisis 300 years ago

The South Sea Bubble was not an exceptional event but the first of many crises produced by the inescapable tendencies of capitalism, argues Dominic Alexander
Engels' contribution to Marxism

As part of our series on the revolutionary Frederick Engels, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, we repost Tony Cliff's 1996 speech on Engels
Reconstruction in the USA: Black freedom denied - part 1

In the first of a two-part analysis, John Westmoreland examines the contradictions of American society which laid the basis for black oppression to persist after the Civil War
Invisible Leviathan: Marx’s Law of Value in the Twilight of Capitalism - book review

Marx’s labour theory of value and the analysis of the falling rate of profit receive a robust defence in Murray Smith’s Invisible Leviathan, finds Dominic Alexander
The Levellers, the labouring classes, and the poor

In an essay soon appearing in the Bunyan Studies journal, John Rees looks at the Leveller programme in relation to the social structure of 17th century England
Capitalism as a dynamic system: Marx and the Climate Crisis - extract

In the second of two extracts from her new book Marx and the Climate Crisis, Elaine Graham-Leigh explains why climate destruction is a structural feature of capitalism
Marx and the Climate Crisis

Elaine Graham-Leigh shows how Marx's analysis of capitalism explains the climate breakdown and how we fight for system change to protect people and the planet
The history of May Day: an unfinished struggle

Out of the Chartist movement, the struggle against slavery and for international socialism, why the demands of May Day remain as vital as ever today
Engels on nature and humanity

In the third of our series on the revolutionary Frederick Engels, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, we repost this excerpt from an upcoming short book on Engels' contribution to Marxian political economy by Michael Roberts
A World to Win: The Life and Works of Karl Marx - book review

Sven-Eric Liedman’s study contains some important defence of Marx’s work, but gives way to hesitation, detracting from the coherence of Marx’s method, argues Chris Nineham
Engels' Marxism

In the second of our series on the revolutionary Frederick Engels, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, we are republishing this piece by John Rees which first appeared in the International Socialism Journal in 1994
Engels 200
Frederick Engels: life of a revolutionary

In the first of our series on the revolutionary Frederick Engels, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, we are republishing this piece by Lindsey German which first appeared in the International Socialism Journal in 1994
1860s: the red thread of working class internationalism

Rebecca Long-Bailey’s appeal to ‘progressive patriotism’ is misguided but the working class internationalism of the 1860s is inspiring, argues Alex Snowdon
Understanding Marxism - book review

Richard Wolff in Understanding Marxism concisely introduces Marx’s essential arguments on exploitation in capitalism, and workers’ democracy, finds Graham Kirkwood
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
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
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
Marxists, so-called Marxists, and parliamentary socialists

John Rees tries to distil some sense from recent tabloid exchanges, and looks at the real relationship between Marxism, parliament and Jeremy Corbyn
Marx and the meaning of private property

Marx's stance on private property is far from the horror we're told it is, writes John Westmoreland
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
Marx's name endures through the ages, and the vandalism

The recent vandalism of Karl Marx's grave is an attack on the memory of Marx and a legacy of resistance and struggle, writes Dana Mills
Marx in Engels' words

Following the attack on Marx's grave in Highgate, we reprint a transcript of Engels speaking at his graveside on why he is worth remembering
The limits of Keynesianism - Counterfire Media Podcast

Tom Lock Griffiths talks to Dominic Alexander about his new book The Limits of Keynesianism in this episode of Counterfire Media's Podcast
Counterfire's books of the year - part one

We asked a few leading campaigners and performers from the left what books have inspired them over the last twelve months
Marxism and Feminism - Counterfire Media Podcast

Feyzi Ismail talks to Hester Eisenstein on current trends in Feminism and Marxism, #MeToo, intersectionality and reformulating issues of class as central to feminist theory and practice in this episode of Counterfire Media's Podcast
Marx, colonialism and the Global South - Counterfire Media Podcast

Chris Nineham talks to American author and Marxist historian on Marx, colonialism and the Global South, and how Marx's ideas were ahead of their time in the fifth episode of Counterfire Media's Podcast
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
The limits of Keynesianism

A Marxist critique of Keynesian economics and what that means post-financial crisis
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
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
Who was Karl Marx?

The world has changed dramatically since Marx's day, but his ideas could not be more relevant, writes Dragan Plavsic
Marx200: the Paris Commune and the Marx family

The Paris Commune only lasted from 28 March to 28 May 1871 but it inspired Karl Marx and continues to inspire and inform socialists today argues Judy Cox
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
Why Paul Mason is wrong about Marx

On the bicentenary of Karl Marx's birth, Paul Mason writes about the relevance of Marx today. Dragan Plavšić explains where he gets it wrong
Marx matters more than ever - weekly briefing

There’s still only one thinker who not only explains the horrors of capitalism but also offers an escape route, writes Lindsey German
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
Are we having a party or a moment?

If Corbynism is to be more than a moment, Mark Perryman argues this requires new kinds of left politics
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
On Marx’s account of the commodity

Understanding Marx's Capital requires a clear grasp of his analysis of the commodity, writes Matthew McManus
Le Tour: Nothing to lose but our chains

As the annual cycling spectacle of the Tour De France begins, Mark Perryman argues the case for two wheels good
Marx’s Shakespeare

Marx was always alert to the dissident potential of a uniquely gifted voice, writes Sean Ledwith
The Communist Manifesto - key texts

The Communist Manifesto is a pamphlet that refuses to die. As incendiary as the day it was published, Paul Vernell unpacks this founding document
Why theory matters if you want to change the world

Chris Nineham argues that theory is too important to be left in the hands of the enemies of change
Is Marxism still relevant? Key texts

The 'S' word is back. Here Chris Nineham introduces a brilliant short defence of Marxism by Tony Cliff as part of our 'key texts' series
Why Marx's Manifesto is still a revolutionary bestseller

The new Penguin edition of Karl Marx’s The Communist Manifesto was an immediate bestseller. It’s even on sale in Tesco’s. Katherine Connelly explains why this book should be on your shopping list
Communal Luxury: The Political Imaginary of the Paris Commune

Communal Luxury is an effective account of the 1871 Paris Commune, and how understanding it aids our struggle for freedom within a decaying capitalism, argues John Westmoreland
Miliband's sectarianism

All sectarianism is damaging to the working class interest. But Miliband's threats to Scottish voters are dangerous, potentially mortal writes Brian Heron
Why one Guardian writer should be heading to Tesco’s this May Day

The Guardian May Day article misrepresents Marx and detracts from the critical lessons learned from his life and work argues Susan Newman
Marx for Today

Buy online: an essential and accessible summary of the foundations of Marx’s thought
The limits of liberalism

Liberal responses to the Paris killings are fuelling a cycle from which both the right and the terrorists will gain, argues John Rees
PolyluxMarx: An Illustrated Workbook for Studying Marx’s Capital

PolyluxMarx is an innovative and valuable introduction to Marx’s Capital, finds Sean Ledwith, despite a few disagreements in method and theory
Dickens: more than Victorian values

The 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth should be marked as something more than an excuse for more costume drama series' on television and the promotion of Victorian values
A Marxist History of the World part 53: What is Marxism?

In his latest instalment, Neil Faulkner explores the complex history of Marxism - and how capitalism produced its own gravediggers.

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Marx

Marx

Katherine Connelly gives a brief history of the Paris Commune, its impact on Karl Marx and the lessons we can take from Marx's pamphlet Civil War in France at Counterfire's Marxism in a Day event

Next Saturday Counterfire is hosting a day of discussion about Marxism and its relevance to today’s multilevel crisis. The organisers explain why it matters.

A new collection of essays provides important sceptical discussions of the impact of robotics and AI on the economy, finds Elaine Graham-Leigh

In the third part of the series on class, Chris Nineham explains why a class analysis is needed to understand and fight oppression

John Rees explains the Marxist understanding of history and why it matters in the struggle today

Can Heterodox Economics Make a Difference?gives us a wide range of economic views but the ‘key thinkers’ aren’t listening to each other, finds Orlando Hill

Morals do not sit outside social antagonisms and politics is not a simple question of individual beliefs argues David Bush.

Makoto Itoh’s Value and Crisis provides a valuable exposition of a school of Japanese interpretation of Marxist economics, finds Phil Armstrong

Introduced by John Rees at Counterfire's Revolution! Festival

Bellamy Foster’s Return of Natureshows that ecological science and socialism have developed together from Marx and Engels’ writings, finds Dominic Alexander

On the 150th anniversary of the Paris Commune, we repost this article by renowned Marxist CLR James from 1946 on Marx and the Commune

Marx’s analysis of the Paris Commune is a brilliant example of the interaction between revolutionary theory and practice, argues Katherine Connelly

Ahead of the 150th anniversary of the Paris Commune, John Westmoreland looks at the first working-class government and why it's an important historical milestone

Hal Draper’s edition of the Communist Manifesto with commentary strips away layers of falsifications and misconceptions to reveal afresh Marx’s meaning, finds Dominic Alexander

The central importance of the revolutionary Friedrich Engels to Marxism, as an individual thinker as well as collaborator, is forcefully argued in Roberts’ Engels 200, finds John Clarke

On the bicentenary of Engels' birth, Lindsey German looks at his life as a socialist revolutionary, activist and theoretician

The life long comrade of Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels made a huge contribution to socialist ideas and to revolutionary activity. Lindsey German looks at his legacy

Katherine Connelly interviews Dana Mills, author of a new biography on Rosa Luxemburg, on her crucial contribution to revolutionary thought

August Nimtz’s study of Lenin’s approach to elections reveals the continuities with Marx and their enduring relevance to revolutionary politics, argues Alex Snowdon

Katherine Connelly looks at the continuing possibility of revolution for transforming society today

The South Sea Bubble was not an exceptional event but the first of many crises produced by the inescapable tendencies of capitalism, argues Dominic Alexander

As part of our series on the revolutionary Frederick Engels, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, we repost Tony Cliff's 1996 speech on Engels

In the first of a two-part analysis, John Westmoreland examines the contradictions of American society which laid the basis for black oppression to persist after the Civil War

Marx’s labour theory of value and the analysis of the falling rate of profit receive a robust defence in Murray Smith’s Invisible Leviathan, finds Dominic Alexander

In an essay soon appearing in the Bunyan Studies journal, John Rees looks at the Leveller programme in relation to the social structure of 17th century England

In the second of two extracts from her new book Marx and the Climate Crisis, Elaine Graham-Leigh explains why climate destruction is a structural feature of capitalism

Elaine Graham-Leigh shows how Marx's analysis of capitalism explains the climate breakdown and how we fight for system change to protect people and the planet

Out of the Chartist movement, the struggle against slavery and for international socialism, why the demands of May Day remain as vital as ever today

In the third of our series on the revolutionary Frederick Engels, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, we repost this excerpt from an upcoming short book on Engels' contribution to Marxian political economy by Michael Roberts

Sven-Eric Liedman’s study contains some important defence of Marx’s work, but gives way to hesitation, detracting from the coherence of Marx’s method, argues Chris Nineham

In the second of our series on the revolutionary Frederick Engels, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, we are republishing this piece by John Rees which first appeared in the International Socialism Journal in 1994

In the first of our series on the revolutionary Frederick Engels, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, we are republishing this piece by Lindsey German which first appeared in the International Socialism Journal in 1994

Rebecca Long-Bailey’s appeal to ‘progressive patriotism’ is misguided but the working class internationalism of the 1860s is inspiring, argues Alex Snowdon

Richard Wolff in Understanding Marxism concisely introduces Marx’s essential arguments on exploitation in capitalism, and workers’ democracy, finds Graham Kirkwood

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

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

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

John Rees tries to distil some sense from recent tabloid exchanges, and looks at the real relationship between Marxism, parliament and Jeremy Corbyn

Marx's stance on private property is far from the horror we're told it is, writes John Westmoreland

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

The recent vandalism of Karl Marx's grave is an attack on the memory of Marx and a legacy of resistance and struggle, writes Dana Mills

Following the attack on Marx's grave in Highgate, we reprint a transcript of Engels speaking at his graveside on why he is worth remembering

Tom Lock Griffiths talks to Dominic Alexander about his new book The Limits of Keynesianism in this episode of Counterfire Media's Podcast

We asked a few leading campaigners and performers from the left what books have inspired them over the last twelve months

Feyzi Ismail talks to Hester Eisenstein on current trends in Feminism and Marxism, #MeToo, intersectionality and reformulating issues of class as central to feminist theory and practice in this episode of Counterfire Media's Podcast

Chris Nineham talks to American author and Marxist historian on Marx, colonialism and the Global South, and how Marx's ideas were ahead of their time in the fifth episode of Counterfire Media's 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

A Marxist critique of Keynesian economics and what that means post-financial crisis

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

200 years since Marx’s birth and 170 years after the 1848 revolutions, Katherine Connelly reflects on Marx’s revolutionary contribution

The world has changed dramatically since Marx's day, but his ideas could not be more relevant, writes Dragan Plavsic

The Paris Commune only lasted from 28 March to 28 May 1871 but it inspired Karl Marx and continues to inspire and inform socialists today argues Judy Cox

Windrush, May 68, Palestine, UCU strike, Marx and more - Counterfire freesheet edition 025, May 2018

In her speech at 'Why Marx Was Right', Susan Newman argues that Marx's analysis of capitalism goes against everything modern economics stands for

On the bicentenary of Karl Marx's birth, Paul Mason writes about the relevance of Marx today. Dragan Plavšić explains where he gets it wrong

There’s still only one thinker who not only explains the horrors of capitalism but also offers an escape route, writes Lindsey German

As we approach Karl Marx's 200th birthday, Alex Snowdon summarises Marx's key ideas in as few words as possible

On 5 May, leading Marxists are getting together to celebrate Marx’s 200th birthday. Chris Nineham argues why the event matters so much.

In the second part of our series on Keynesianism, Dominic Alexander outlines the economic and philosophical underpinnings of Keynesian thought

In the first part of our series considering the merits and pitfalls of Keynesian economics, Dominic Alexander looks at the history of Keynes' contribution

If Corbynism is to be more than a moment, Mark Perryman argues this requires new kinds of left politics

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

Understanding Marx's Capital requires a clear grasp of his analysis of the commodity, writes Matthew McManus

As the annual cycling spectacle of the Tour De France begins, Mark Perryman argues the case for two wheels good

Marx was always alert to the dissident potential of a uniquely gifted voice, writes Sean Ledwith

The Communist Manifesto is a pamphlet that refuses to die. As incendiary as the day it was published, Paul Vernell unpacks this founding document

Chris Nineham argues that theory is too important to be left in the hands of the enemies of change

The 'S' word is back. Here Chris Nineham introduces a brilliant short defence of Marxism by Tony Cliff as part of our 'key texts' series

The new Penguin edition of Karl Marx’s The Communist Manifesto was an immediate bestseller. It’s even on sale in Tesco’s. Katherine Connelly explains why this book should be on your shopping list

Communal Luxury is an effective account of the 1871 Paris Commune, and how understanding it aids our struggle for freedom within a decaying capitalism, argues John Westmoreland

All sectarianism is damaging to the working class interest. But Miliband's threats to Scottish voters are dangerous, potentially mortal writes Brian Heron

The Guardian May Day article misrepresents Marx and detracts from the critical lessons learned from his life and work argues Susan Newman

Buy online: an essential and accessible summary of the foundations of Marx’s thought

On the 150^th anniversary of the Paris Commune, we repost this article by renowned Marxist CLR James from 1946 on Marx and the Commune

On 5 May, leading Marxists are getting together to celebrate Marx’s 200^th birthday. Chris Nineham argues why the event matters so much.