Marxism

Migration Beyond Capitalism - book review

Hannah Cross’s analysis of the role of migration in capitalism is a guide for the left on how to set an agenda for the global emancipation of all workers, argues Yonas Makoni
Culture under capitalism: Why art is alienated – The Dialectics of Art review

Art is not a reflection of society but is shaped by social production and cannot escape the alienation of capitalist conditions, argues Chris Nineham
The Individual and Collective in Women's Liberation - video

Lindsey German looks at the role of the individual and collective organising in the struggle for women's liberation
Women's oppression and its roots in class society - video

Elaine Graham-Leigh discusses the origin of women's oppression in the development of class society and what that means for the struggle for liberation
Paris Commune @ 150 - video

Counterfire's event commemorating the Paris Commune 150 years on and its relevance today
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 socialist tradition of organising women - video

Feyzi Ismail discusses the role of socialist organising in the struggles for women's liberation
The best brain after Marx: Dana Mills on Rosa Luxemburg

For Rosa Luxemburg's 150th birthday, we republish Katherine Connellly's interview with Dana Mills on her contribution to revolutionary thought.
A revolutionary life: Rosa Luxemburg at 150

On the 150th anniversary of the birth of Rosa Luxemburg, we republish Lindsey German’s 1983 introduction to Tony Cliff’s book on her life and ideas.
The Trump Moment: a wake-up call for the left

A long read - August Nimtz examines the Trump era in the context of the capitalist crisis and argues for the building of an independent left rooted in the class struggle.
The fight for women's liberation - Marxism and Women's liberation extract

Katherine Connelly looks at the struggle against women's oppression in this extract from Marxism and Women's Liberation
Imperialism under Biden - video

Shabbir Lakha explains what we can expect from Biden's foreign policy using a Marxist understanding of imperialism
The limits of Keynesianism - video

Dominic Alexander looks at the limits of Keynesian economics in the context of the current crisis and questions of state spending
Trotsky in the Bronze Age: why technology alone does not change society - video

Dominic Alexander introduces his latest book which shows how Trotsky’s theory of combined and uneven development illuminates how technology and society interact
Is Britain breaking up? Socialists and the national question - video

With the growing division within the union, Vladimir Unkovski-Korica discusses how socialists should relate to national independence struggles
Marxism, the family and women's oppression - video

Lindsey German discusses where women's oppression comes from in capitalist society
Marxism and feminism - Marxism and Women's Liberation extract

Lindsey German discusses Marxism's contribution to analysing women's oppression in this extract from Marxism and Women's Liberation
Where does sexism come from? - Marxism and Women's Liberation excerpt

Elaine Graham-Leigh traces the roots of women's oppression in this excerpt from Marxism and Women's Liberation
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
Why Labour can't deliver

We need to dig deep for the roots of Labour’s failures, argues Dragan Plavšić
Revolutionaries and trade unions - video

John Rees discusses a Marxist view of trade unions and how revolutionary socialists should organise
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
The limits of identity politics - video

Elaine Graham-Leigh explains the origins and limitations of identity politics and what a Marxist understanding of oppression and how to overcome it offers
Trotsky in the Bronze Age

In this incisive and accessible analysis, Dominic Alexander shows how Trotsky’s theory of combined and uneven development illuminates how technology and society interact
The problem with the Shock Doctrine: Socialists and Crisis - video

Crises are inherently moments of weakness for the ruling class and an organised left can play a role in shaping the outcome, argues Chris Nineham
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
CLR James: a revolutionary life - video

Unjum Mirza gives an introduction to the revolutionary life of CLR James, a Marxist, historian, novelist, playwright, and cricket lover
Walter Rodney: Marxist, Pan-African, organic intellectual

Sean Ledwith recounts the socialist revolutionary Walter Rodney's many accomplishments and intellectual prowess
Capitalism costs lives: the Boeing disasters

The coronavirus pandemic has shone a blinding light on how capitalism measures and values our social priorities, argues Tony Dowling
Is revolution possible in the 21st century? – video

As part of a series on Marxism in the Modern World, Chris Nineham looks at the prospect of revolution in the present day
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
Why does capitalism go into crisis? - video

As part of a series on Marxism in the Modern World, Susan Newman explains the regular crises faced by capitalism
What is the working class today? - video

As part of a series on Marxism in the Modern World, Lindsey German discusses what the working class is today and what that means for socialists
Ten years of Counterfire books: on sale now

Celebrating a decade of books published by Counterfire
Why class matters - explainer

In the fifth part of a series of socialist explainers, David McAllister explains what the working class is and why it's central to transforming society
Does a biased media make change impossible? - explainer

In the fourth of a series of socialist explainers, Des Freedman looks at the possibilities for change in the face of a hostile media establishment
Does human nature make socialism impossible? - explainer

In the second of a series of socialist explainers, Lucy Nichols dissects the idea that humans are inherently selfish
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
What is socialism? - explainer

In the first of a series of socialist explainers, Chris Nineham looks at the concept of socialism itself
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
Liberalism At Large: The World According to the Economist - book review

Zevin’s history of the Economist magazine opens up a rich angle from which to observe the nature and development of liberalism across 180 years, finds Dominic Alexander
Fred Hampton: Black Panther and red revolutionary

Fred Hampton's politics are a lesson in how to fight racism and capitalism together, argues Sean Ledwith
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
Some past rank-and-file movements

We republish Brian Pearce's 1959 essay on trade unions and rank and file movements with an introduction by Alex Snowdon
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 - extract

In the first of two extracts from her new book Marx and the Climate Crisis, Elaine Graham-Leigh looks at why individual behaviour has received so much attention and why this is an inadequate approach to the climate crisis
Marxism and the trade unions: Strategy and Tactics

An excerpt from John Rees' Strategy and Tactics: How the Left Can Organise To Transform Society
Engels was right, class society and women's oppression aren't inevitable or irreversible

As part of our series on the revolutionary Frederick Engels, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, Elaine Graham-Leigh looks at Engels' The Origins of the Family, Private Property and the State
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
Marxist Literary Criticism Today - book review

Barbara Foley’s introduction reflects the strengths but also some of the weaknesses of contemporary Marxist writing on literature, finds Dragan Plavšić
Reading the Labour Party: book recommendations by and for socialists

How can we explain what has happened in the Labour Party? We asked eight Counterfire authors to tell us about the books that have helped them to understand what the Labour Party is and how socialists should engage with it
Neil Davidson (1957-2020)

Chris Bambery remembers a giant of the Scottish left
Who pays? Socialists and state intervention part 1 – long read

State intervention is back. In part one of a two-part article, Chris Nineham looks at the myths and politics behind state involvement in the economy
Lenin and revolutionary organisation

On the 150th anniversary of Lenin's birth, John Westmoreland, in the first of a three-part series, takes on the myths and distortions to reveal the politics at the heart of the Bolshevik party up to 1917
Value Chains: The New Economic Imperialism - book review

Capitalism remains interlocked with imperialism, and Suwandi’s Value Chains demonstrates a core aspect of international mechanisms of exploitation, argues Dominic Alexander
Tony Cliff: Strategy and Tactics

We republish Chapter 14 from Tony Cliff's Lenin 1: Building the Party on the 20th anniversary of his death
Tony Cliff: revolutionary theory and practice

John Rees remembers Tony Cliff’s unique contribution to the Marxist tradition
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
Coronavirus, the market and the state

The state and the market are opposite sides of the same capitalist coin, writes Dragan Plavšić
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
10 years of Counterfire

Marking ten years since the launch of Counterfire, Alex Snowdon reflects on why the organisation was set up and some of what we have achieved in the last decade
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
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
Why socialists oppose imperialist wars

Smashing the link between militarism and the system is a fixed task for our side, argues Dominic Alexander
After a bruising election... What next for the left? - Counterfire Freesheet January 2020

Labour leadership contest, general strike in France, growing protest movement in India, why socialists oppose imperialism, a year of climate strikes and more in this month's Counterfire freesheet
Corbynism, socialists and the resistance – Counterfire’s conference

Counterfire recently held its biggest annual conference yet. We report on the discussion and the decisions made
Tony Cliff: The Jews, Israel and the Holocaust

Tony Cliff was a Palestinian Jew and leading revolutionary socialist in Britain. On Holocaust Memorial Day, and the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp, we republish an article that he wrote in 1998.
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
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
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
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
Why join Counterfire?

We need a bigger, stronger extra-parliamentary left.
Class, Party, Revolution: A Socialist Register Reader - book review

A collection of classic Socialist Register articles raise vital questions about Marx, Lenin, Gramsci and revolutionary organisation, argues Alex Snowdon
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
What did Engels say about revolution?

Engels was a revolutionary democrat and a revolutionary realist, argues Dragan Plavšić
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
Take the fight to the Tories: they are unfit to govern - Counterfire freesheet June 2019

Tory meltdown, the crisis in British Steel, how we should remember D-Day, a Marxist analysis of Game of Thrones and more in this month's Counterfire freesheet
Marxism made easy

Despite the nonsense that gets talked about it, Marxism is a clear, powerful, and relevant philosophy, argues Morgan Daniels
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
Dump Trump: Protest the State Visit, June 3/4/5 - Counterfire freesheet May 2019

Protest against Trump's state visit, austerity and record levels of inequality, Algeria in revolt, Marxism made easy, Palestine, eco-demands and more in this month's Counterfire Freesheet
Spring into sport

As one sport’s contest approaches its climax another has barely begun - Philosophy Football’s Mark Perryman reviews Spring books for those who measure their years out in seasons not months
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
A Marxist guide to crime drama

At its best, crime drama does not simply try to terrify us with pure unblinking evil but gives us studies of dysfunctional human beings mangled by capitalism, argues Sofie Mason
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
International Women's Day and revolution

102 years on from the Russian Revolution, we publish Alexandra Kollontai writing on the history of International Women's Day
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
Conspiracy theory: the answer is more left-wing theory not less

Ruling class power can’t be understood as a conspiracy, argues John Rees
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
The revolutionary life of Sylvia Pankhurst - Counterfire Media Podcast

Tom Lock Griffiths talks to biographer and activist Kate Connelly about Sylvia Pankhurst and why the militant socialist and suffragette is still powerfully relevant today in this episode of Counterfire Media's Podcast
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
Marxism and the Brexit crisis

The Brexit crisis is best understood through a strong methodological framework, argues John Rees
Rosa Luxemburg, Karl Liebknecht and the 100 year revolution

One hundred years on from the murders of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, their revolution still breathes, writes Evan Sedgwick-Jell
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: a revolutionary for our times

Rosa's commitment to her class against the greatest of odds is an enduring inspiration, writes Dana Mills
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
Standing on the shoulders of a giant: Rosa Luxemburg and The Mass Strike

Marking the centenary of her assassination, Richard Allday looks at Rosa Luxemburg's The Mass Strike and the lessons it holds for revolutionary socialists today
Rosa Luxemburg: reform or revolution?

The life of the influential revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg provides inspiration and lessons for today, writes Judy Cox
Obituary - Bruno da Ponte: 1932 - 2018

Chris Bambery remembers the life of Portuguese revolutionary, Bruno da Ponte
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 two

The second instalment of the books that have inspired leading activists on the left 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
About time to kick the Tories out

This campaign by the People's Assembly will tour the country to unite those compaigning against the devastating effects of Austerity
Stop bombing Yemen

Our movement has set its sights on the UK's barbaric arms trade, reports Jonathan Maunders
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
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
Stick in the Wheel in Dublin - gig review

Stick in the Wheel are an urban folk group rooted in the tradition but with a hard, forward-looking sound and attitude, reports Josh Newman
No platform for Alice Weidel in Oxford

The cancellation of Alice Weidel's visit to the Oxford Union is a victory and should help to push for a mass, anti-racist movement, argues Josh Newman
Germany after Merkel: how the right can be beaten

With the departure of Angela Merkel, centrist hopes for maintaining the status quo are withering, while the left is at a strategic cross roads, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
Britain is broken: we can't afford the Tories

Campaigners are preparing for a new wave of activity to match the mood on the streets, reports Steph Pike
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
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
The Brazilian elections and the fight against the far right

The far right threatens to do well in Brazil's elections this weekend amid a polarised climate of reaction and resistence, reports Orlando Hill
The dialectics of Doctor Who

Although a part of the establishment media, Doctor Who has always had a subversive thread running through it and today is no different, argues Sean Ledwith
Ontario becomes a testing ground for hyper austerity

Creative organising and resistance are urgently needed as a rampant, austerity-bent Tory government carves its way through Ontario, reports John Clarke
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 limits of Keynesianism

A Marxist critique of Keynesian economics and what that means post-financial crisis
Take the fight to the right and make this time ours - national meeting

It's time to fightback against the smears aimed at sabotaging Corbyn
Beyond the veil: some context in the controversy over the burqa

The right instrumentalise Islamophobia but use the liberal trope of universal values to cover up a variety of political contexts, argues Floyd Codlin
Frida Kahlo: artist and revolutionary

Frida Kahlo was a revolutionary and a politically-committed artist whose art condemned the society she revolted against argues Judy Cox
Solidarity with Bookmarks shows a united left can take on the far right

The huge show of solidarity with Bookmarks bookshop on Saturday shows that the left can unite to defeat the far right argues Isabel Carr
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
PCS Ballot: the fight for decent pay is hotting up

The labour struggle around a fair, real wage rise in the PCS union is gathering traction, reports Floyd Codlin
Grenfell: First the injury, now the insults

With survivors and FBU firefighters now in the firing line, Julie Al-Hinai detects echoes of Hillsborough
Why Trump won't forget his visit

Chris Nineham argues why it is important that the movements go on to the offensive against Donald Trump in the next few days
Success for England will mean what we make it mean

As England prepare to take on Colombia tonight, Philosophy Football’s Mark Perryman outlines what we might or might not be able to look forward to
The real danger behind Trump's antics and why he is not indestructible

Trump's obvious absurdity should not distract us from the very real dangers posed by his presidency and his UK visit
To celebrate, but also to defend: be on the streets for our NHS this Saturday

Join us in wishing the NHS a happy 70th Birthday and in standing up to defend it tomorrow in London
May Days review - a fitting tribute to Grenfell and a society fighting back

This staging of a potent poem of our times gives voice to a class realising its own power, finds Cameron Panting
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
Socialism: utopian and scientific - an introduction

Engels’ popular pamphlet offers one of the best concise accounts of capitalist development and an accessible introduction to Marx's revolutionary socialism, writes John Rees
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
Culture as Politics: Selected Writings of Christopher Caudwell - book extract

David Margolies gives an introduction to a new edition of writings by Christopher Caudwell
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
A win for women in Ireland, a reminder of what's holding back the North

After the victory for Yes today, the reactionary politics holding Northern Ireland back is a construct of British imperialism, argues Reuben Bard-Rosenberg
University of Bristol students march for mental health services

Students at the University of Bristol demonstrated in huge numbers this Friday to protest inadequate mental health provision, reports Steven Cooper
Change is coming: be a part of it

The upcoming National People’s Assembly, is a necessary step towards refreshing and refocusing the anti-austerity movement
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
Royal wedding alienation

Marx200: Why do working class people get swept up in the orchestrated, costly drama of a Royal wedding? The answer lies in Marx’s theory of alienation.
The limits of Keynesianism part 5: can the working class make advances within capitalism?

In the final part of our series, Dominic Alexander looks at how working class advancement means moving beyond the confines of reformism
'Just do it': the politics of fighting precarity

Richard Allday reminds us that we need to work together; we can’t be socialists on our own
Be part of a socialist organisation committed to fundamental change

We have a once in a generation chance for change, and must take it
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
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
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.
Windrush and antisemitism: who’s weaponising what?

The Tories are astonishingly trying to turn the windrush scandal into a knock for Labour and Shabbir Lakha argues that it must not stick
Systemic Islamophobia in Britain has deadly consequences

The political mainstream's cynical use of Islamophobia leads directly to death and heartbreak, argues Maz Saleem
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
Marx and the national question

Marx's understanding of the fight for self-determination at national level as a step on the road to socialism is useful for us today, argues Chris Bambery
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
The Windrush scandal: It's time to deport Theresa May from office

This terrible scandal shows us that racism is driven primarily from the top of society, not the bottom, argues Kevin Ovenden
A pointless but dangerous display of gesture bombing in Syria

The decision to bomb Syria was a pathetic display of supposed strength by declining imperial powers, argues Chris Nineham
Brazil: Neoliberalism versus Democracy - book review

The root of the constitutional coup in Brazil lay in Lula and Rousseff’s attempt to marry inclusive democracy with the exclusionary logic of neoliberalism, finds Orlando Hill
Bloody Friday in Gaza: a great return massacre

An unarmed, civilian protest from a people who have been oppressed for decades, results in bloodshed and massacre.
When the ruling class can't rule in the old way - weekly briefing

The establishment is losing control, but there is a way out for them, if the left lets its guard down, warns John Rees
The Face of Modern Racism

With a refugee crisis of epic proportions, we must be part of the solution, argues Sean Ledwith
Did the West provoke this crisis with Russia?

A US army study, 'Is the Next Global Conflict Imminent?', suggests NATO expansion is the key driver of tension with Russia
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
The Young Karl Marx - film review

This portrait of the most important thinker of the modern age shows a man who was much much more than the popular caricature of a grey beard
Marx the ecologist

Some criticise Marx as anti-environmental, but understanding his ecology is essential to grasping his critique of capitalism, finds Elaine Graham-Leigh
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
Alternative models and silent revolutions

After years on the back foot, Labour has shown that ideas of worker-led ownership are back in play
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
What does this week's stock market crash mean?

As the stock market plunged this week and fears of a 2007 repeat spread like wildfire, Michael Roberts analyses what the crash could mean
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
Obituary: A Sivanandan (1923-2018)

Siva’s understanding of race, class and imperialism, and of humanity in general, will continue to inspire resistance to injustice and hope for socialism
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
Rosa Luxemburg on the politics of poverty and homelessness

This winter people are dying needlessly. Rosa Luxemburg reminds us that politics is about more than negotiations between competing states.
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
How and why I write

The Trumpet of Sedition blog has been running a series of articles by historians on 'How I Write'. John Rees contributes
Arthur Ransome on the Russian Revolution

100 years on from the October revolution, Judy Cox introduces Arthur Ransome's pamphlet The Truth about Russia
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
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
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
Uncertain Futures: An Assessment of the Conditions of the Present

Edmund Berger’s Uncertain Futures provides an important defence of Marxist economic theory, and an analysis of crisis, argues Sean Ledwith
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
Rosa Luxemburg, reform and revolution - video

Rosa Luxemburg is one of the greatest Marxist activists and thinkers of all time. Elaine Graham-Leigh discusses her ideas on reform, revolution, and much else.
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
Break the wheel: the politics of Game of Thrones

The wildly popular series has attracted a number of interesting attempts to analyse what it tells us about the contemporary state of capitalist culture
What is Marxism? A guide to revolutionary theory - organised by Counterfire

We need to organise against an establishment that will do anything to stop radical social change. Three forums on revolutionary theory will help us understand how
The Long Depression: How It Happened, Why It Happened, and What Happens Next

An understanding of capitalist crisis needs to make use of all parts of Marx’s theory, including the declining rate of profit, argues Dominic Alexander
The Dictator, the Revolution, the Machine: A Political Account of Joseph Stalin

Tony McKenna’s compelling Marxist biography of Stalin disproves the allegation that October 1917 led directly to the dictator’s atrocities, argues Sean Ledwith
Why you should join Counterfire

We need a dynamic, combative left, fit for the 21st century
W.E.B. Du Bois: Revolutionary Across the Color Line

This biography reveals W.E.B. Du Bois as a radical and revolutionary thinker who challenged capitalism, imperialism and racism, finds Adam Tomes

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Marxism

Marxism

Hannah Cross’s analysis of the role of migration in capitalism is a guide for the left on how to set an agenda for the global emancipation of all workers, argues Yonas Makoni

Art is not a reflection of society but is shaped by social production and cannot escape the alienation of capitalist conditions, argues Chris Nineham

Lindsey German looks at the role of the individual and collective organising in the struggle for women's liberation

Elaine Graham-Leigh discusses the origin of women's oppression in the development of class society and what that means for the struggle for liberation

Counterfire's event commemorating the Paris Commune 150 years on and its relevance today

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

Feyzi Ismail discusses the role of socialist organising in the struggles for women's liberation

For Rosa Luxemburg's 150th birthday, we republish Katherine Connellly's interview with Dana Mills on her contribution to revolutionary thought.

On the 150th anniversary of the birth of Rosa Luxemburg, we republish Lindsey German’s 1983 introduction to Tony Cliff’s book on her life and ideas.

A long read - August Nimtz examines the Trump era in the context of the capitalist crisis and argues for the building of an independent left rooted in the class struggle.

Katherine Connelly looks at the struggle against women's oppression in this extract from Marxism and Women's Liberation

Shabbir Lakha explains what we can expect from Biden's foreign policy using a Marxist understanding of imperialism

Dominic Alexander looks at the limits of Keynesian economics in the context of the current crisis and questions of state spending

Dominic Alexander introduces his latest book which shows how Trotsky’s theory of combined and uneven development illuminates how technology and society interact

With the growing division within the union, Vladimir Unkovski-Korica discusses how socialists should relate to national independence struggles

Lindsey German discusses where women's oppression comes from in capitalist society

Lindsey German discusses Marxism's contribution to analysing women's oppression in this extract from Marxism and Women's Liberation

Elaine Graham-Leigh traces the roots of women's oppression in this excerpt from Marxism and Women's Liberation

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

We need to dig deep for the roots of Labour’s failures, argues Dragan Plavšić

John Rees discusses a Marxist view of trade unions and how revolutionary socialists should organise

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

Elaine Graham-Leigh explains the origins and limitations of identity politics and what a Marxist understanding of oppression and how to overcome it offers

In this incisive and accessible analysis, Dominic Alexander shows how Trotsky’s theory of combined and uneven development illuminates how technology and society interact

Crises are inherently moments of weakness for the ruling class and an organised left can play a role in shaping the outcome, argues Chris Nineham

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

Unjum Mirza gives an introduction to the revolutionary life of CLR James, a Marxist, historian, novelist, playwright, and cricket lover

Sean Ledwith recounts the socialist revolutionary Walter Rodney's many accomplishments and intellectual prowess

The coronavirus pandemic has shone a blinding light on how capitalism measures and values our social priorities, argues Tony Dowling

As part of a series on Marxism in the Modern World, Chris Nineham looks at the prospect of revolution in the present day

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

As part of a series on Marxism in the Modern World, Susan Newman explains the regular crises faced by capitalism

As part of a series on Marxism in the Modern World, Lindsey German discusses what the working class is today and what that means for socialists

Celebrating a decade of books published by Counterfire

In the fifth part of a series of socialist explainers, David McAllister explains what the working class is and why it's central to transforming society

In the fourth of a series of socialist explainers, Des Freedman looks at the possibilities for change in the face of a hostile media establishment

In the second of a series of socialist explainers, Lucy Nichols dissects the idea that humans are inherently selfish

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

In the first of a series of socialist explainers, Chris Nineham looks at the concept of socialism itself

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

Zevin’s history of the Economist magazine opens up a rich angle from which to observe the nature and development of liberalism across 180 years, finds Dominic Alexander

Fred Hampton's politics are a lesson in how to fight racism and capitalism together, argues Sean Ledwith

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

We republish Brian Pearce's 1959 essay on trade unions and rank and file movements with an introduction by Alex Snowdon

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

In the first of two extracts from her new book Marx and the Climate Crisis, Elaine Graham-Leigh looks at why individual behaviour has received so much attention and why this is an inadequate approach to the climate crisis

An excerpt from John Rees' Strategy and Tactics: How the Left Can Organise To Transform Society

As part of our series on the revolutionary Frederick Engels, on the 200th anniversary of his birth, Elaine Graham-Leigh looks at Engels' The Origins of the Family, Private Property and the State

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

Barbara Foley’s introduction reflects the strengths but also some of the weaknesses of contemporary Marxist writing on literature, finds Dragan Plavšić

How can we explain what has happened in the Labour Party? We asked eight Counterfire authors to tell us about the books that have helped them to understand what the Labour Party is and how socialists should engage with it

Chris Bambery remembers a giant of the Scottish left

State intervention is back. In part one of a two-part article, Chris Nineham looks at the myths and politics behind state involvement in the economy

On the 150th anniversary of Lenin's birth, John Westmoreland, in the first of a three-part series, takes on the myths and distortions to reveal the politics at the heart of the Bolshevik party up to 1917

Capitalism remains interlocked with imperialism, and Suwandi’s Value Chains demonstrates a core aspect of international mechanisms of exploitation, argues Dominic Alexander

We republish Chapter 14 from Tony Cliff's Lenin 1: Building the Party on the 20th anniversary of his death

John Rees remembers Tony Cliff’s unique contribution to the Marxist tradition

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

The state and the market are opposite sides of the same capitalist coin, writes Dragan Plavšić

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

Marking ten years since the launch of Counterfire, Alex Snowdon reflects on why the organisation was set up and some of what we have achieved in the last decade

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

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

Smashing the link between militarism and the system is a fixed task for our side, argues Dominic Alexander

Labour leadership contest, general strike in France, growing protest movement in India, why socialists oppose imperialism, a year of climate strikes and more in this month's Counterfire freesheet

Counterfire recently held its biggest annual conference yet. We report on the discussion and the decisions made

Tony Cliff was a Palestinian Jew and leading revolutionary socialist in Britain. On Holocaust Memorial Day, and the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz concentration camp, we republish an article that he wrote in 1998.

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

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

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