Marxism

One hundred years on from the murders of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, their revolution still breathes, writes Evan Sedgwick-Jell

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's commitment to her class against the greatest of odds is an enduring inspiration, writes Dana Mills

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

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

The life of the influential revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg provides inspiration and lessons for today, writes Judy Cox

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

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

The second instalment of the books that have inspired leading activists on the left 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

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

Our movement has set its sights on the UK's barbaric arms trade, reports Jonathan Maunders

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

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 are an urban folk group rooted in the tradition but with a hard, forward-looking sound and attitude, reports Josh Newman

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

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

Campaigners are preparing for a new wave of activity to match the mood on the streets, reports Steph Pike

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The attacks on Jeremy Corbyn trying to paint him as antisemitic and pushing the Labour Party into limiting criticism of Israel are persisting and intensifying. The assault on his leadership appears to be the most significant yet, and there is a danger that the project could be derailed if the right succeed.

At the same time, we have a Tory government still teetering on the brink of collapse. It’s only been two months since Theresa May tried to move up Parliament’s summer recess for fear of being forced out. The government has been utterly discredited on its austerity policies. The hostile environment that Theresa May has fostered and that came to a head with the revelations of the treatment of the Windrush generation has been met with national outrage.  Further, Brexit continues to be something Theresa May is failing to reach consensus on within her party and nationally.

The Tories have all but abandoned the manifesto they went into the 2017 general election with and they have proved that they are simply unable to govern. But the media assault on Corbyn has meant the Tories have been shielded from completely collapsing so far. Theresa May has been able to deflect the scandal of the rampant racism of her party because the establishment, spearheaded by the Labour right, have made Jeremy Corbyn the racist.

Part of the result from this is that Labour has been unable to surpass the Tories in the polls. We should recognise that the fact Labour hasn’t far fallen in the polls is a sign of the declining purchase the mainstream media have with the public, but that they haven’t increased further than the level they were at in June 2017 shows that the progress made during the election campaign has stalled, if not somewhat been rolled back.

This is in large part because the Labour right have led a truly disgusting smear campaign, but also to a lesser extent because of Labour moving away from being an energetic insurgent current to more traditional politicking, and not being as combative as some of us may have hoped it would be.

Filling in the gap left by a failing Tory government and the left under attack, and bolstered by a growing network of the international alt-right, has been the far right. The large street mobilisations of the far right gravitating around Tommy Robinson have been something unseen in Britain for a while. And the support from Steve Bannon and far-right European politicians is a new dynamic that everyone should be wary of.

For all these reasons, the need for the left to be organised and to respond to the situation in earnest and with urgency cannot be overstated. Counterfire has been producing critical analysis of the situation that has been read by tens of thousands of movement activists, our members were involved with organising the massive rally in London on 21 August in defence of Jeremy Corbyn, and we’re working to build the anti-racist movement.

Counterfire members were central to organising the 250,000 strong demonstration against Donald Trump in July. The demonstration was a testament to the breadth of the left, our ability to mobilise a broad section of the public and proof that we certainly outnumber the far-right when we are organised.

But we can – and need to – be doing so much more. At this time, we need to go on the offensive over Palestine, defend Corbyn, produce the right arguments on what we should be fighting for over Brexit, strategise on how to defeat the far-right, and help amplify the crisis for the Tories to remove them sooner rather than later.

That’s why, in this fast-moving political situation, we’re calling a national meeting on Sunday 9 September for all our members. The discussion will aim to analyse the political situation in some depth, and what role Counterfire can play in shaping how the left responds and in taking the fight to the right. We hope as many of our members as possible can attend, and if you’re a supporter, you’ll consider joining Counterfire and coming.

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 was a revolutionary and a politically-committed artist whose art condemned the society she revolted against argues Judy Cox

The huge show of solidarity with Bookmarks bookshop on Saturday shows that the left can unite to defeat the far right argues Isabel Carr

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

The labour struggle around a fair, real wage rise in the PCS union is gathering traction, reports Floyd Codlin

With survivors and FBU firefighters now in the firing line, Julie Al-Hinai detects echoes of Hillsborough 

Chris Nineham argues why it is important that the movements go on to the offensive against Donald Trump in the next few days

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

Trump's obvious absurdity should not distract us from the very real dangers posed by his presidency and his UK visit

Join us in wishing the NHS a happy 70th Birthday and in standing up to defend it tomorrow in London

This staging of a potent poem of our times gives voice to a class realising its own power, finds Cameron Panting

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

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 gathering crisis in European Union should make it clear the EU provides no haven from racism or austerity

David Margolies gives an introduction to a new edition of writings by Christopher Caudwell 

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

After the victory for Yes today, the reactionary politics holding Northern Ireland back is a construct of British imperialism, argues Reuben Bard-Rosenberg 

Students at the University of Bristol demonstrated in huge numbers this Friday to protest inadequate mental health provision, reports Steven Cooper

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

We cannot turn a blind eye to the class cleansing where homeless people are moved on whilst royal wedding fans camp out unhindered

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.

In the final part of our series, Dominic Alexander looks at how working class advancement means moving beyond the confines of reformism

Richard Allday reminds us that we need to work together; we can’t be socialists on our own

We have a once in a generation chance for change, and must take it

In the fourth part of our series, Dominic Alexander looks at the problems with Keynesian critiques of Marx's labour theory of value 

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

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

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 200^th birthday. Chris Nineham argues why the event matters so much.

The Tories are astonishingly trying to turn the windrush scandal into a knock for Labour and Shabbir Lakha argues that it must not stick

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

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

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

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

This terrible scandal shows us that racism is driven primarily from the top of society, not the bottom, argues Kevin Ovenden

The decision to bomb Syria was a pathetic display of supposed strength by declining imperial powers, argues Chris Nineham

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

An unarmed, civilian protest from a people who have been oppressed for decades, results in bloodshed and massacre.

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

With a refugee crisis of epic proportions, we must be part of the solution, argues Sean Ledwith

A US army study, 'Is the Next Global Conflict Imminent?', suggests NATO expansion is the key driver of tension with Russia

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

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

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

No truly effective green politics can do without a coherent argument against the capitalist mode of production, argues Nathan Street

After years on the back foot, Labour has shown that ideas of worker-led ownership are back in play

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

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 was published 200 years ago. It's a horror story but the horrors it described are rooted in capitalism as well as the imagination

Siva’s understanding of race, class and imperialism, and of humanity in general, will continue to inspire resistance to injustice and hope for socialism

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

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

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

The late Hungarian philosopher explained how alienation can only be overcome by collective action which challenges capitalist relations of production

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

100 years on from the October revolution, Judy Cox introduces Arthur Ransome's pamphlet The Truth about Russia

David Harvey’s latest book, using all three volumes of Marx’s Capital, demonstrates the social irrationality of modern capitalism, finds Dominic Alexander

Michael Roberts suggests that robots will not be taking over the world of work any time soon

Basic Income is not a beyond left and right answer to automation, argues David Bush

Michael Roberts explains why we would never get to a robotic society under capitalism

Robots will not end the contradictions within capitalist accumulation, argues Michael Roberts

Edmund Berger’s Uncertain Futures provides an important defence of Marxist economic theory, and an analysis of crisis, argues Sean Ledwith

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 is one of the greatest Marxist activists and thinkers of all time. Elaine Graham-Leigh discusses her ideas on reform, revolution, and much else.

In the first of a series of meetings on Marxist theory Lindsey German introduces Marx's critique of capitalism

The wildly popular series has attracted a number of interesting attempts to analyse what it tells us about the contemporary state of capitalist culture

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

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

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

We need a dynamic, combative left, fit for the 21st century

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

Right-wing governments can destroy statues, but to destroy the memory and the intellectual legacy of Lukács is impossible - Anita Zsurzsan reports from The Legacy of Georg Lukács: An International Conference

Hungarian Marxist Georg Lukacs is under attack. We repost a talk given by Chris Nineham at the recent conference in Budapest to defend him  

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

100 years on from the Russian Revolution, we publish Alexandra Kollontai writing on the history of International Women's Day

A huge 'Our NHS' demonstration was passionately addressed by Jeremy Corbyn. He must be a part of the movement for change, argues Lindsey German

Event commemorating the Russian Revolution, linking it to today's struggles, was big success for revolutionary left, reports Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

Orlando Figes was enlisted by the BBC to trash the history of the Russian Revolution. In the run-up to Saturday's Revolution 1917 event, Chris Nineham corrects some matters of fact

We need to talk about the Russian Revolution now more than ever, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

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

The Russian Revolution of 1917 was led by a working class who, in 1905, had already tasted their own power and experienced bitter defeat

Chris Wickham’s analysis of the European Middle Ages is a rich introduction to the development of Europe up to the 15th Century, argues Chris Bambery

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 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

On 25 February, Counterfire is hosting an event celebrating the 100^th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, taking a closer look at the key questions of the period

Revolutionary writer and art critic John Berger has died, aged 90. Chris Nineham reflects on his life and work 

Kate Evans’ graphic biography, Red Rosa, is an entertaining, innovative and perceptive account of Rosa Luxemburg, finds Elaine Graham-Leigh

Tony McKenna’s cultural essays show the rich possibilities of Marxist analysis for a range of art and literature, argues Sean Ledwith

Over four decades ago, the Marxist historian called for resistance against the commercialisation of higher education

Some of the best pieces of fiction ever written about revolutionary experience are outlined by writer and historian John Rees

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

An analysis of the 2011 Egyptian revolution reproduces the same mistakes on the left that led to the revolution’s defeat in 2013, argues Kevin Crane

Wall Street’s Think Tank shows that the Council on Foreign Relations is a pivotal institution for the US ruling class, finds Dominic Alexander

The left is in a position where it can actually win. It is essential we come together to discuss how to fight for a better world

The Blairites' crocodile tears are about defending empire, writes David Moyles in this introduction to The Jews, Israel and the Holocaust 

Mike Cooley’s Architect or Bee? put the case that a new organisation of technology could provide social good rather than profit. Orlando Hill welcomes the new edition

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

Rosa Luxemburg argued that the majority of people would be won to socialism through struggle, writes Paul Vernell in this introduction to The Mass Strike

Hungarian writer and revolutionary Georg Lukács contribution to Marxist philosophy was unparalleled. His archives must be kept open and his work remembered

Trotsky's brilliant polemic on the united front, introduced by Vladimir Unkovski-Korica in our 'key texts' series

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

Vladimir Unkovski-Korica introduces a chapter from Reform or Revolution by Polish revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg as part of our 'key texts' series

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

Can technology on its own bring about a better society, as Paul Mason’s PostCapitalism suggests, or do we need revolutionary politics, asks Sean Ledwith

Chris Nineham reviews 'Reconstructing Lenin. An intellectual biography' by Tamas Krausz

Can the state be taken over because it is a neutral space or does it have to be overthrown? Paul Vernell looks at Lenin's answer

Marxism and Feminism explores the connections between capitalism and women’s oppression through a range of serious and perceptive arguments, finds Lindsey German

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

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

To address climate change, many people agree we have to change the system. But what does ‘changing the system’ mean, and how can we do it?

A radical day school providing an essential introduction to the theory and practice of radical change

Gramsci is claimed by many different left currents, but a new volume of his letters shows his commitment to revolutionary politics pursued through united mass action, argues Chris Nineham

Liberal responses to the Paris killings are fuelling a cycle from which both the right and the terrorists will gain, argues John Rees

Robert Tally's study provides a crisp and coherent guide to the thought of a figure future generations, hopefully, will look back on as one of the prophets of their utopia writes Sean Ledwith

Leninism, so frequently misunderstood, is shown to be of vital relevance for contemporary politics in Paul Le Blanc, Unfinished Leninism, argues Alex Snowdon

Alex Snowdon provides some answers to the question ‘why build revolutionary organisation today?’

Chris Nineham argues that two new Marxist books about social movements reflect a common tendency to downplay the conscious, organised element in the way change happens

PolyluxMarx is an innovative and valuable introduction to Marx’s Capital, finds Sean Ledwith, despite a few disagreements in method and theory

Lindsey German welcomes a new edition of a classic of Marxist Women’s Liberation theory, which opens up rich debates over the nature and origins of women’s oppression

Daniel Bensaïd’s memoir of a life as a socialist in France provides an engaging account of a revolutionary life during the 1960s and after, finds William Booth

The importance and coherence of Sylvia Pankhurst’s lifelong activism is revealed by Katherine Connelly’s grasp of her political commitments, making this book an important new account her life

The first chapter of our recently republished book 'The ABC of Socialism' by John Rees

John Rees introduces a new reprint of his popular book in the preface reproduced here

Chris Bambery at Dangerous Times festival, Rich Mix, East London, 1 June 2014

John Maclean's name remains a byword for radical socialism - he left a lasting impression on the social history of Glasgow and Scotland writes Sean Leadwith

A contribution by Tad Tietze to an ongoing debate on Marxism and 'privilege theory' originally published on the US Socialist Worker website. Tad blogs at Left Flank

Heather Brown’s Marx on Gender shows the importance of Marx’s writing on the issue, while offering some perspectives to be criticised, argues Lindsey German

Feminism remains a source of debate on the left. What do women's liberation and socialism have in common, and what keeps them apart? Kate Connelly looks at a sometimes difficult history and assesses where oppression comes from

Economic catastrophe has put Marx back on the agenda. Was he right all along? Terry Eagleton makes the case in this video of his talk at Dangerous Ideas for Dangerous Times

What can we learn from Lenin about how we organise to transform society? Paul Le Blanc provides some answers in this text of his talk presented at Dangerous Ideas for Dangerous Times, 31 May 2013

From the dawn of humanity to the greatest crisis to confront the human race, Neil Faulkner introduces his new book. Video by Fourmanfilms

This analysis of human history from hominids to the current Great Recession combines the insights of earlier Marxist historians with radical new ideas about the historical process

Marx 101 is a series of meetings to introduce the Marxist classics to activists in the twenty first century. Elaine Graham Leigh concludes the present series with a look at Lenin's Left-Wing Communism

Marx 101 is a series of meetings and resources designed to introduce the Marxist classics to activists in the twenty first century. Neil Faulkner begins the series with a look at the Marxist theory of the state

Historian Neil Faulkner concludes A Marxist History of the World by looking at what that history can tell us about the possibility for radical social change

Four years after the beginning of the crisis, the neoliberal elite is trapped by the contradictions of the system on which its wealth depends, writes Neil Faulkner

The financial crisis represents the end of an era in which greed and casino-madness had been given free rein by market deregulation and rising debt

The Al-Qaida terror attacks allowed the great powers to justify new imperialist wars to safeguard the interests of global capital, writes Neil Faulkner

The revolutions of 1989 represent great victories for mass action, but they were limited in effect, writes Neil Faulkner

The ‘free-market’ theory provides a pseudo-scientific justification for the greed and poverty endemic to the system, and the main beneficiaries are the global mega-corporations of neoliberal capitalism

A new collection of essays helps to rediscover the real Marx, and defends him against recent critics, but questions of strategy remain, argues Tom Whittaker

By the early 1970s, the levers of state economic management had stopped working and the world economy entered a long period of stagnation

As the crisis of capitalism spread around the world, the working class took centre stage – but the revolt did not result in successful revolution anywhere, writes Neil Faulkner

The long sleep of the post-war period was brought to an end in 1968, as revolts erupted across the developed world, writes Neil Faulkner

Michael Heinrich’s newly translated introduction to Capital is lucid and succinct in outlining Marx’s revolutionary economics

Neil Faulkner explains how an army of peasant guerrillas managed to defeat US imperialism in a full-scale war

Trotsky’s eventful life is a natural story for biographers, but the key thing is to engage with his real politics rather than textbook caricature, argues Peter Stauber

The reforms that Fidel Castro introduced after the overthrow of the Batista dictatorship were real, but they were bestowed from above and straitjacketed by poverty, writes Neil Faulkner

1956 was a year of war, revolution, and disillusionment – a year after which nothing could ever be quite the same again, writes Neil Faulkner

British support for the Zionist movement led to the foundation of Israel in 1948. In conjunction with US imperialism, the Israeli state is an enduring source of oppression in the Middle East

In spite of the imperialist powers' attempts to cling on to their colonies, formal empire was finished by the late 1970s. But this was not the end of imperialism, writes Neil Faulkner

Lars Lih’s recent biography of Lenin overturns textbook distortions and gets us back to the real Lenin that is needed for the movement, argues Alistair Stephens

After the revolution of 1949, the Chinese Communists resorted to state capitalism to force the country’s industrialisation. The consequences were disastrous, writes Neil Faulkner

In the first three decades after the war, the world economy experienced unprecedented growth rates and falling unemployment. But the boom rested on unstable foundations, writes Neil Faulkner

The Second World War had created a world divided between two imperialist blocs. Their nuclear arsenals acted as a ‘deterrent’, but rivalry and suspicion meant that war was never far away

Alex Snowdon recommends a collection of Trotsky’s that gives access to some of the best Marxist writing on a wide range of subjects

Large parts of Occupied Europe were liberated by local resistance movements. But the potential for a revolutionary transformation was smothered at birth, writes Neil Faulkner

Chris Bambery discusses Trotsky's attempts to use transitional demands to relate socialist ideas to the real world

The Second World War was characterised by primeval savagery. Nazi Germany, Stalinist Russia and Militarist Japan waged war with unprecedented brutality, but the ‘democracies’ also committed terrible war crimes

With the great powers fighting to defend their empires, the Second World War would re-divide the world between competing blocs of capitalists, writes Neil Faulkner

As Hitler sought to expand Germany's sphere of influence in Europe, Britain's policy of appeasement reflected the interests of the British ruling classes – until German power became overwhelming

In 1936, after General Franco had led an unsuccessful coup against a democratically elected government, revolution swept across Spain. Neil Faulkner explains why the workers were ultimately defeated

In the mid-1930s French workers launched a wave of strikes and occupations. Neil Faulkner explains how the Stalinised Communist Party worked to contain this resistance

By the end of the 1920s, Stalin's party-state apparatus had become the dominant force in Russian society. A bureaucratic ruling class treated all forms of dissent and resistance as crimes against the state

By the early 1930s, the German ruling class was determined to use the Nazis to make the world safe for German capital. But the fascist victory was not inevitable – it resulted from a failure of revolutionary leadership

Beginning with the Wall Street Crash in 1929, the world economy entered the Great Depression. The misguided policies that world leaders pursued ensured that millions of lives were torn apart.