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Democracy
Democracy
John Berger: the nature of mass demonstrations
As we build for the People's Assembly national demonstration on 26 June, we republish John Berger's May 1968 article on the role of mass demonstrations in social change
The Queen's speech and what's in store: more austerity, less democracy - CounterBlast
The Tory agenda revealed in the Queen's Speech sets out a road to cuts and a clampdown on democratic rights, writes Terina Hine
Don’t be confused by complexity: defending Julian Assange is defending democracy
On Press Freedom Day, Erik Sandberg argues that defending Assange is crucial to protecting human rights and free speech in the West and beyond
Opposition to the Tories is only growing - Kill the Bill protesters hit the streets nationwide
For a second national day of action, protesters marched in towns and cities across the country to oppose the Tory crackdown on protest and police violence; Counterfire members report
Democratic rights and the class struggle: a brief history
In response to the attempts to whitewash the monarchy and to criminalise protest, John Westmoreland traces the working class history of the struggle for democratic rights
Stop the Tory attack: Kill the bill - Counterfire freesheet April 2021
Democratic rights and the class struggle, the new normal to be won, resisting Myanmar's military, the latest on workplace struggles across Britain and more in this month's Counterfire freesheet
‘Long to reign over us’? The monarchy, land, money and guns
In the wake of establishment commemorations of the life of Prince Philip, John Rees looks at the real place of the monarchy in British politics
Social movements can beat attacks on the right to protest - podcast
Chris Nineham speaks to David Jamieson about the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts bill, and the ways social movements can resist attacks on the right to protest
Royal racism isn’t new, the whole monarchy’s got to go
More than Meghan Markle’s revelations, the monarchy is rotten to the core and it’s time it was abolished, argues Mona Kamal
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 Sickness is the System: When Capitalism Fails to Save Us from Pandemics or Itself - book review
Richard D. Wolff in
The Sickness i
s
the System
exposes the flaws and failures in the capitalist economic system, and argues for workplace democracy, finds Phil Armstrong
A tale of two Europes
The European Union preaches democracy but its practice is very different, argues Chris Bambery
Myanmar coup: the generals are back – but then they never went away
Susan Ram explores the factors behind the February 1st military coup in Myanmar
The Arab Spring ten years on: “The people demand the fall of the regime!”
As part of a series looking back at the immense popular uprisings that began ten years ago, Susan Ram salutes the millions who set North Africa and the Middle East aflame
Facebook must reverse the ban on the SWP - Counterfire statement
Counterfire's statement on Facebook shutting down the Socialist Workers Party page
The fight against Trumpism: lessons of Hitler’s Munich Putsch
As far as historical parallels can be made, we must draw the lessons from the past in the fight against fascism, writes John Westmoreland
Who was Mary Wollstonecraft?
Following the
recent controversy
around a new statue commemorating Mary Wollstonecraft, Jaqueline Mulhallen looks at the life and times of this radical figure
Desperate Trump is threatening constitutional crisis on eve of the election - CounterBlast
On the final straight of the US presidential election, Trump’s authoritarian and reactionary agenda is edging the country towards political meltdown, argues Sean Ledwith
Democracy and class struggle: the mass demonstrations rocking Thailand
Demonstrations in Thailand calling for the Prime Minister’s resignation and democratic reforms are unrelenting and it’s terrifying those in power, writes Mick Wattam
Macron’s war on ‘Islamic separatism’
As a second wave of Covid-19 powers through France, a beleaguered president bent on re-election invokes a familiar Islamophobic trope, says Susan Ram
Radical Scotland and The Fight for Scottish Democracy - book review
Two new histories of working-class radicalism in Scotland from the French Revolution to the crisis of 1820 show the relevance of these events to today, finds Chris Bambery
This is about all our rights: don't extradite Assange protest
Protesters assembled outside the Old Bailey to voice the opposition to extraditing Julian Assange, reports Shabbir Lakha
Made in the US: the coup in Chile
On the 50
th
anniversary of Salvador Allende’s election, Mike Wayne looks at a declassified CIA report that shows how quickly plans were laid to stop him at all costs
What went wrong in Russia? - explainer
In the eighth part of a series of socialist explainers, Vladimir Unkovski-Korica analyses what went wrong in post-revolution Russia
The Russians are coming: the new liberal delusion
The unfounded hysteria about Russian interference is being driven by the political centre struggling to find a way back, argues Chris Nineham
Poland Elections 2020: a narrow but dangerous victory for the right
The victory for the Trumpesque right in Poland is a dangerous development and the challenge for socialists is to create an opening for renewed struggle, argues Reece Goscinski
20 Dictators Currently Supported by the U.S. - book review
David Swanson,
20 Dictators
provides robust evidence that the claims for US foreign policy are contradicted by its behaviour, argue Phil Armstrong and Catherine Armstrong
The violence of the Spanish state
Felipe González, ETA and the death squads, by Chris Bambery
Labour’s new Gen Sec proves the right have taken over
David Evans's rise to General Secretary shows the return to Blairism by Starmer's Labour, says Lucy Nichols
Levellers Day 2020 - video
Remembering the Levellers and the significance of their struggle today
Orbánism on the march: how power is seized
Hungary’s far-right regime is exploiting the pandemic like no other European state, warns Tamás Krausz
Chomsky’s Deterring Democracy: books that made me a socialist
Selected by author and environmental activist Elaine Graham-Leigh
If the Coronavirus crisis leads to a global economic depression, what will it to do world (geo)politics?
In four points, Vladimir Unkovski-Korica considers how a global economic depression could affect global politics.
Meghan and Harry: the royal descent of an archaic institution
The monarchy serves only to normalise inequality, so let Harry and Meghan go forth and shake it up, writes Sofie Mason
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism - book review
The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
raises important questions about the authoritarian use of digital technologies, but the solution needs to be radical, argues Reece Goscinski
Ten points to remember before polling day – election briefing 9 December
We’re in the last days of the election, so here are a few things to bear in mind, writes Lindsey German
The manifesto that will change the terms of debate - election briefing 22 November
Lindsey German on Labour’s manifesto and private landlords in modern Britain
Fight for the soul of Hong Kong
As the battleground shifts to universities, pro-democracy demonstrators continue to be met with violence in Hong Kong, reports Alex Doe
Why tactical voting is a bad idea
Tactical voting benefits the Lib Dems and is a block to a people-powered movement for change, argues Dragan Plavšić
The Great Firewall of China - book review
Hopes for the internet as a tool of liberation fall foul of the dominance of corporate interests, in the West as well as China, argues Elaine Graham-Leigh
From protest to revolt in days: a new phase of global resistance
Insurgent protest is spreading across the globe like wildfire as people take to the streets demanding fundamental change, writes Chris Nineham
Huge numbers join Catalonia's general strike for freedom
Hundreds of thousands marched in Barcelona and around the territory today in defence of democracy and their right to independence, reports Chris Bambery
Londoners defy the XR ban to defend the right to protest
In defiance of the police ban on Extinction Rebellion protests in London, thousands protested in Trafalgar Square on Wednesday, reports Chris Nineham
Kick out the crooks - Counterfire freesheet October 2019
Tory crisis, Corbynism, drive to war with Iran, austerity, climate strikes and more in this month's Counterfire freesheet
The Hong Kong protests: where next?
Looking to the West for help is counterproductive for the protests, argues Dragan Plavšić
Kashmir crisis: how the left should respond
It is time for the international left to throw its weight behind the Kashmiri struggle for democracy, argues Sweta Tapan Choudhury
Why we can win: the left and Boris Johnson's crisis
The way out of this crisis is to keep left, fight for Corbyn and stay on the streets, argues Chris Nineham
The outlaw government must go!
John Rees on the next step to elect a socialist government
Hong Kong: crucible of resistance
As protesters continue to take to the streets en masse in Hong Kong, Sean Ledwith argues that the global labour movement must stand in solidarity
Stop Boris' Coup - Counterfire Freesheet September 2019
All out for 29 September: Protest the Tory Party Conference, Central Manchester. Plus social care crisis, William Blake: artist and radical, how we won democracy, India's crackdown on Kashmir and more in this month's Counterfire freesheet
Power to the People
Democratic rights don’t fall from the sky, they are fought for and won, insists Alex Snowdon
Labour and a ‘national government’: how to dash the hopes of millions
Looking back at the last time Labour joined a national government, John Westmoreland argues it would be a mistake for Labour to consider it now
Sails and Winds: A Cultural History of Valencia - book review
Michael Eaude’s history of Valencia reveals much about the Spanish state’s hard line against aspirations for independence or simply greater autonomy, argues Chris Bambery
Labour can only expose Johnson if they represent a radical opposition
Labour needs to champion democracy to counter Boris Johnson and put forward a class-based approach to overthrow the government, argues Alex Snowdon
General election: unite and fight
The left must seize the initiative in the coming general election, argues Lindsey German
Their democracy and ours – weekly briefing
Current attacks on democracy have to meet maximum resistance but this is not an end within itself, argues Lindsey German
Resistance to the Tory coup should be about democracy, not Europe
The left cannot fight Boris Johnson’s power grab if it appeals only to Remainers, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
No confidence in anti-democratic Boris Johnson
Labour must get back to the priority of toppling Boris Johnson with a no confidence vote and reconnect with the movement on the streets, argues David McAllister
Peterloo: Witnesses to a Massacre - book review
This graphic history of Peterloo is a poignant piece of people’s history told through stunning artwork and the voices of those who were there, finds Adam Tomes
Westminster is broken, it's time for Scotland to quit
The latest attack on democracy by Boris Johnson highlights that the UK is not a union of equals, it's time for Scottish independence, argues Chris Bambery
The biggest attack on democracy since before universal suffrage
The hard right have seized government and are now launching an attack on democracy, we have to fight back, argues Chris Nineham
Boris Johnson proroguing Parliament is a Tory coup
Boris Johnson's undemocratic manoeuvres must be stopped by mass opposition on the streets, argues Lindsey German
Vote with your feet – weekly briefing
Recent events have demonstrated the inextricable link between democratic demands and the fight for socialism, argues Lindsey German
Evasive 'democracy': Israel bans Omar and Tlaib
Israel's refusal of two US congresswomen is unacceptable but highlights the strength of BDS, writes Richard Pratt
The poisonous politics of Priti Patel
The disgraced former minister Priti Patel is back in government with her own brand of toxic politics that must be opposed by the left, argues David McAllister
The women of Peterloo
We can learn from the inspirational struggle of working-class women against a violent and corrupt Tory government 200 years ago in our fight against the Tories today, argues Katherine Connelly
What did Engels say about revolution?
Engels was a revolutionary democrat and a revolutionary realist, argues Dragan Plavšić
Boris Johnson is a racist, sexist, warmonger who must be stopped - video
"If you try to have a war with Iran... you will create a mass movement against war in this country of the sort that you haven’t seen in more than a decade"
Stop Boris: General Election Now - Counterfire Freesheet July 2019
No new Tory Prime Minister, protest the Tory party conference, revolt in Sudan, does modern monetary theory work, stop the drive to war with Iran, the British state and what Engels said about revolution in this month's Counterfire freesheet
Labour's lost Leave voters
The left should be the champions of democracy, but Labour backing a second referendum lets the right claim it instead, argues Lindsey German
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
Boris Johnson as Prime Minister should not be tolerated
Boris cannot be allowed to take control unopposed - we must demand a general election, argues Chris Nineham
Sudan Solidarity - interview with Sidgi Kaballo
Sidgi Kaballo speaks to Counterfire about the situation in Sudan and the importance of international solidarity with the Sudanese people
General election now: why 100,000 Tories will be wrong
With Theresa May slowly becoming something of the past, Katherine Connelly looks to the future
Trump attacks Sadiq Khan - his kingmaking must stop
President Trump's incendiary interventions in British politics are completely unacceptable and must be called out, argues David McAllister
The 2019 Indian General Elections: what’s at stake?
With results due to be announced on Thursday May 23, Susan Ram explores the mammoth voting operation in terms of issues, significance and possible outcomes
William Godwin: A political life - book review
A new biography lauds William Godwin, but some contemporary radicals of the 1790s offer better inspiration for the modern left, argues Dominic Alexander
Algeria in revolt: the fight for democracy - interview
Following the resignation of President Bouteflika, Josh Newman interviews an Algerian activist on the situation on the ground
Arab Spring redux: the uprisings in Algeria and Sudan
Giant popular uprisings in Algeria, Sudan and beyond are a fresh eruption of the processes that set the Arab world alight in 2011, reports Susan Ram
Algerian uprising ousts President Bouteflika – and it isn’t stopping there
Algeria's revolutionary revival gives hope of reconnecting with the Arab Spring legacy, writes Eleftheria Kousta
The Brexit crisis and the disintegration of Britain's political system
Brexit is a crisis that cuts deep into the ruling class and Theresa May's failures have brought to the fore the cracks in Britain's political system, argues Sean Ledwith
Brexit crisis continued: Theresa May's inept authoritarianism
Theresa May blaming Parliament for her failures reveals her distaste for democracy and inability to keep her ship afloat, argues Morgan Daniels
Venezuela in the shadow of Trump
Venezuela must be defended from Trump's push for regime change and attempt to export his toxic brand of right wing politics, argues Sean Ledwith
Venezuela: a coup made in Washington: not for the first time – weekly briefing
US imperial adventurism is back with a vengeance and has to be called out clearly for what it is, argues Lindsey German
No confidence in May, and no confidence in this failing government: a general election is the only option
This government is sustained by class hatred alone. But they are weak and we must keep up the pressure for a general election
The establishment seems to have forgotten we live in a parliamentary democracy: let's remind them
We must demand a general election to resolve this crisis, argues Chris Nineham
May's deal is dead: this is what must happen next
Only a general election can break the impasse, and to make it happen we need to get out on the streets and pile the pressure on, argues Martin Hall
France: unsubmissive and on the streets
Feyzi Ismail reports from Paris, where the
Gilets Jaunes
have been demonstrating for the fourth weekend consecutively, and with more protests planned
Watch the Guardian's Larry Elliott take down those calling for a People's Vote
Even the Guardian's economics editor thinks staying in the EU is a bad idea
May's Brexit deal is a dead duck: the only option now is a general election
May and her party are completely incapable of delivering a viable deal, writes Chris Nineham
Why we say no to a second referendum
Re-running the EU referendum would be massively undemocratic and could spell the end of Corbynism, argues Susan Ram
Corbyn and the mainstream media: a case-study in fake news
Since Corbyn was elected leader of the Labour Party, the media attacks have been relentless. T. J Coles, author of new book
Real Fake News
, examines
Labour's conference and what it tells us about how the left can win
The left surge at Labour conference was impressive - now, if we want to win, we need to mobilise the whole movement
The left is growing: why the setbacks at Labour conference?
The left has seen a number of defeats at Labour Conference, but on the ground, there is burgeoning resistance, writes Chris Nineham
Is the Labour Party a machine or a movement?
Corbynism and the prospect of a Labour government are at risk if the NEC undermines the membership and democracy
Turkey police attack Saturday Mothers vigil
A statement from Solidarity with the People of Turkey on the recent attack against the Saturday Mothers
Zimbabwe after Mugabe: his successor struggles to maintain grip on power
What we are seeing in the first elections after Mugabe is the deep state clutching to power, but can it hold on? Asks Shabbir Lakha
Israel enshrines apartheid into law
While the Labour right try to conflate criticism of Israel with antisemitism, Israel just enshrined apartheid into law argues Mark Porciani
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
All roads lead to the Trump protest on 13 July – weekly briefing
Trump is scared of the UK protest movement; let’s make sure that his fear is confirmed, writes Lindsey German
Europe: time to look reality in the face - weekly briefing
A People’s Brexit that unites the left is the only way to confront an increasingly bold neoliberal mafia, argues Lindsey German
The Italian coup and the growing crisis in the EU
The unelected Italian President has carried out a soft coup which is highly undemocratic and which has thrown the country and the EU into mounting chaos, argues Chris Bambery
The bigotry of Arlene Foster won’t stop women on the march - weekly briefing
The democratic shockwaves of women’s liberation can still create real problems for our rulers, writes Lindsey German
Be part of a socialist organisation committed to fundamental change
We have a once in a generation chance for change, and must take it
Rethinking Democracy: Socialist Register 2018 - review
Socialism and democracy belong together, and recent popular movements of the left make possible a fight for authentic democracy, argues Sean Ledwith
Catalonia kicks off - in images - street revolt meets police attacks
Major revolt is underway after the Spanish state imprisoned a further 5 ex-ministers (total = 9) and issued European Arrest Warrants on 6 others in exile, inc. the ex-President
Catalan Spring? Resistance fills the streets as ex-President arrested in Germany
Marching on the motorways and confronting police violence, the mass movement has returned with a new defiance, reports Jack Sherwood
Not One Step Back: Catalonia rises in protest as 5 ex-ministers imprisoned
Escalating repression by the Spanish state has sparked huge anger and an appetite for militant action, reports Mathew Barton from Tarragona
What's happening in Catalonia is an assault on democracy
As the wave of repression from the Spanish state continues, Catalonia needs our solidarity now more than ever, argues Chris Bambery
The War? The Suffragettes? How did women win the right to vote?
On the centenary of women winning the right to vote, Katherine Connelly explores how they fought for their rights and resisted war
Statue commemorating working class Suffragette Alice Hawkins unveiled
Marking a hundred years of some women winning the right to vote, a statue of Suffragette Alice Hawkins was erected in Leicester. Jacqueline Mulhallen reports
Look who isn't coming to dinner - weekly briefing
Trump deflected is an object lesson in the power of protest but it is only a beginning, writes Lindsey German
No one likes neoliberalism: the year that the mask slipped – weekly briefing
The rollercoaster of polarisation was in full flow this year and shows no sign of relenting, writes Lindsey German
Why socialists should support Catalonia
The national question has returned to mainland Europe and we have to choose a side, argues Dragan Plavšić
A very British coup: May's power grab
Theresa May lost her majority in June, but she's trying to use the Repeal bill to undemocratically cling on to power argues Josh Holmes
In France, the election boycott intensifies: Macron’s ‘landslide victory’ reveals its feet of clay
The majority of the French electorate did not vote in the second round of France's legislative elections. Susan Ram analyses the implications
The election of the French parliament: a huge shake-up, but polarisation continues
The victory of "the centre" is only temporary, argues John Mullen
The election which showed that class is back - Final Election briefing (for now)
All change - and things are shifting in our direction at last, writes Lindsey German
The election result: What happened in Scotland?
A look at the difference in this election on either side of the border, from Chris Bambery
This was the result they said we could never see - Post-Election briefing
Blairism is dead and the left are back, now the real work begins, argues Lindsey German
Vote Labour, but don't stop there
Political consciousness in Britain has shifted, argues Jamie Wright
The election which only one party deserves to win - Election briefing #33
The tumult of the last few weeks is an indicator of far deeper and persistent divisions, argues Lindsey German
Win or lose, change has already come
John Rees on how to assess the election result
Would you trust this woman with your security? Seriously? - Election briefing #32
The chickens are truly coming home to roost for Theresa May as she approaches the final hurdle, writes Lindsey German
Theresa May doesn't seem to have any answers, and her scapegoating of Corbyn isn't working - election briefing #31
The tories are flapping: they have underestimated Corbyn and the class he represents, observes Lindsey German
The days of timidity are over
It's time to stand up for our democratic rights, and that shouldn't be restricted to the vote we have in the general election
This wasn't supposed to happen - Election briefing #29
The mainstream media's "facts" about this election are rapidly revealing themselves to be self-serving prejudices, notes Lindsey German
It's the Empress who has no clothes, not Jeremy Corbyn - Election briefing #27
The Tories’ threadbare campaign has their jitters rising swiftly to the surface, observes Lindsey German
On balance, the Tories don't deserve to win – Election briefing #26
As the Tories flounder towards Plan B, Corbyn strides into the mainstream, notes Lindsey German
The war party has a lot to answer for - Election briefing #25
We should demand honest accounting when it comes to links between domestic terrorism and overseas military intervention, writes Lindsey German
Something is happening here, but you don't know what it is, do you, Mr Jones? – Election briefing #21
Jeremy Corbyn is defying the media and chiming with the working class, writes Lindsey German
Student to student: why this time you must vote
People are cynical about politics, and with good reason, but this election is different, writes student Jamie Wright
Property owning democracy, anyone? – Election briefing #20
Theresa May’s Poundland Thatcher isn’t convincing anyone, argues Lindsey German
Tory manifesto isn't greater fairness between generations, it's an attack on every generation – Election briefing #19
This cruel and regressive Tory manifesto gives another spur to the left, argues Lindsey German
A change is gonna come: these policies are a real alternative - Election briefing #18
Labour have produced a class-based programme that we can all get behind, writes Lindsey German
What exactly is wrong with taxing the rich and the corporations? - Election briefing #17
Let’s start challenging inequality in the here-and-now, argues Lindsey German
If you believe the Tories on this, you'll believe anything - Election briefing #16
Theresa May's pitch to working class voters is laughable, argues Lindsey German
This is a manifesto worth fighting for - Election briefing #15
There is every opportunity for the class to move forward with this clarion call, writes Lindsey German
What’s worse than an election expenses scandal? Letting them get away with it…
There’s a whole system of power that needs to change here, writes Jonathan Maunders
A manifesto that is anything but chaotic - Election briefing #14
Popular policies take centre stage and Labour forward with one serious misstep, writes Lindsey German
Theresa May knows all about the Nasty Party: she's leading it – Election briefing #13
War, fraud and feather-nesting: business as usual for the Tories, notes Lindsey German
Is Theresa May a secret Marxist? - Election briefing #12
What’s behind Tory claims that privatisation cannot deliver fair energy prices, asks Lindsey German
Four weeks to turn this around - Election briefing #11
Fighting to win and shifting the terrain on to our issues are the left’s urgent tasks, writes Lindsey German
Does Empress Theresa realise this is an election, not a coronation? - Election briefing #08
Tory imperial pretension cannot conceal their damage and weakness, notes Lindsey German
Bad press day? Headlines when it’s a black leftwing woman - Election briefing #07
Is the interview with Diane Abbott really such big news, asks Lindsey German
The Blair Rich Project - Election briefing #06
What can possibly be motivating Tony Blair in this election campaign, asks Lindsey German
Tories in a double bind over triple locks and taxes – Election briefing #05
What are the Tories going to do about taxes, asks Lindsey German
Right, left and centre: how the battle will shape up – Election briefing #04
As parliament rises until after the election, it's worth looking at where we are, writes Lindsey German
When the lying has to stop - Election briefing #03
Labour's promises on the NHS will be popular, writes Lindsey German
Turkish Referendum: Erdoğan’s narrow win
The victory for the Yes campaign is far less than Erdoğan was hoping for and shows a country divided argues Shabbir Lakha
Will Hutton and Gerald Coyne: PR for the bosses’ man
The liberal media is overplaying its hand in coverage of the Unite General Secretary election, writes the Angry Trucker
Neoliberalism and local democracy: why the mayoral elections will solve nothing for the left
The hue, cry and bunting of devolved power holds no rewards for our side, argues John Westmoreland
Why we need organisation: politics and structure
Are Lenin’s Bolsheviks still the template for radical socialists in the 21st century, asks Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
Italy Referendum: No to Renzi
Matteo Renzi has resigned following a No vote in the Italy's Referendum, Chris Bambery analyses the vote and the opportunities for the left.
Leveller! A political insult for all ages
John Rees, author of the new book
The Leveller Revolution
, looks at the contemporary relevance of the Levellers
Signs of change in the Balkans? The Bulgarian and Moldovan elections
Is the stifling pro-western consensus that has dominated Balkan and eastern European politics for the last quarter of a century finally on the wane, asks Dragan Plavšić
What is really going on at Trump Tower and why it isn't fascism
Inappropriate use of the F-word misleads and disorientates at a time when clarity is key, warns Chris Nineham
This is where the work begins: on the streets against Trump
Indignation and anguish against Trump from thousands of young school students, as they walk out of classes and militancy mounts
Counterfire Conference December 2016 Resolutions
Resolutions passed for Counterfire Conference December 2016
As dangerous abroad as at home: Trump and foreign policy
We shouldn't believe that Trump's claims to isolationism will lead to a safer world, argues Lindsey German
The Trump victory: how it happened and how to respond - part 2
Counterfire publishes more reactions to Trump's election, as world politics is thrown into crisis once again
The Trump disaster: the chickens come home to roost
How did America elect its most reactionary President ever, asks John Rees
The Trump victory: how it happened and how to respond - part 1
Counterfire publishes more reactions to the US elections, as world politics is thrown into crisis once again
How did we get to this? Clinton and the damage done
Clinton’s utter failure to inspire the growing movement in American society for real change has given Trump an opening
Counterfire Conference December 2016
Join this crucial discussion about the left and the movements in the year ahead
US elections: death of a salesman or reincarnation of the salesman as politician?
Whoever wins the presidency, American society will be the loser if it cannot build a political movement based on a different ideology, explains Jude Fernando
Questions three months on from the murder of Jo Cox MP
Kevin Ovenden considers the aftermath of the brutal assassination that rocked domestic politics and identifies currents the mainstream is anxious to ignore
Make austerity history: keeping our eyes on the prize
In the run-up to to next month’s crucial standoff against the Tories in Birmingham, Mick Wattam assesses the balance of forces
Corbyn, democracy and the movement
Opposing imperialism through the movement on the streets is imperative, argues Lindsey German
Make America hate again? Trump, the Republicans and US decline
Sean Ledwith considers Donald Trump's ascendancy within the context of the history of the Republican Party and American power
The Secret Left-wing Diary of Owen Smith, aged 46 and a half
Counterfire has gained exclusive access to the diary of Labour leadership hopeful Owen Smith
Jeremy Corbyn's new politics is a threat to the establishment
This moment offers an opportunity for radical change, but the path to victory lies in political confrontation, argues Kevin Ovenden
Failed coup, new clampdown
President Erdoğan is using the defeat of the coup in Turkey to repress opposition, as this analysis from the Turkish and Kurdish Centre Day-Mer explains
7 reasons anti-imperialists should vote for Lexit
Anti-imperialists must vote leave, argues Sean Ledwith
Should we stay or should we go?
Alex Gordon, convenor of Lexit – The Left Leave Campaign and former president of the RMT trade union, talks to Counterfire about the upcoming EU referendum
Brazil: the movement strikes back
The lower house of Brazil's parliament has moved to annul Rousseff's impeachment, but only the movements can stop the coup. Orlando Hill introduces and translates an official statement from CUT
One simple argument about the existence of the state of Israel
John Rees explains why a secular, democratic state across historic Palestine has nothing in common with anti-semitism
The Tories and academies: a coup against democracy
As the Tories plan to turn every school into an academy, Alastair Stephens takes a look at the motives behind the drive
Brazil: Rousseff, the left and the coup
As the right attempts a coup, the workers and their allies are determined to fight back, reports Orlando Hill
Undemocratic and irreformable: why we must vote to leave the EU
As the Tories descend into civil war, we argue that a vote to leave the EU would be a blow against the neoliberal order
Carta a favor da saída da Grã Bretanha da União Europeia
This is a Portuguese translation of the letter by trade unionists and socialists in favour of an exit from the EU
For a Europe of peoples
The EU is fundamentally undemocratic and cannot be reformed, argues Chris Bambery
Debt or Democracy: Public Money For Sustainability and Social Justice
Mainstream economics mystifies the nature of money. Mellor’s
Debt or Democracy
explodes the myths, and provides the social alternative, argues Phil Armstrong
Don’t just watch: The logic of Corbyn’s rise revealed
Corbyn's rise is only the most recent expression of a long term trend towards a more radical and left-wing politics, argues Chris Nineham
Conference 2016 Resolutions
Resolutions passed for Counterfire National Conference 2016
Podemos comeback has broken the Spanish deadlock
The result of the Spanish election is a major breakthrough for the left in Spain and beyond
MPs complaints of bullying show contempt for democracy
Many of those complaining fear greater accountability and the wave of anti-war feeling evident from Corbyn's election as Labour leader
Trouble in the Tarai: a new political crisis for Nepal
Following the catastrophic earthquake that hit Nepal in April, the country is experiencing a new crisis, which this time is entirely political in nature, writes Fraser Sugden
The Dignity of Chartism
Dorothy Thompson’s writing on Chartism showed early working-class politics as it really was, a real challenge to the ruling class of the time, argues John Westmoreland
Japanese protest movements signal new political energy
William Andrews outlines the character of the new protest movements in Japan, as the government attempts to adopt new security legislation
Hoist by their own petard: the Tories' Lords imbroglio
The Tories' tax credits debacle in the upper chamber is just the latest episode in the continuing crisis of democratic legitimacy, writes Alastair Stephens
A coup in the EU: Portugal's left win election but are banned from power
Portugal’s president, has blocked a Left-wing coalition government even though it secured an absolute majority in the Portuguese parliament on an anti austerity mandate reports Nick Wright
Suffragette: on the side of the rebels
Suffragette
is a compelling and moving portrayal of the courage of ordinary women who dared to challenge the power of the British state
Marshland: Life, death, redemption
A recently released Spanish thriller casts light on the country’s compromised transition to democracy.
Marshland
by
Alberto Rodríguez
is reviewed by Jim Aindow
Classic texts: a summary of Lenin’s State and Revolution
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
Jeremy Corbyn can't win - say Labour's losers
Jeremy Corbyn, the candidate who 'can't win an election', is currently winning the Labour leadership election observes Charles B Anthony
Confronting TTIP means confronting the undemocratic EU
If we want to fight TTIP we need to confront the undemocratic and unaccountable European Union argues Reuben Bard-Rosenberg
EU referendum: why the Left needs to campaign for a No vote
We need a broad, progressive campaign against EU membership, based on internationalism and solidarity and in opposition to the British establishment. We cannot leave the anti-EU argument to the racist right
Ten reasons why the story of Magna Carta is about rebellion
Unfortunately for David Cameron, the real lesson of the Magna Carta story is that only a determined mass movement can win political and social equality
The smear campaign against Rabina Khan
Charlotte Gerada writes on the smear campaign against Rabina Khan that the media won't discuss
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