Socialist Appeal

Theory

By Alan Woods (www.marxist.com)

Friday, 13 November 2009

“Poor Mexico! So far from God, so near to the United States.” The famous words of Porfirio Díaz are truer today than at any time in the tempestuous history of this country. The crisis of world capitalism has hit Mexico hard. And its extreme dependence on the USA, which previously was presented as something beneficial to the Mexican economy, has turned out to be a colossal problem.

24/7 Demo: Make The Bosses Pay!

By Fightback - Ireland
Friday, 13 November 2009
Ireland: Wednesday's demonstration of the 24/7 Frontline Alliance was a lot smaller than the big rain soaked demonstrations on Friday, but no less important in some ways. It’s seldom a good idea to take on all of your enemies at the same time. It’s a sign of the times when the Gards, their Sergeants, and the Prison Officers start agitating. But this is a crisis of the bosses making, there are savage cuts in payments and huge pressures on the rank and file Gardai. The crisis is eroding the support for the entire system.

EDL thugs visit Leeds

By Luke (text) and Dick (photos)
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Last week, a mob from the English Defence League (EDL), a rag-tag collection of football ‘service crews’ and other assorted hooligan and racist elements, mobilised in the northern city of Leeds. Clearly hoping to capitalise on their ‘successes’ in Manchester (where they managed to mobilise several hundred people) and Luton (where the absence of any counter-mobilisation by the labour movement allowed the EDL’s thugs to attack Muslims in the street), several hundred of these fascist yobs gathered in City Square. Over 1500 (see picture) came to oppose them.

[Audio/Video] The Fall Of The Berlin Wall

By Socialist Appeal

Tuesday, 10 November 2009

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

Heiko Khoo talks on the revolution in Germany in 1989. The defeats suffered by the German working class laid the ground for the rise of Nazism and World War 2. After the war Berlin became the focal point for the cold war. On November 9th 1989 the Berlin Wall was opened after the German Communist Party bureaucracy buckled under…

Listen here

You can also access two videos on YouTube taken from a talk on the subject given at the Brandenburg Gate:

Click here for part one.

Click here for part two

Ireland: 100,000+ on the streets

By Séamus Loughlin (Fighback)
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Tens of thousands of people: public sector and private sector workers and their families, unemployed workers, pensioners and students thronged the streets of eight cities in the South on Friday, November 6; while 10 further demonstrations took place in the north also. 70,000 marched into Merrion Square in Dublin, 20,000 in Cork, 10,000 in Waterford, 6,000 in Galway, 5,000 in Sligo, 5,000 in Limerick, 4,000 in Tullamore and 1,500 in Dundalk. Not bad for a Friday with a grim weather forecast.

The People’s Charter and Unemployment. Does it offer a solution?

By Darrall Cozens (Coventry NE Labour Party and UCU - in personal capacity)
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
In the build up to this weekend's conference of the LRC in London and the rally for the People's Charter a week later, Darrall Cozens continues his look at the TUC backed People's Charter with an examination of their demands on unemployment.

East London bus workers take action

By Steve Jones
Monday, 09 November 2009
Over the last few months we have posted reports on strike actions involving bus workers in Northumberland, Doncaster, Manchester and Essex. Now action has arrived in the capital city itself. Bus workers in East London are out today in a dispute over wages and conditions - and the red flags are flying in Romford!

The Fall of the Berlin Wall: 20 years on

By Alan Woods
Monday, 09 November 2009
Today we mark the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall by publishing an article from the current edition of Socialist Appeal which analyses why the events of 1989 have not had the outcome which the West expected. You can also download an audio file on the subject by clicking here .

Audio: The Russian Revolution and the Communist International

By Fred Weston
Friday, 06 November 2009
Tomorrow marks the 92nd anniversary of the greatest event in human history, the Russian Revolution. For the first time the working class conquered state power and at least began the task of the socialist transfomation of society. Listen here to this special meeting of the ULU Marxist Society where Fred Weston, editor of the website 'In Defence of Marxism' (marxist.com), speaks on the Russian Revolution and the founding of the Comintern; and subsequently their eventual demise and abandonment at the hands of the Stalinist bureaucracy.

Honduras: agreement or farce?

By Jorge Martin (www.marxist.com)
Friday, 06 November 2009
A lot of noise had been made about the so-called “reinstatement of Zelaya”, but is that what is really happening? So far a lot of wheeling and dealing has taken place, but no concrete steps to put Zelaya back as the legitimate president. We will see in the coming days how real this agreement is.

Cynicism and American Politics

By Mark Rahman (Socialist Appeal - USA)
Friday, 06 November 2009
Cynicism is a very useful tool for those in power. Although it inherently expresses a sense of dissatisfaction, it offers nothing as a way out. The charade of the two-party system has done a lot of damage to American workers’ perception of politics in general, and created a situation where cynicism and apparent apathy is widespread. What is needed in the US is a party that represents working people. Such a party would go far in combatting the cynical and apathetic attitudes of many toward politics, as there would finally be a force led by workers in the interests of workers.

Bank bailout: throwing good money after bad

By Mick Brooks
Friday, 06 November 2009
Why is New Labour hurling yet more of our money at the banks? The London ‘Metro’ screams that the latest deal is the “World’s biggest bank bailout.” It’s costing every household in Britain £2,000, on top of all the money wasted last time round This plan costs nearly £40bn, more than the £37bn the government pumped in to the banks a year ago. £40bn would build more than 1,500 schools, but the banks, we are told, are more important than our kids’ future. Brown boasted last year that he had ‘saved the world.’ Not quite, it seems. Now the banks are in further financial difficulties and back with their begging bowls.

Norwich: Postal Workers Speak Out

By George Deacon
Thursday, 05 November 2009
As postal workers prepare for a further round of strikes, Socialist Appeal supporters in Norwich have been active in raising support for the struggle. Over £200 for the strike fund has been raised by supporters in the city centre. The comrades also interviewed a worker at the Rowntree Way sorting office picket line last Friday.

Lenin Walk This Saturday

By Socialist Appeal
Wednesday, 04 November 2009
This Saturday in London why not join the ULU Marxists and take part in the Lenin Walk? You will be part of a conducted walk around the streets of central London, walking in the footsteps of Lenin as we rediscover his time spent in the Capital city. See history come alive on November 7th - 2.00 pm start.

Welcome To Austerity Britain!

By Rob Sewell
Wednesday, 04 November 2009
Internationally, capitalism is emerging from its worst crisis since the 1930s. There is palpable relief in the ranks of the ruling class at avoiding a financial meltdown. However, despite heated talk of green shoots, there is a universal gloom about the current situation.