Socialist Appeal - International

International

By Rob sewell
Thursday, 10 December 2009
With the news this week of the100th death this year of a British soldier in Afghanistan, this imperialist adventure will once again dominate the news. In a article published in the current issue of Socialist Appeal published at the end of November, Rob Sewell looks at the latest situation and its background.

USA: One Year Since Obama's Election

By Socialist Appeal (USA) Editorial Board
Thursday, 03 December 2009
Just one year ago, in the midst of the meltdown on Wall Street, millions of Americans, many of whom had never voted before, came out for Barack Obama, energized by his message of hope and change. His victory marked a turning point in U.S. politics, a clear rejection of Bush’s blatantly anti-worker and imperialist policies. The streets overflowed with joy and the promise of a new era. Around the world, cries of “yes we can!” could be heard as a collective sigh of relief swept the planet. The Bush years were over! Surely things would now get better! But what is the reality?

First Extraordinary Congress of the PSUV - Chavez calls for the Fifth International

By Alan Woods
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
At the opening session of the PSUV congress Chavez made a very radical left-wing speech, calling for the setting up of a new international, explaining that it was necessary to destroy the bourgeois state and replace it with a revolutionary state, but also referring to the bureaucracy within the Bolivarian movement itself. It was clearly a speech that reflects the enormous pressure from the masses below who are getting tired of talk about socialism, while real progress towards genuine change appears to be frustratingly slow. Alan Woods reports on the start of the PSUV congress in Venezuela.

Alan Woods: “We must carry out a revolution within the revolution”

By Últimas Noticias, Caracas
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
We reproduce here a translation of an interview with Alan Woods published in a daily newspaper in Venezuela during his current visit to the country

The contradictions of the post-Apartheid state in South Africa

By David van Wyk in South Africa
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
The working masses and poor of South Africa overthrew the old hated Apartheid regime as a means of improving their living and working conditions. Instead what we have is a party in power, the ANC, which was created by the working masses but which is presently carrying out policies in the interests of the rich. This contradiction must be resolved and the only way is for the working people to take back control of the party they created.

Honduras: the farcical agreement is exposed – boycott the elections!

By Jorge Martin
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Honduras: In a previous article we pointed to the fact that the Tegucigalpa/San José Accord signed on October 30 was a farce. Events have now confirmed that we were right. To accept the agreement now would be a betrayal of the mass movement. What is required now is an active boycott, combined with mass mobilisation for the overthrow of the present illegitimate regime

The class struggle in Mexico

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.

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.

Venezuela: PSUV congress to be held in November – Fight for a Socialist progamme!

By Patrick Larsen
Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Venezuela: The PSUV congress has now been called and Marxists will fight shoulder to shoulder with left-wing delegates for a genuine socialist programme in the struggle against bureaucracy and against the right-wing in the party.

Greece: A historical defeat for the bosses party - mass shift to the left!

By Marxistiki Foni Editorial Board
Monday, 12 October 2009
The recent elections in Greece saw a massive shift to the left in Greek society, with a total of 56% of the electorate voting for the left parties. The PASOK alone received almost 44%. This is a vote that rejects the austerity measures of the outgoing conservative ND government. The problem is that the PASOK leaders are promising more of the same. For the workers this vote was a victory - but they did not vote for more cuts. This now opens up the prospect of renewed class struggle in the coming period.

Picket Of Honduras Embassy

By Jorge
Thursday, 01 October 2009
Socialists, trade unionists and activists are invited to an emergency picket of the Honduras Embassy this Monday, 5th October between 4.00pm and 6.00pm.

German elections usher in a new period of instability

By Hans-Gerd Öfinger in Germany
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Sunday’s elections in Germany reveal an enormous shift within the electorate. Of particular importance is the massive decline of the SPD vote, mirrored by a huge increase in support for DIE LINKE which stands to its left. The victory of the right-wing parties means the German capitalists are preparing for an offensive against the biggest and most powerful working class in Europe.

Honduras: Regime resorts to repression - Insurrection in working class neighbourhoods

By Jorge Martin (www.marxist.com)
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Yesterday morning police and army forces violently attacked thousands of supporters of Honduran president Mel Zelaya and removed them violently from outside the Brazilian embassy in the capital Tegucigalpa. However, this brutal repression did not crush the will of the Honduran working people to resist against the coup. Following the lead given by the National Front of Resistance, there were mass demonstrations and barricades in all of the working class neighbourhoods of the capital and in the main cities throughout the country. Jorge Martin from www.marxist.com continues his analysis of the unfolding events in Honduras.

Mel Zelaya back in Honduras! Now mass action needed to overthrow the coup!

By Jorge Martin (www.marxist.com)
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Yesterday morning it was confirmed that Mel Zelaya was in the capital of Honduras, Tegucigalpa. He made an appeal to the people to come out to protect him. The masses responded by the tens of thousands. The next few hours will be decisive. The balance of forces is on the side of the masses. They can deal the last blow to the coup regime and start the building of a new political regime based on the organisation of the masses.