After the election: Tories in chaos, Blairism buried - fight for socialism!
The election on 8th June marks a fundamental turning point in British politics. It has transformed the country already, demonstrating the enormous anger that has built up against the Establishment and austerity.
The Tories are now in an immense crisis. In the words of George Osborne, Theresa May is a "dead woman walking". Another election is on the cards in the next few months - an election that Jeremy Corbyn and Labour could win, now that they have the momentum behind them.
In this meeting of Socialist Appeal supporters on Wednesday 14th June, Rob Sewell - editor of Socialist Appeal - discusses the implications of these election results and the tremendous instability that they have caused for the ruling class. What is the way forward for the Corbyn movement and the fight for socialism?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oFSI6YaS4U
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Oppose the reactionary coup in Venezuela
Jorge Martin, secretary of the Hands Off Venezuela campaign, gives an eyewitness report of the current turbulent events in Venezuela, where violent anti-government opposition riots and protests - supported by the oligarchs, imperialists, and right-wing media - are attempting to overthrow the democratically elected Maduro government.
Jorge answers the lies and distortions of the biased media and explains the real interests that lie behind these reactionary demonstrations. Most importantly, Jorge analyses the reasons behind the economic crisis in Venezuela and explains why the Bolivarian revolution has stalled.
(This talk was filmed at a meeting organised by the Marxist Student Federation and the Hands Off Venezuela campaign, which was interrupted by aggressive Venezuelan oppositionists, who attempted to sabotage and shut down the meeting through threats, shouting, and intimidation. This demonstrates the real reactionary, anti-democratic nature of the Venezuelan opposition, which is seeking to dismantle all the conquests of the Bolivarian revolution.)
https://youtu.be/rNnlLiZopw8
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Trump's chaos at home and hypocrisy abroad
Alan Woods, editor of In Defence of Marxism, discusses Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East, which is taking place at a convenient time for the new president, who requires a distraction from the crisis facing his administration back home.
At the same time, Trump's fawning behaviour towards the despotic Saudi regime and the nationalist Israeli government demonstrates the hypocrisy of the US imperialists and their calls for peace, democracy, and stability in the region.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTDmyvIgRwQ
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The General Election: How to kick out the Tories
In this recent video from a meeting of the London Marxist societies, Josh Holroyd of the Socialist Appeal editorial board discusses the upcoming election in Britain and explains the steps needed for Corbyn's Labour to defeat the Tories.
Josh looks at the reasons behind May's decision to call a snap election; the factors influencing the Tories' current large lead in the polls; and the tasks facing Corbyn and Labour in the period ahead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyzh9kOl-hE
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Will there be a Third World War?
In this video from a London-wide meeting of Marxist societies, Ben Gliniecki of the Socialist Appeal editorial board discusses the current sabre-rattling between the Trump administration and the North Korean regime.
With military tensions rising in the Middle East, the South China Sea and the Korean peninsula, and with a maverick in the Oval Office, could this bellicose rhetoric spill over into a Third World War?
To answer this question, Ben analyses modern geo-political relations and explains why, under capitalism, nations go to war.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AdDUXolmwY
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Melenchon, Macron & Le Pen: Lessons of the French Elections
Ben Gliniecki of the Socialist Appeal editorial board discusses the results of the first round of the French presidential elections and the lessons to be learnt for the Left internationally.
In particular, Ben highlights the shattering blow dealt to the traditional parties of the establishment; the meteoric rise of far left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, on the basis of radical policies and bold rhetoric; and the lack of choice that faces the working class and youth in the second round, with a battle between the racist Le Pen and the banker Macron.
Meanwhile, Emilie Dufaw of the UCL Marxists discusses the background to the current political situation: in particular the struggle last year against the reactionary El Khomri law and the mass youth movement of the Nuit Debout.
https://youtu.be/AmrFUdgSLSk
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The French elections: a collapse of the status quo
Alan Woods, editor of In Defence of Marxism, discusses the recent results of the first round of the French presidential elections. Above all, these results represented a shattering of the status quo, with a complete collapse of the traditional parties of the centre left and the centre right.
The meteoric rise of Melenchon on the far left and Le Pen on the far right are another reflection of the political polarisation that is taking place in all countries, as workers and youth look for an anti-establishment alternative and a way out of this seemingly never-ending crisis.
Instead of supporting the so-called "lesser evil" of Macron against Le Pen, the French masses must now rediscover their revolutionary traditions and build the "Rebellious France" movement in order to overthrow capitalism and establish a socialist Europe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNReVtrEvFc
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Latin America: from Revolution to Counter-Revolution?
In this video from the LSEsu Marxist Society, Jorge Martin - editor of the Marxist magazine America Socialista and secretary of the Hands Off Venezuela campaign - discusses the political developments in Latin America over the last two decades.
Jorge explains the factors that lay behind the Bolivarian Revolution and other mass social movements in Latin America, examines why the Venezuelan revolution has now stalled, and explores whether there has been a shift to the Right across the continent in recent years.
https://youtu.be/euhu7I4T5Ao
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Capitalism's global political crisis
In this video from the recent national conference of Socialist Appeal activists and supporters, Alan Woods - editor of In Defence of Marxism - discusses the political earthquakes that have shattered the status quo and shaken the Establishment in country after country: from the victory of Donald Trump, to the Brexit vote, and the prospect of a Le Pen win in the French elections.
"All that is solid melts into air" - and all the old certainties are now being questioned, with the future of the European Union and the Middle East hanging in the balance. Wars, terrorism, and crisis: all of these are symptoms of the death agony of capitalism and the birth pangs of revolution.
https://youtu.be/JXyOi8_6-pA
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The fall of Aleppo and the fog of war
Hamid Alizadeh, editor of In Defence of Marxism, discusses the impending fall of Aleppo to Syrian loyalist forces, and highlights the hypocrisy of the Western imperialists and media, who draw attention to the tragic events in Aleppo whilst failing to mention the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Yemen at the hands of the Saudis and their US & British allies.
What are the real motivations behind Western governments' calls for intervention? And what is the way forward in ending the crisis in Syria and the Middle East?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmFXKj1tuXY
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Renzi referendum rejection: European instability increases
On Sunday 4th December, the Italian people rejected the constitutional referendum being proposed by the Renzi government.
This defeat for the government, and the sudden announcement of prime minister Renzi’s resignation, have sent shockwaves throughout Europe.
A victory for the No vote was expected, but the scale of the defeat for Renzi - with almost 60% voting against the proposed changes - is yet another blow to the European Establishment in this epoch of instability.
Francesco Merli of the In Defence of Marxism (www.marxist.com) Editorial Board analyses the factors of mass anger and discontent lying behind the rejection of Renzi's referendum, and discusses the implications of this latest chapter in the crisis of European capitalism.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4_WaV8UzPM
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Trump's win: the status quo has failed
In this recording from a recent meeting of Socialist Appeal supporters, Alan Woods - editor of In Defence of Marxism - discusses the sharp turning point in the world situation marked by the election of Donald Trump in the US elections.
As Alan explains, Trump's victory is a symptom of the fundamental breakdown in the global capitalist system. The status quo has failed, and it is the task of the Marxists to show the way forward along the lines of international socialist revolution.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-JIxW-kV3w&t=182s
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