Issue 168 of Socialist Appeal is out now. This months journal features:

Editorial: Merry Christmas? Not likely

Unite-Amicus elections: Where we stand

Scotland: Tycoon trumps democracy

Our history: Women and the vote

George McCartney, working class fighter

Economy: Brown's criminal record

All Keynesians now?

Review of 2008: Potatoes, Freddie Mac and the strange case of the disappearing cash

IMT programme: Make the bosses pay!

US elections: Balance sheet for socialists

Venezuela: Elections assessed

Trade unions: Migrant worker fights victimisation

PCS - threat of strike forces talks

Fighting Fund: Make this a good Christmas for Marxism

Click here to get the latest edition of Socialist Appeal 

 
First of all I would like, on behalf of the editorial board and all those involved in the production of Socialist Appeal, to wish all our readers and sellers a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and to thank you for all your support during 2008.
What a year this has been! This time last December we were warning that the crisis which had hit Northern Rock and the US sub-prime lenders was just the start of something far more serious. Since then we have seen that warning confirmed beyond anyone's wildest imagination. The global crisis of capitalism has become the defining event of 2008.

Side Effect

One side effect to all this has been a resurgence in the ideas of Marxism. People have noted that Karl Marx was able to predict and explain the nature of the crisis 150 years ago whereas high paid economists, with their computers and state of the art economic models, were unable to predict this 150 seconds before it happened. More to the point, these 'experts' employed at great expense by capitalism can provide no explanation and no way forward. No wonder it has been reported that sales of Marx's classic work on the subject, 'Das Kapital' have been steadily rising over the last few months.
The job of Marxism - and Socialist Appeal therefore - is to explain what is happening and why but also to arm the masses and its activists with a programme that provides the means to work towards an alternative. For us, another world is not only possible but also necessary.

Marxism’s Job

However, to achieve all this, to get our ideas out to workers, students, homeworkers, unemployed and all those who find capitalism to be lacking, we need your support. At this festive (although not so festive for the thousands now facing losing their job or having a cut in salary) it is traditional to make a special appeal for donations to help build our resources.

Go for £6,000

Our target is £6,000 - a modest one compared say to what big business wastes at this time of year, but an important one. To achieve this figure we will need the support of all our readers and sellers. The cash needs to be in by the end of January 2009. One thing we are particularly after, should we hit the target, is a proper guillotine. Why? Well this will enable us to cut the paper we use to print the journal you are now holding ourselves, saving time and money. We can also cut leaflets and posters quickly without having to do it by hand - a very slow process indeed at present.

Raise cash

Some comrades have already started on looking at ways to raise cash. Leeds supporters have bought a badge-making machine. Sellers in East London organised 'The Party Of The Century' in November to raise fighting fund - and have a drink or two. We are asking all our readers and sellers to consider what they can personally donate. Even a small amount can soon build up if others add to it. Please consider given what you can.

How to give

Donations can be made in a number of ways:

• By cheque to us at PO Box 50525, Poplar, London E14 6WG (made payable to Socialist Appeal SC).

• Cheques and cash can also be paid in over the counter at any branch of Abbey National quoting account number K2018479SOC and the account name as above.

• Online using credit card by going to www.wellred.marxist.com and clicking on the special Xmas Appeal icon or by just entering the donations section of the site and following the links from there. You can also order your Xmas reading at the same time. 

We thank you in advance. Forward to Socialism.