In our latest episode of Marxist Voice, we speak to Dr Raj Mistry - a junior doctor in a hard-hit hospital in South East England - about the COVID catastrophe that is currently pushing the NHS to breaking point. The Tories have attempted to blame a new, more infectious strain of the virus for the current crisis. But, in reality, it is Tory cuts and privatisation that have created this dire situation inside the NHS, with chronic staff shortages and a long-term decline in bed numbers. This is why ...
Jan 13, 2021•29 min
In our latest episode of Marxist Voice, we're joined again by Natasha Sorrell - a teacher and NEU activist - to discuss the ongoing battle between the teachers and Tories over the reopening of schools. Thanks to a mass campaign by the National Education Union, the teachers have forced the Tory government into another U-turn, with remote learning now due to take place until the February half-term. But the struggle for safe schools continues. Rather than listening to those who know best, the Torie...
Jan 08, 2021•34 min
The Black Death resulted in up to 200 million deaths in the 14th century, making it the deadliest pandemic ever recorded. To many at the time, the plague seemed like the end of the world. What we now know is that it was not the world that was ending, but the decrepit feudal system, which was dying on its feet even before the plague hit. Out of the contradictions and class conflicts that were ruthlessly exposed by the Black Death there later arose momentous uprisings of the poor and oppressed. Th...
Jan 06, 2021•51 min
Six years after the beginnings of the Black Lives Matter movement, the death of George Floyd in the USA has sparked an international movement against racism and police violence. The repression and injustices experienced by BAME communities day-in, day-out was captured by the last words of George Floyd and Eric Garner: “I can’t breathe!” The protests against institutional racism have spread like wildfire to Britain, with militant demonstrations insisting that ‘the UK is not innocent’. But the que...
Dec 16, 2020•41 min
Labour’s election defeat last year, followed by a sharp shift to the right in the party under Keir Starmer, has opened up a period of introspection and questioning on the Left. Many are asking: what now? Into this context, self-appointed advisors to the movement have been quick to put forward their own ‘new’ prescriptions. One such idea – put forward by Paul Mason and other ‘left’ commentators – is that ‘values’ now form the fundamental dividing line in British politics, as opposed to class inte...
Dec 11, 2020•42 min
In this talk from the International Marxist University, Ben Gliniecki - a leading activist of Socialist Appeal - discusses the Marxist morality and the question of whether Marxists should aspire to be pacifists. Visit podcast.marxist.com for the full recordings. One of the many slanders hurled at the Bolsheviks is that they were bloodthirsty intriguers who got their way through violent means. This is a criticism shared both by the hypocritical bourgeois, and elements on the left. These pacifists...
Dec 02, 2020•40 min
To celebrate Engels' 200th birthday, we are republishing this talk from 2014, in which Rob Sewell discusses Engels' life and ideas - and in particular his outstanding contributions to Marxist theory. The greatest birthday present we can offer Engels is to learn from his legacy: to continue the struggle for socialism and build the forces of Marxism today. Join us in the fight for socialism: Join - socialist.net/join Donate - socialist.net/donate Subscribe - socialist.net/subscribe Follow us on Fa...
Nov 28, 2020•58 min
28 November this year marks the 200th anniversary of Engels’ birth. To commemorate this, Adam Booth discusses the vital role that Friedrich Engels played in developing the revolutionary ideas of Marxism. Alongside Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels was one of the founding fathers of ‘scientific socialism’. Though often considered as playing second fiddle to Marx, there can be no doubt of Engels’ extensive and outstanding contribution to Marxist theory. His collaboration with Marx was far from one-sided...
Nov 27, 2020•45 min
In this talk from the International Marxist University, Yola Kipcak - a leading activist of Der Funke, the Austrian section of the IMT - provides a Marxist analysis of Queer Theory. Visit podcast.marxist.com for the full recordings. Marxism defends the unity of peoples across all gender and sexual lines in the fight against the oppressive capitalist system. But Queer Theory holds that our gender and sexual identities are a fiction produced by discourses and oppressive power in society: a learned...
Nov 25, 2020•28 min
In this talk from the recent International Marxist University, Alex Grant - a leading member of Fightback, the Canadian section of the IMT - analyses the role of religion in society. Visit podcast.marxist.com for the full recordings. One of Marx’s best-known quotes is “religion is the opium of the people”, but that is not the end of the question. Marxism rejects all forms of superstition. Religion plays a profoundly reactionary role in society. But it cannot be overcome by argument alone. We mus...
Nov 18, 2020•38 min
The revolutionary traditions of the British working class are glossed over by the establishment. One such tradition is that of the Chartists. Decades before the formation of the TUC, the British working class dramatically entered onto the stage of history, threatening the ruling class with a mass insurrectionary movement and a general strike. In the process, the Chartists succeeded in building the political party of the working class in history, which drew the support of the young Marx and Engel...
Nov 13, 2020•49 min
In this talk from the International Marxist University, Hamid Alizadeh - a leading activist of the International Marxist Tendency - explains the problems with postcolonialism and combats the view that Marxism is 'eurocentric'. Visit podcast.marxist.com for the full recordings. Marxists are often accused of ‘Eurocentrism’ and ‘class reductionism’ (particularly in academic circles) when we argue for the struggle of workers of all races and nations against capitalism. It is said our emphasis on int...
Nov 11, 2020•37 min
Fred Weston, editor for marxist.com, discusses the most polarised US election in living memory. Biden's victory is no cause for celebration for workers and youth. Donald Trump and his supporters are not going away anytime soon. With little genuine enthusiasm for Joe Biden, the highest number of people in a century turned out to essentially vote either for or against Donald Trump. It appears as if Biden has narrowly scraped through to take the presidency, in an election that has thoroughly expose...
Nov 06, 2020•33 min
In this talk from the recent International Marxist University, Fred Weston - a leading activist of the International Marxist Tendency - introduces the history of the IMT. Visit podcast.marxist.com for the full recordings. The International Marxist Tendency traces its roots all the way through the First, Second, Third and Fourth Internationals. In the postwar period, there was a general retreat by the forces of genuine Marxism, and the left was dominated by the distortions of Stalinism and reform...
Nov 04, 2020•42 min
In a special broadcast of Marxist Voice, Rob Sewell discusses the incendiary events surrounding the release of the EHRC report into Labour and anti-semitism. The suspension of Jeremy Corbyn is a declaration of war against the left. This reveals how hollow Keir Starmer’s rhetoric of ‘unity’ really is - and always was. Grassroots activists must not – and will not – stand for this! We must take the fight to the right. Defend Corbyn! Fight for socialism! Join us in the fight for socialism: Join - so...
Oct 29, 2020•32 min
In this talk from the International Marxist University, Ylva Vinberg - a leading activist of Revolution, Swedish section of the IMT - provides a marxism explanation for oppression and explains the limits of identity politics. Visit podcast.marxist.com for the full recordings. In the current period, identity politics are in vogue. Along with the related trend of intersectionality, these ideas stress the importance of self-identification, personal experience, and the various layers of oppression p...
Oct 28, 2020•35 min
Wellred Books are proud to announce the publication of 'Chartist Revolution' by Rob Sewell - a Marxist analysis of the inspiring Chartist movement in 19th century Britain. To mark the release of this exciting new book, author Rob Sewell and Socialist Appeal writer Josh Holroyd discuss the key questions raised in 'Chartist Revolution', and the important lessons from these historical events for the struggles of the working class today. Get your copy of 'Chartist Revolution' today from Wellred Book...
Oct 23, 2020•47 min
In this talk from the International Marxist University, Josh Holroyd - a leading activist with Socialist Appeal - demonstrates and defends the method of Marxist historical materialism. Visit podcast.marxist.com for the full recordings. Bourgeois, liberal and postmodern historians alike tend to reject the Marxist view that history is driven by material laws and processes. Some also reject the idea of progress, saying this is merely a point of view. They say that history is basically random, punct...
Oct 21, 2020•38 min
In this talk from last year's Revolution Festival, Josh Holroyd discusses the rise of the working class in Britain, and the lessons from the revolutionary movement of the Chartists. Find out more on this fascinating topic by getting a copy of Rob Sewell's new book on 'Chartist Revolution', out now through Wellred Books. wellredbooks.net/chartist-revolution.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- The Peterloo massacre took place over 200 years ago in Manchester. Thi...
Oct 16, 2020•49 min
In this talk from the International Marxist University, John Peterson of Socialist Revolution USA explores the differences between Marxism and anarchism. Marxists and anarchists share many of the same objectives in common: fighting oppression; smashing the bourgeois state; creating a society without class exploitation and so on. However, there are also important differences in our ideas and methods - particularly relating to the nature of power in general, and of state power in particular. These...
Oct 14, 2020•41 min
In this talk from the recent International Marxist University, Rob Sewell - editor of Socialist Appeal - outlines the fundamentals of Marxist economics, and explains why only these revolutionary ideas can offer a way out of the impasse of capitalist crisis. As Rob explains, many attempts have been made over the years to ‘update’ Marx’s economic theories. Inevitably, these ideas jettison the revolutionary core of Marxist economics. Instead of applying a dialectical and materialist method to the e...
Oct 09, 2020•40 min
In this online talk organised by the Marxist Student Federation as part of Black History Month, Fiona Lali (national organiser of the MSF) explains why the fight against racism must be a fight against capitalism. In the coming weeks, the MSF will be publishing a series of articles and videos on the origins of slavery; the roots of racism; the black power struggle; from Windrush to the refugee crisis; and how we must fight against capitalism, racism, and all forms of oppression. In the wake of th...
Oct 08, 2020•37 min
Alan Woods – editor of In Defence of Marxism – comments on the situation in the USA, where it was announced last week that President Donald Trump has contracted COVID-19, amidst a farcical presidential election and the greatest crisis in the history of US capitalism. Trump’s reckless response to the pandemic has led to the USA having 7.5m COVID-19 cases and 200,000 deaths: the highest in the world. This catastrophe has caused Trump’s polling figures to plummet, leading him to furiously point the...
Oct 06, 2020•43 min
In this talk from the recent International Marxist University, Daniel Morley, a leading activist and writer with Socialist Appeal, provides a Marxist critique of postmodernism - an idealist philosophy that is in vogue amongst certain left-wing activists and academic. Postmodernism is very popular on university campuses, and has also gained an echo in the workers’ movement. This school of thought denies the very idea of historical progress. It echoes Henry Ford, saying “history is just one damn t...
Oct 02, 2020•47 min
In this talk from the International Marxist University, Claudio Bellotti - a leading activist of Sinistra Classe Rivoluzione, Italian section of the IMT - discusses the question of sectarianism. Visit podcast.marxist.com for the full recordings. In the socialist movement, there are those who compromise on political principles opportunistically in order to find a short-cut to the masses; and there those who place themselves outside the main workers’ struggle, spending their time attacking other o...
Sep 23, 2020•45 min
In our podcast series 'The World Turned Upside Down', Alan Woods (editor of In Defence of Marxism) discusses the English Revolution: a colossal event in world history that dealt an irreparable blow to feudal absolutism. In the final episode of this series, Alan Woods explains how Oliver Cromwell - a man who embodied the contradictions of his class - went from revolutionary to counter-revolutionary; how a revolution that overthrew the monarchy ended in its restoration and the lessons of these eve...
Sep 18, 2020•1 hr 1 min
In this talk from the recent International Marxist University, Jack Halinski-Fitzpatrick - the director of Wellred Books, the official bookshop of the IMT - discusses the Marxist solution to climate change. Visit podcast.marxist.com for the full recordings. Capitalism’s rampant exploitation of the earth’s resources is wreaking havoc on the natural world: with a spike in freak weather events, floods, wildfires and so on. In recent years, the struggle against climate change has erupted with explos...
Sep 16, 2020•32 min
In our podcast series 'The World Turned Upside Down', Alan Woods (editor of In Defence of Marxism) discusses the English Revolution: a colossal event in world history that dealt an irreparable blow to feudal absolutism. In the penultimate episode of this series, Alan Woods discusses how the great English Revolution, which embodied the hopes and democratic aspirations of so many ordinary people, ended with the dictatorship of one man: Oliver Cromwell. But the regime over which he ruled was very d...
Sep 11, 2020•34 min
In this talk from the recent International Marxist University, Niklas Albin Svensson - a leading activist of the International Marxist Tendency - explains why reformism is a dead end and only revolutionary struggle can improve the lives of working people. Visit podcast.marxist.com for the full recordings. Marxists are frequently attacked as unrealistic utopians. Rather than talking about revolution, the reformists say we should focus on winning achievable goals for workers. But all over the worl...
Sep 09, 2020•45 min
In our podcast series 'The World Turned Upside Down', Alan Woods (editor of In Defence of Marxism) discusses the English Revolution: a colossal event in world history that dealt an irreparable blow to feudal absolutism. In this latest episode, Alan explains how, with the death of King Charles and the defeat of the Presbyterian counter revolution, Oliver Cromwell moved to crush the most radical wing of the New Model Army. With the Last Stand of the Levellers in 1649 and the suppression of the Dig...
Sep 04, 2020•39 min
