Marxism Today: London lectures 11 May – 20 July 2011
A world in economic crisis, growing social inequality, war in Afghanistan and Libya and revolutions across the Arab world. Neo conservative thinkers used to argue that we had reached the ‘end of history’ in liberal capitalism and that the old ideas of socialism and revolution had failed. Workers Power invites you to a series of lectures and debates where we discuss the relevancy of Marxism for our world today.
All lectures at LSE Student Union, 7.30pm
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Revolution – the motor of history?
11 May 2011
Some have claimed that revolutions were a thing of the past – but the events of 2011 have proven otherwise. Simon Hardy considers the role of revolution in human development across history, and reflects on the relationship between democratic and social revolution in the context of the wave of uprisings sweeping the Middle East and North Africa today.
Simon Hardy is an eyewitness to the revolution in Egypt and leading activist in the student movement.
The future of capitalism in a crisis-ridden age
25 May 2011
The economic downturn has dispelled the myth that capitalism had reached a crisis-free stage. Meanwhile, the ecological impact of capitalist development threaten permanent and severe disruption to the ecosystem, while sharpening rivalries between world powers raise the prospect of a new arms race. So is capitalism doomed? Or can the system regenerate?
With Richard Brenner author of the Credit Crunch: a Marxist Analysis (L5I, 2008)
What would a revolutionary party look like today?
8 June 2011
The resistance today, from Tunisia and Egypt to Wisconsin and London, has brought a fundamental question back into focus. What forms of organisation and what type of politics should we adopt in the fight against capitalism? How can we orientate the new movements towards the socialist goal? How do we avoid repeating the mistakes of the past?
Jo Casserly is a leading activist in the student movement and a contributor to Springtime; the New Student Rebellions (Verso, 2010)
Chinese capitalism and the new, rebellious working class – legacies and prospects
22 June 2011
China’s runaway economic development has inevitably resulted in the emergence of a huge new working class. As the country struggles with sharply rising inflation new workers’ organisations are proving increasingly rebellious with strikes and protests for higher wages on the increase. The CCP undoutedly fears the power of these workers.
Peter Main writes for Workers Power on the political-economy of Chinese development.
General strike 1926: workers, trade unions and resistance
6 July 2011
With a day of mass strike action planned across the public sector on 30 June, Jeremy Drinkall goes back in time to 1926 – when Britain was on the brink of revolution with a mass general strike. Here we explore the struggle between the TUC, the trade union leaders and ordinary rank and file workers – and how it could have gone further.
Jeremy Drinkall is a trade union rep for Unison and industrial editor for Workers Power magazine.
What’s new and what’s different in contemporary racism?
20 July 2011
Racism and far right parties are on the rise across Europe. This is despite the fact that there is more formal opposition to all forms of discrimination in public life and amongst the political establishment. Natalie Silverstein considers the contradictions in modern racism and how the causes of its contemporary forms differ from those of the past.
Natalie Silverstein is a Jewish socialist and anti-cuts activist.
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[contact-form 3 “London lectures 2011”]
