Shows
Against the StreamTrump & Netanyahu's 12-day war on Iran: who won?This week, in a dramatic turn of events, Trump – who campaigned on the promise to end US ‘forever wars’ – decided to get involved in Israel’s war on Iran by dropping bombs on its nuclear facilities. Now, after an attack on a US base and some strong words, Trump has enforced a ceasefire between the warring parties. In the aftermath, Trump has celebrated his ‘12 day’ war as a stunning success, which “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme. However, this chaotic escalation of the situation in the Middle East is bound to have consequences on the stability not only of the regi...2025-06-261h 04
Against the StreamLA riots and the Musk/Trump feudThis week, thousands of workers flooded onto the streets of LA in response to ICE agents raiding workplaces and neighbourhoods. Since then, Trump has tried to crush the movement by calling in the Marines and the National Guard. But in so doing, he risks provoking a mass movement similar to Black Lives Matter, which forced him into hiding in the White House bunker five years ago. The democrats have attempted to attach themselves to this wave of protests. Posing as the ‘resistance’ and a friend to immigrants, they are attempting to direct it into safe channels. But the...2025-06-121h 16
Against the Stream2025: Where is the world going? – A Marxist analysis2025 marks a turning point in world history.The tectonic plates of international relations are shifting, the globalised world economy is being torn apart, and the entire capitalist order is being shaken to its foundations by political, economic, environmental and social crises. An unstable new epoch – an epoch of war, revolution and counter-revolution – has opened up. In preparation for the first congress of the Revolutionary Communist International, Jorge Martín and Hamid Alizadeh from the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International sat down to discuss world perspectives on a special episode of Against the Stream, the w...2025-06-051h 26
Against the StreamGaza genocide escalates, Ukraine peace talks, and comrades arrested in PakistanFor a year and a half, the western imperialists have not only been defending Israel's right to massacre, starve and ethnically cleanse the population of Gaza – they have been selling them the weapons to do it. Now, all of a sudden, they’re criticising the “intolerable” suffering that Israel is causing. Does this mean that the imperialists have gained a conscience?Certainly not. At a time when Netanyahu is escalating the genocide and explicitly declaring that Israel plans to conquer the territory and expel the Palestinians, what these blood-soaked hypocrites fear are the revolutionary implications of being associat...2025-05-231h 22
Against the StreamGaza genocide escalates, Ukraine peace talks, and comrades arrested in PakistanFor a year and a half, the western imperialists have not only been defending Israel's right to massacre, starve and ethnically cleanse the population of Gaza – they have been selling them the weapons to do it. Now, all of a sudden, they’re criticising the “intolerable” suffering that Israel is causing. Does this mean that the imperialists have gained a conscience?Certainly not. At a time when Netanyahu is escalating the genocide and explicitly declaring that Israel plans to conquer the territory and expel the Palestinians, what these blood-soaked hypocrites fear are the revolutionary implications of being associat...2025-05-221h 23
Against the StreamTrump and Netanyahu clash, India-Pakistan war, and revolutionary movement in SerbiaWar between India and Pakistan. Revolutionary crisis in Serbia. Escalation of the genocide in Gaza. These are just a few of the mighty events piling up on one another at a breathtaking pace. Against the Stream is here to help revolutionaries navigate these tumultuous events. In Kashmir, India and Pakistan – both nuclear powers – once again briefly went to war. The countries have been in conflict since the partition of the subcontinent by British imperialism in 1947, but tensions have burst into the open again because of the profound change in the international balance of forces, and because both regimes are seek...2025-05-151h 31
Against the StreamWhat is behind the rise of Reform UK?Last week's byelections in the UK were an earthquake in British politics. For the first time since the rise of the Labour Party 100 years ago, the two-party system has been upended. Now, a new contender for power has decisively entered the race: Reform.It has been less than a year since the last general election in Britain. Since then, the Labour party has collapsed in popularity as a result of Starmer’s repeated attacks on the poor – chiefly his savage cut to winter fuel payments for pensioners and disability benefits. The Tory party, meanwhile – the oldest and most successful politi...2025-05-081h 37
Spectre of CommunismThe case for theory: why communists should study philosophy“Do I really need to read long theoretical books to be a communist?” This is a common question among class fighters today. In our final episode of the season, we make the case that, in order to change the world, it is first necessary to understand it. And for that, we need a philosophy!The American trade unionist Bill Haywood once said: “I’ve never read Marx's Capital, but I've got the marks of capital all over my body!” While it’s true that working people don’t need to pick up any books to understand through bitter experie...2025-05-061h 17
Against the StreamThe war in Ukraine: setting the record straightSince Russian tanks rolled into Ukraine three years ago, a flood of lies has gushed forth from western governments and the billionaire press alike to obscure the real nature of this war.[Click here for a comprehensive reading list on the background to the Ukraine war: https://marxist.com/top-reads-on-the-ukraine-conflict-war-and-imperialism.htm]Painting it as a simple battle between good and evil, they have remained totally silent about the fact that behind Ukraine is the world's foremost imperialist power, which has led Ukraine to the slaughter in pursuit of its...2025-05-011h 29
Spectre of CommunismThe history of fascism: lessons for todayWhat is fascism and is it a threat today? In this episode of the Spectre of Communism podcast, we discuss the history of fascism’s rise to power in the 1930s, to learn the lessons for our movement.Our guest, Niklas Albin Svensson, is a leading member of the Revolutionary Communist International and the editor of a brand new collection of articles by Leon Trotsky and Ted Grant: ‘Democracy, Bonapartism and Fascism: Class Struggle in the 1930s’. The book is available to pre-order from Wellred Books here: https://wellred-books.com/democracy-bonapartism-fascism/ The media is full...2025-04-291h 33
Against the StreamThe rise of China and the end of the American centuryFor the last century, the USA has been the undisputed master of the capitalist world. Now, all that is changing. Today, America is in decline and facing a new contender: China.Over the last 30 years, China has exploded from an underdeveloped country, exploited by western capitalists for its cheap labour, to a cutting-edge capitalist power in its own right. Today, it accounts for 18 percent of the world's GDP and 29 percent of the world’s manufacturing, and leads the world in some of the most advanced technologies.As a result of this stormy development, which has ma...2025-04-241h 19
Spectre of CommunismWho was Karl Marx REALLY? – A reply to CrashCourseKarl Marx was a German philosopher, economist and journalist, and above all a revolutionary. He continues to haunt the nightmares of the rich and powerful, just as he inspires workers, the poor and youth to struggle for a future without exploitation and oppression. The popular CrashCourse channel has attempted to explain Marx’s theories and their continued relevance, but we think we can do better…CrashCourse (established by the Green Brothers) is an educational YouTube channel that provides introductory videos about various topics, including politics and philosophy. A few months ago, they released a video called ‘Who Was Ka...2025-04-151h 31
Against the StreamCommunists analyse the trade war: "the bosses will force the workers to pay"Articles mentioned:“I’ve seen many phoney trade wars come and go. This is the real thing”https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/apr/09/trade-war-donald-trump-us-china“‘The Tsunami Is Coming’: China’s Global Exports Are Just Getting Started”https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/07/business/china-manufacturing-exports-trump-tariffs.html“On the Question of Free Trade”https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1888/free-trade/index.htm“Trump’s tariff programme deepens protectionist tendencies in world economy”https://marxist.com/trump-s-tariff-programme-deepens-protectionist-tendencies-in-world-economy.htm______Last week, Trump’s tariffs delivered a shattering blow...2025-04-102h 01
Spectre of CommunismThe TRUTH about Mao and the Chinese RevolutionThe Chinese Revolution is condemned as a bloody tragedy by bourgeois historians. But if it was all simply a disaster, then how do we explain China going from a backward colonial holding to the second world power today? In this episode, we deal with the truth about the Chinese Revolution of 1949.We welcome Daniel Morley from the Executive Committee of the Revolutionary Communist Party in Britain to talk about the history of the Chinese Revolution and Mao Zedong’s rise to power.He explains that the victory of Mao’s peasant army was based on the...2025-04-081h 33
Against the StreamTrump's tariff war, France bans Le Pen and the PKK lays down armsDonald Trump’s sweeping tariff announcements have set the cat amongst the pigeons in the world market. In France, the hypocritical establishment is celebrating the sentencing of right-wing demagogue Marine Le Pen in court on flimsy charges. Meanwhile in the Middle East, the leader of the PKK has called on its Kurdish guerilla fighters to lay down their arms.Globalisation is now rapidly unravelling, with tariffs threatening to dramatically tear up supply chains internationally. But any attempt by the US or other powers to export the burden of their crisis-ridden economies through protectionism will do...2025-04-031h 35
Spectre of CommunismCommunist replies to MORE right-wing LIESIs communism against ‘human nature’? Would workers in charge inevitably be ‘corrupted by power’? Do communists ‘oppose free speech’? Watch a leading communist answer some more typical right-wing talking points!A couple of weeks ago, Fred Weston (a member of the International Secretariat for the Revolutionary Communist International) was on the show replying to slanders about communism from Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson, Elon Musk and Alice Weidel. But there are plenty more lies to deal with!Watch Fred face off against Charlie Kirk, Jordan Peterson (again), Peter Hitchens and Donald Trump, defending communists’ ideas and programme from...2025-04-011h 30
Against the StreamCapitalism's horrors: reports from Ukraine and slaughter resumes in GazaArticles mentioned:https://meduza.io/feature/2025/03/17/otsyuda-vyhod-odin-trista-ili-dvestihttps://www.middleeasteye.net/news/israel-resumes-gaza-bombing-one-most-terrifying-nights-warhttps://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2025/03/23/starmer-ukraine-peacekeeping-plan-political-theatre/https://marxist.com/netanyahu-resumes-genocide-to-cling-to-power-2.htm______In Gaza, Netanyahu has restarted the genocide. Already, hundreds have been killed by bombs, while thousands more are at risk of starvation. In Ukraine, which has essentially lost the war to Russia, youths are still being kidnapped and conscripted into the...2025-03-271h 41
Spectre of CommunismStalinism on TRIALWho was Joseph Stalin and what is the legacy of his leadership? In this episode of the Spectre of Communism, we weigh the evidence, based on historical fact and the principles of Marxist theory, to give Stalinism a fair trial.The USSR achieved great things, thanks to the superiority of the planned economy. It defeated the Nazis, expropriated capitalism on a sixth of the earth’s surface and built a superpower in just a few decades. Genuine Marxists celebrate all of these accomplishments.However, we must also acknowledge that there were many mistakes, and many cr...2025-03-251h 27
Against the StreamWhat is Trumpism? – with Alan WoodsTrump’s dramatic return to the White House has thrown the liberals into complete panic and confusion. They have been accusing Trump of being responsible for every ill in the world, and have flung whatever insults they can at him: from semi-fascist, to fascist, to neo-fascist.Shamefully, the perennially alarmed so-called 'Lefts' are dragging like a tail behind the liberals, spreading the same confusion and falling into the old trap of 'lesser evilism'. Against this alarmism, which really serves to justify the capitalist status quo, an understanding of the real nature of Trumpism is of paramount importance for revolutionaries so...2025-03-201h 24
Spectre of CommunismCommunist replies to right-wing LIES: Musk, Peterson & ShapiroDid communism kill 100 million people? Was Hitler really a communist? Is there no difference between Lenin and Stalin? Right-wing pundits and politicians always throw blood-curdling statistics and historical ‘facts’ to prove that communism is pure evil, while capitalism is the best system that could ever exist. In this video, leading communist Fred Weston takes on three popular right-wing commentators, and separates fact from fiction.Some of these reactionary culture warriors have made entire careers out of ‘proving’ that communism could never work; and has caused chaos, death and misery whenever it has been tried. There are whole librarie...2025-03-181h 20
Against the StreamTariffs, free trade or socialism: is there a way out of the crisis?The world capitalist system is beset on all sides by crisis. Debt is sky-high, economies are stagnating and society is more polarised than ever. To add to this mess, the tapestry of world relations – the ‘rules-based order’ – is unravelling. Tit-for-tat tariffs that seek to export the crisis threaten to turn into trade wars that will tear up world trade.The liberals see Trump as the wrecking ball causing the crisis. But is this true? By slashing the debt, raising tariffs and ditching the Ukraine war, he is actually trying to stabilise American capitalism, even if that comes at the expense...2025-03-131h 29
Against the StreamTrump humiliates Zelensky, Europe rearms, general strike in GreeceThis week's row in the Oval Office between Trump and Zelensky served to dramatically underscore the fact that we are passing a seismic shift in world history. The old alliances and institutions are breaking down, and a realignment, reflecting the changed balance of forces, is taking place for all to see.The biggest losers of this transformation are the Europeans, who are gradually sobering up to their predicament. Without the US – upon which they have been reliant for 80 years – they will have to re-arm. In a situation of economic stagnation and sky-high debts, this means finding savings elsewhere. And that...2025-03-061h 39
Against the StreamThe German elections and the European madhouseThis week, after claiming victory in the German election, Friedrich Merz declared that Germany would now stand up to the USA, Russia and China and make the EU into a ‘great power’. Similarly, Keir Starmer declared that Britain would stand by Ukraine for 100 years and threatened to put British troops on the group as a ‘peacekeeping force’, while Macron travelled to the White House in a ‘show of strength’ to Trump. Clearly, the liberal European establishment has gone mad. In reality, Europe is facing a catastrophic crisis. It is being outcompeted and squeezed between the real great pow...2025-02-271h 31
Against the StreamUS-Russia talks and the fall of EuropeThis week, Trump went over the heads of Zelensky and the European leaders to embark on peace talks with Russia. At a stroke, the western order that has prevailed for over half a century has fractured.This has major implications for Europe in particular. For decades, Europe has based its policy on its partnership with the undisputed imperialist master of the planet: the USA. But Trump’s latest move expresses the fact that US imperialism no longer has a particular interest in subsidising the defence of the continent. They are being dumped by their most important ally, wh...2025-02-201h 29
Spectre of Communism2024 Wrapped: a year of war and revolution2024 has been a year of war, revolution and crisis on every continent. From the horrors of the Gaza genocide, to the revolutionary summer in Kenya and Bangladesh; from viral assassinations, to to the re-election of Donald Trump. The communists have been offering analysis and perspective at every step of the way, and now: it’s time to put this dramatic twelve months in review with 2024 WRAPPED!
The above are not random or isolated incidents. They are all ultimately products of the unprecedented crisis of the capitalist system. The tensions and class anger in one country after another carry re...2024-12-171h 36
Against the Stream2024 Wrapped: a year of war and revolution2024 has been a year of war, revolution and crisis on every continent. From the horrors of the Gaza genocide, to the revolutionary summer in Kenya and Bangladesh; from viral assassinations, to to the re-election of Donald Trump. The communists have been offering analysis and perspective at every step of the way, and now: it’s time to put this dramatic twelve months in review with 2024 WRAPPED!
The above are not random or isolated incidents. They are all ultimately products of the unprecedented crisis of the capitalist system. The tensions and class anger in one country after another carry re...2024-12-171h 36
Against the StreamAssad regime falls, the Kurds under attack, Zelensky hated in Ukraine, and CEO assassination reveals class hatredOnce again, this week has been defined by sharp turns in world politics. In Syria, the Assad regime collapsed after a sudden offensive by Islamist groups, taking the whole world by surprise. In the US, the assassination of a US healthcare CEO was met with an enormous outpouring of sympathy for the killer, in a clear expression of the simmering class rage beneath the surface. In Ukraine, it is becoming increasingly clear that Zelensky – darling of the West – is becoming hated by the population.
It would be understandable, however, if the bourgeois media’s reporting on these...2024-12-121h 37
Spectre of CommunismTrump and the crisis of liberal democracyThree weeks ago, to the horror of the liberal establishment in the USA and internationally, Donald Trump was elected President of the United States for the second time, defeating the hated and discredited Democrats. The capitalist media is filled with hysteria about a dire threat to democracy and the rise of ‘fascism’ posed by Trump’s presidency… just like in 2016! Communists need to cut through all the noise and understand what is really happening here.
The US is facing a deep crisis of the regime, following half a century of capitalist decay. After four years of Joe Biden and the...2024-11-261h 07
Against the StreamRage against the ruling class in Spain, Trump and the class struggle in the US, and the German government collapses!Closely following our special episode with Alan Woods covering Trump’s victory in the US election, Against the Stream went live again this week for another discussion. This time, Hamid Alizadeh and Fred Weston from the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International met to talk about the devastating floods in Spain and the resulting rage of the masses against the ruling class, the abrupt collapse of the German government, and more on the implications of Trump’s victory.
Read the articles discussed by Hamid and Fred here:
Trump victory: a kick in th...2024-11-071h 06
Against the StreamTrump’s victory: What does it mean? – A communist analysis with Alan WoodsThis week, Against the Stream podcast went live for a very special episode. Now that the results of the US election have come in, Hamid Alizadeh and Alan Woods from the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International (RCI) sat down to discuss the implications of Trump's victory and what it means to communists. Alan is the editor of marxist.com, the author of numerous books on Marxist theory and the lead theoretician of the RCI.
This year's election has been one of the most turbulent in US history. It comes amidst rising class contradictions and...2024-11-0658 min
Spectre of CommunismCommunist answers the web’s most searched questionsWith so much crisis and chaos in the world today, more and more people are turning to the internet for answers about what communism really is. But there’s a lot of propaganda and misinformation out there, so this week we’ve brought on leading RCI member Fred Weston for the Communism Autocomplete Interview: answering the most common questions people are typing into Google about what communists believe, what we want, and how we’re fighting for it!
Millions of people around the world are actively looking towards communism to put an end to the misery and barbarism of cap...2024-11-051h 09
Against the StreamSpanish floods, war in the Middle East, and the US electionsThis week, Jorge and Hamid sat down to discuss three flashpoints in the world crisis of capitalism: the floods that are devastating Spain, the spiralling conflict in the Middle East, and the impending US election.
In each episode of our new podcast Against the Stream, members of the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International meet to talk about the most pressing events in the world today. With the help of a few articles selected from the capitalist press, they reveal the interests and processes guiding these developments which the mainstream media won’t talk about.2024-11-011h 10
Spectre of CommunismIs socialism in one country possible? A reply to the Young Communist LeagueThe idea of building socialism in one country alone was alien to Marx, Engels and Lenin. But after the latter’s death, Stalin and his supporters raised the possibility of constructing socialism in the USSR amidst a sea of capitalism. The Young Communist League – the youth wing of the Communist Party of Britain – recently advanced the theory of socialism in one country, as opposed to Trotsky’s Permanent Revolution. Where does the RCI stand on the matter? Was the USSR socialist? Is China today socialist? Is it possible to build socialism in a single country?
This week’s episode of...2024-10-291h 04
Against the StreamSinwar’s assassination, Zelensky’s peace plan, and the BRICS summitOn 24 October, Fred Weston and Hamid Alizadeh from the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International sat down for another special podcast episode focusing on three flashpoints of world politics: Sinwar's assassination, Zelensky’s peace plan, and the BRICS summit.
The comrades look behind the headlines, starting with what the capitalist media have been saying about the assassination of Yahya Sinwar, leader of Hamas. The killing was greeted by a wave of gloating from Israel and Saudi Arabia. But Israel – which released a video of his death on the frontline – has inadvertently turned Sinwar into a hero and...2024-10-241h 13
Spectre of CommunismUS Civil War: America’s Second RevolutionThe American Civil War, unlike the conflicts that plague the world today, was just and historically progressive. The Union north smashed the Confederacy of southern slave states and carried out the biggest expropriation of private property in history at the time, with the emancipation of 4 million enslaved people. The Union cause was praised by Karl Marx, who said Lincoln’s battle cry should be: “death to slavery!” With elections in the US just a few weeks away, the American bourgeoisie once again has civil war on its mind….
With recent polls showing nearly half of Americans believe that a new civ...2024-10-2252 min
Spectre of CommunismThreads: a terrifying vision of nuclear annihilationThis year marks 40 years since the release of the film Threads, one of the clearest and most harrowing depictions of the consequences of nuclear war ever produced. With wars and conflicts escalating around the globe, the stark message of this film has never been more relevant. The fight against the barbarity of militarism and imperialism is an existential struggle that communists have a duty to take up.
This week’s episode of Spectre of Communism Podcast welcomes Alan Woods, lead editor of marxist.com and leading member of the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International.
Al...2024-10-1759 min
Against the StreamGaza, Lebanon, and the economic crisis in EuropeOn the 16 October, Jorge Martín and Hamid Alizadeh from the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International sat down to talk about the genocide in Gaza, the war in Lebanon, and the crisis facing the European economy.
We once more dive into the pages of the billionaire press of the past week, in order to expose the truth behind the headlines, illuminate the processes driving the chaos on the world stage, and to explain how we as communists can pick out the truth.
Click here to listen on Twitter Spaces.
2024-10-161h 10
Against the StreamGaza, Ukraine and world relationsOn the 11 October, comrades Jorge Martín and Hamid Alizadeh of the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International recorded a special podcast episode on Gaza, Ukraine and world relations. Instead of our regular format, this one addresses the burning questions of the day in a slightly different format.
Click here to listen now on Twitter Spaces.
The comrades have taken a selection of articles from mainstream newspapers, in order to pick apart the real interests and processes at play in an increasingly stormy world situation.
These include: a...2024-10-111h 01
Spectre of CommunismWhat is ‘woke’? Culture war vs. class warAround the world, the capitalist establishment is increasingly obsessed with the so-called ‘Culture War’, with conservative journalists and politicians scaremongering about the ‘woke agenda’, while liberals drape rainbow flags on war and austerity and call it ‘liberation’. How can communists cut through this reactionary nonsense and get to the heart of the issues facing us today?
To answer this question, this week’s episode of Spectre of Communism Podcast welcomes Yola Kipcak, a leading member of Der Funke, the Austrian section of the Revolutionary Communist International. Yola explains why communists oppose the toxic division sown by identity politics, and instead fi...2024-10-1053 min
Spectre of CommunismIsrael invades Lebanon: fight war, fight imperialism!The situation in the Middle East is escalating dramatically. Israel’s current invasion of Lebanon has sent shockwaves throughout the region and represents a further step towards the outbreak of a region-wide conflict, risking open war with Iran. As the Middle East grows more unstable, communists need a clear understanding of these events and what we can do to fight against militarism and imperialism wherever we are.
This week’s episode of Spectre of Communism Podcast welcomes Fred Weston, from the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International. Fred discusses recent events in Israel’s escalating milita...2024-10-031h 09
Spectre of CommunismState surveillance, fake boyfriends and blacklisting: police infiltration exposed – feat. SpyCops Info PodcastFor decades, undercover police officers with Britain’s Metropolitan Police systematically infiltrated numerous political organisations, posing as activists. These SpyCops not only gathered information on supposed enemies of the state, but went as far as entering romantic relationships and even having children with political activists, in order to maintain their cover.
A public inquiry into the outrageous and despicable behaviour of these Spy Cops has been underway since 2015, revealing the depths that the British state is willing to sink to, in order to defend its interests.
This episode of Spectre of Communism Podcast welcomes Tom Fowler, pr...2024-09-261h 03
Spectre of CommunismIsrael, Ukraine and the threat of World War ThreeAre we on the edge of a third World War? The Spectre of Communism podcast is back for a new season. Our first episode welcomes Hamid Alizadeh, a leading comrade of the Revolutionary Communist International (RCI), to discuss the two central conflicts in the world today: the Middle East and Ukraine, and the madmen driving them forward.
We are in a period of wars, revolutions and counter-revolutions. As we release this episode, Israel has unleashed a mass terror attack in Lebanon in an attempt to drag the US into a wider Middle Eastern war. Zelensky is also trying...2024-09-191h 08
Spectre of CommunismInterview with Fiona Lali: Suella is a symptom, capitalism is the diseaseFiona Lali recently shot to prominence, and stunned former British Home Secretary Suella Braverman, when she publicly branded Suella a “war monger” and a “liar” for her support for the genocide in Gaza. Fiona’s words chimed with millions of workers and youth who have seen this clip, and who are sick and tired of this rotten imperialist system, of the hypocrites who run it, and of the commentators, media and ‘opposition’ that do nothing to challenge it.
In this exclusive interview, Fiona presents the communist approach to war and imperialism, and explains why we need to kick out no...2024-05-2026 min
Spectre of CommunismEncampments for Palestine: reports from the front linesAs the horrors of Israel’s war on Gaza continue to escalate, a wave of student protests has erupted in solidarity with the Palestinians: drawing comparisons with the anti-Vietnam War movement. Starting in the USA, the encampments quickly spread internationally, meeting with press slander and brutal police repression. In this special episode, we speak with four student communists from Canada, the UK, Austria and the USA, who have been active in encampments at various universities, to hear about their experiences of this inspiring struggle.
What is the mood at these encampments? What kind of opposition have they faced fr...2024-05-171h 12
Spectre of CommunismWhy we need a Communist International – season FINALE!In June, the International Marxist Tendency will take the monumental step of founding a new Revolutionary Communist International (RCI), to provide communist workers and youth around the world with a bold rallying point in the struggle to overthrow capitalism. In doing so, the RCI will build on the immense revolutionary legacy left behind by the Third (Communist) International, founded by Lenin and the Bolsheviks as the world party of revolution. Register now for the founding of the RCI! https://schoolofcommunism.com/
This week’s episode of Spectre of Communism podcast welcomes Fred Weston, a leading comrade of the In...2024-04-091h 02
Spectre of CommunismWhy AI under capitalism is a failureAdvances in artificial intelligence continue to make headlines, as AI has begun to play a role in everything from art and journalism to conspiracy theories and unemployment. While AI is clearly here to stay, it is equally clear that the capitalist class has no interest in using it to its fullest. Once again, capitalism’s brutal inefficiency and systematic misuse of such technology is profound evidence of the need for communism and economic planning.
To discuss the real potential of AI and how this is squandered by the ruling class, this week’s episode of Spectre of Communism podc...2024-04-021h 00
Spectre of CommunismArt, culture and the Russian RevolutionCommunism is often presented by its enemies as being at best uninterested in art and culture, and at worst openly hostile to anything but the crudest propaganda. This is completely at odds with the approach of Lenin and the Bolsheviks, and genuine communists today. The Russian Revolution ushered in an explosion of artistic creativity, which for the first time was unshackled from the constraints of class society. This is the legacy that communists must defend.
To discuss the important place of art and culture in the Russian Revolution, this week’s episode welcomes Nelson Wan, a leading member of...2024-03-2645 min
Spectre of CommunismWould communists ban religion?Communists are often slandered by our enemies as wanting to violently suppress and ‘ban’ religion. While Marxism is a materialist philosophy, and therefore uncompromisingly atheist, the policy of Marxists towards religion bears absolutely no resemblance to this crude caricature.
As Marx explained, the oppressed and exploited masses turn to religion not for abstract reasons, but as a protest against the real suffering they endure in the land of the living. In a world that offers no hope, the promise of paradise is a balm to the otherwise unconsoled.
For this reason, religion is a powerful tool in th...2024-03-1950 min
Spectre of CommunismManifesto of the Revolutionary Communist InternationalYesterday, the International Marxist Tendency proudly published the Manifesto of the Revolutionary Communist International: a call to arms for all communists who want to put an end to the rotten capitalist system once and for all. This episode of Spectre of Communism podcast welcomes Alan Woods, who was instrumental in its drafting, to introduce the Manifesto: https://www.marxist.com/manifesto-of-the-revolutionary-communist-international.htm
If you agree with our analysis, register now for the founding conference of the RCI in June, and help us build an organisation in the traditions of Leninism and Bolshevism: https://schoolofcommunism.com/
The...2024-03-1258 min
Spectre of CommunismHonour Aaron Bushnell: fight for revolution!On 25 February, 25-year-old US airforce serviceman, Aaron Bushnell, took his own life by self-immolation outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, in protest at US imperialism’s support for the crimes being carried out by the IDF. His last words, livestreamed to the world, were: “Free Palestine!” Just days later, IDF soldiers murdered over 100 civilians at an aid convoy in Gaza, embodying the horror and injustice that inspired Bushnell’s act.
Bushnell’s ‘extreme protest’ sent shockwaves around the world, eliciting much sympathy from workers and youth feeling angry and powerless about the plight of the Palestinians, and indignant at the complic...2024-03-0553 min
Spectre of CommunismLies about Lenin: DEBUNKEDFew people in history are more slandered than Vladimir Lenin. From school textbooks to the capitalist press, the ruling class are desperate to blacken Lenin’s name wherever they get the opportunity. But how should communists respond?
100 years after his death, the capitalist smear campaign against the greatest revolutionary that has ever lived has not abated. Communists have a duty not just to study Lenin’s life, but to fight back against the slanders by boldly emphasising Lenin’s achievements for all to hear.
To help debunk some of the myths surrounding Lenin’s life and work, th...2024-02-2744 min
Spectre of CommunismWhat is capitalism?We are often told that capitalism is the most efficient economic system; that markets are rational tools for distribution; and that only under capitalism can people live free and fair lives. However, while capitalism might enrich a parasitic handful, it is fundamentally a system of oppression and exploitation for the vast majority of humanity. But what actually is this system? How does it work, and not work? How do we bring it down; and what can we replace it with?
While the right-wing, liberals and even much of the so-called left still fail to grasp the essence of...2024-02-2044 min
Spectre of CommunismUnrest on every continent: how communists are mobilising!This week’s special episode was recorded during the recent meeting of the global leadership of the International Marxist Tendency in Italy. We hear reports from the front lines of the class struggle from five leading comrades involved in building revolutionary communist organisations in: South Africa, Argentina, Pakistan, France and the United States.
The class struggle is heating up everywhere! As workers and youth internationally struggle to make ends meet, the capitalist class is leading the world down a blind alley of war, crisis and destruction. On all continents, an increasing layer is drawing the inevitable conclusion: we ne...2024-02-1349 min
Spectre of CommunismDefend the Cuban Revolution!The Cuban Revolution is rightly considered an inspiration by communists worldwide. This tremendous movement threw off the chains of capitalism and US imperialism, opening the way for incredible social, economic and technological advances in what had previously been a brutally oppressed society. Today, however, the Cuban Revolution faces a number of perils.
This week’s episode welcomes Jorge Martin, a leading member of the International Marxist Tendency, to discuss the past, present and future of the Cuban Revolution. Isolated and bullied by US imperialism, it is now more important than ever to defend the gains of th...2024-02-0625 min
Spectre of CommunismIs communism against human nature?A textbook argument against communism is that, although it may sound nice, it is fundamentally “against human nature”. Many communists will be sick and tired of hearing this accusation, but what actually is ‘human nature’? How should communists respond to this claim?
This week’s episode of Spectre of Communism welcomes Ben Curry, writer and editor for marxist.com, to answer one of the most prolific myths about communism. In reality, the idea that human beings are inherently ‘greedy’ and that this makes capitalism an inevitable fact of life could not be further from the truth.
2024-01-3033 min
Spectre of CommunismIn defence of LeninWith capitalism in its deepest-ever crisis, it is more important than ever for communists to defend the immortal achievements of one of the greatest revolutionaries the world has ever seen. For this reason, 2024’s first episode of Spectre of Communism looks at the real life and ideas of Lenin.
The episode welcomes Rob Sewell, editor of The Communist and co-author of a new biography, In Defence of Lenin: an extensive political biography and vindication of Lenin’s revolutionary legacy. Get your copy now!
We would also like to draw listeners’ attention to the recent launch of lenin.r...2024-01-231h 06
Spectre of CommunismSpectre of Communism intro theme
By popular demand, here is our intro (and outro) theme. Credit to composer Comrade David (Insta: @hiimdavej).
2024-01-0900 min
Spectre of CommunismPalestine: a communist perspectiveIsrael’s ongoing war on Gaza is undoubtedly the defining political event of 2023. The entire political establishment has lined up behind Israel, justifying a brutal military campaign of collective punishment against the Palestinians (which has killed around 20,000 civilians so far) as “self defence.” While liberals, reformists and even some self-proclaimed “communists” parrot the rhetoric of the bourgeoisie, or descend into utopian moralising, genuine communists must boldly proclaim a revolutionary solution for the liberation of Palestine.
The IDF onslaught against Gaza has awakened an immense wave of anger among the masses around the world, with millions hitting the streets in protest...2023-12-1951 min
Spectre of CommunismThe Origins of ChristianityIt’s the festive season, and the Spectre of Communism podcast is welcoming Alan Woods (marxist.com editor-in-chief) onto a special live episode to discuss the origins of Christianity from a Marxist perspective. This is a fascinating story of revolution and counter-revolution in the ancient world.
Despite the reactionary nature of Christianity today, the first Christians were revolutionary fighters against the brutality of the Roman Empire. Crushed by the oppressive fist of the Roman military, the early Christians sought messianic leadership to bring them liberation on earth, not just in Heaven. This had a profound impact on the cl...2023-12-121h 03
Spectre of CommunismLIVE tomorrow (7pm UK Time): ‘The Origins of Christianity’ – Spectre of Communism podcast
It’s the festive season, and the Spectre of Communism podcast is welcoming Alan Woods (marxist.com editor-in-chief) onto a special live episode to discuss the origins of Christianity from a Marxist perspective. This is a fascinating story of revolution and counter-revolution in the ancient world. We will broadcast the episode tomorrow (12 December) at 7pm British time via our YouTube channel.
Despite the reactionary nature of Christianity today, the first Christians were revolutionary fighters against the brutality of the Roman Empire. Crushed by the oppressive fist of the Roman military, the early Christians sought messianic leadership to br...2023-12-1101 min
Spectre of CommunismNapoleon: Marxism vs movie mythsRidley Scott’s recent biopic Napoleon has evoked much criticism for its shallow narrative and plethora of historical inaccuracies. But who was the real Napoleon Bonaparte? How did a young Corsican from a relatively modest background become the strongman behind an empire that would dominate Europe?
This week’s episode of the Spectre of Communism Podcast welcomes Keelan Kellegher, a leading member of Socialist Appeal, to fill in the many gaps in Scott’s portrayal of Napoleon. We discuss the revolutionary and counter-revolutionary movements that swept France in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Napoleon’s role in them.2023-12-0547 min
Spectre of CommunismWhat is the state, and how do we smash it?Many people think of the state as a huge collection of bureaucratic offices and institutions that have little to do with our daily lives. Some have illusions in the state as a neutral arbiter over society, operating on the basis of universal principles of ‘democracy’ and ‘rule of law’. But for countless workers and youths on the receiving end of police violence, legal victimisation or military oppression, the real nature of the capitalist state is clear.
For communists, the task is not to reform or adjust the capitalist state, but to understand its role as a violent, repressive tool for...2023-11-2833 min
Spectre of CommunismIs China Communist?The Chinese Communist Party and its defenders claim that China is building a successful socialist society, and is at the forefront of an anti-imperialist struggle against the West. But is China communist? Does the legacy of the Chinese Revolution live on today in the CCP?
In reality, despite the enormous achievements of the Chinese Revolution, China today is one of the largest capitalist powers on the planet. The growth of Chinese capitalism has created an immense working class in China, and when it moves towards revolutionary struggle, it will unleash a force that will shake the world.
2023-11-2141 min
Spectre of CommunismWhat will communism look like?Right-wingers claim that communism would be a dictatorial hellscape: nothing could be further from the truth. Communism means a society free from money, social classes, poverty and oppression, where people live “from each according to their ability, each according to their needs.” But what would such a society look like, and how do we get there?
Capitalism has created a world of poverty and precarity, in which people must struggle simply to survive, let alone reach their full potential. Socialism and communism will for the first time in history rationalise production, meet all human needs and give space for...2023-11-1438 min
Spectre of CommunismThe Russian Revolution: the greatest event in history7 November (in the New Style calendar) marks the anniversary of the 1917 October Revolution in Russia. For communists, the Russian Revolution is the greatest event in human history. But for many right-wing, liberal and reformist critics of Lenin and the Bolsheviks, it was an anti-democratic catastrophe that condemned Russia to murderous dictatorship. It’s time we set the record straight.
The workers and peasants of Russia achieved something that many thought impossible: not only bringing down the hated Tsar Nicholas ‘The Bloody’, but going on to overthrow capitalism itself, and begin the task of building a society free of exploi...2023-11-0759 min
Spectre of CommunismSpectre of Communism: New IMT podcast out 7 November!
A spectre is haunting all major podcast platforms… The International Marxist Tendency (IMT) is launching a new weekly podcast, the Spectre of Communism, to coincide with the anniversary of the Russian Revolution (7 November). The first episode will feature Alan Woods, editor-in-chief of marxist.com and author of Bolshevism: The Road to Revolution. Subscribe today, and tune in every Tuesday!
Under the crisis-ridden capitalist system, humanity lurches from one disaster to another: from economic turmoil and soaring inflation; to the inter-imperialist war in Ukraine; to the incalculable suffering inflicted by imperialist-backed Israel on the Palestinians.
Given th...2023-10-3002 min
Spectre of CommunismIsrael-Palestine: Intifada until victory!On Saturday 7 October, Hamas forces in Gaza launched an unexpected attack on Israel, triggering an immediate response from the Israeli Defence Force. Fundamentally, this is a conflict between unequal forces, as the Palestinian masses have for decades been the victims of a regime of terror promoted by the likes of Netanyahu and Israel’s imperialist backers in the west.
In this special episode, International Marxist Radio returns before the launch of the International Marxist Tendency’s new podcast in coming weeks. Fred Weston – a leading comrade of the IMT from the editorial board of marxist.com – analyses...2023-10-1044 min
Spectre of CommunismChile coup: 50 years on
Today marks 50 years since the coup that overthrew the government of Salvador Allende in Chile. To remember the revolutionary struggles of this period and to emphasise the invaluable lessons contained therein, International Marxist Radio is back for a special episode.
Allende’s Popular Unity government, which carried out a series of major reforms for workers and the poor (but which maintained a naive belief in the loyalty of the state’s armed forces), was brutally crushed by a reactionary military conspiracy, led by General Augusto Pinochet and backed by international imperialism.
Carlos Cerpa Mallat, a lead...2023-09-111h 04
Spectre of CommunismWhy We Are CommunistsPODCAST FINALE! Watch a video of the discussion on YouTube, premiering 2 August 15:00 British time: https://youtu.be/ew7oKxdvm5I
More and more workers and youth all over the world are being drawn to the ideas and banner of communism, much to the anger and anxiety of the bosses, bankers and bourgeois politicians.
With capitalism at a total impasse, and no end in sight to wars, economic hardship, state violence and oppression, the growing enthusiasm for a revolutionary alternative is hardly surprising. The inspiring legacy and accomplishments of the October Revolution of 1917, an...2023-08-0245 minSpectre of CommunismIMR finale next week: ‘The Spectre of Communism’ coming soon!A quick special announcement to inform our listeners that next week's episode of International Marxist Radio (released 2 August) Wednesday will be our last.
As a send-off, the discussion, 'Why We Are Communists', has also been filmed. In addition to posting the audio here as usual, we will upload the video to In Defence of Marxism's YouTube channel! Keep an eye out!
We would like to thank everyone who has tuned into the podcast for their support. Please catch up on any episodes you've missed, and let us know which have been your...2023-07-2803 min
Spectre of CommunismClass Struggle in the Roman RepublicThe Roman Republic was a society characterised by great social and political upheaval. This is a period of well-documented and important class struggle, which has many parallels with the situation today. If we are to avoid making the mistakes of history, a close study of the past is absolutely crucial for all Marxists.
This week’s episode of International Marxist Radio welcomes Alan Woods, writer, theoretician and leading member of the International Marxist Tendency, to discuss his latest book, Class Struggle in the Roman Republic.
This text, the first complete Marxist history of...2023-07-2656 min
Spectre of CommunismHow the Spanish Revolution was betrayedThe Spanish Revolution and Civil War (which began this week in 1936) represent a profoundly heroic period of struggle by the Spanish working class and peasantry. The masses gave their all in the fight against Franco, only to be failed by their leadership. Both the anarchists and the Stalinists at the head of the fight against fascism failed to lead the workers and peasants to victory. Especially the latter consciously sold out the revolution, ushering in a period of reaction and dictatorship that would last for decades.
This week’s episode of International Marxist Radio welcomes Arturo Ro...2023-07-1954 min
Spectre of CommunismMarx or Graeber? A reply to ‘The Dawn of Everything’David Graeber and David Wengrow’s anthropological opus, The Dawn of Everything, claims to offer an entirely new, radical view of the development of human society (implicitly: one that knocks down Marx and Engels’ historical materialism). This is no small task, but is the book as earth-shattering as the immodest title suggests?
Despite making waves in certain left-wing circles, the book offers a thin gruel. By fetishising the ‘creative’ potential of human ‘free will’, Graeber and Wengrow ignore the material conditions underlying the development of specific forms of society. In doing so, they defend an abstract idealism tha...2023-07-1257 min
Spectre of CommunismFrance: police killing sparks mass furyLast week, a French policeman shot an unarmed French-Algerian teenager (Nahel M.) in the chest after a traffic stop. Before pulling the trigger, Nahel was told “I will lodge a bullet in your head”. A video of the brutal slaying was uploaded to social media, resulting in a massive outpouring of rage that swept the country.
Police violence in France is the worst in Western Europe, and this latest outrage occurs at a time when President Macron’s government is already weak and despised, fresh off the back of a powerful struggle against his unpopular pensions ‘reform’...2023-07-0546 min
Spectre of CommunismPrigozhin’s adventure: clash of the oligarchsLast weekend, Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the infamous Russian mercenary company Wagner, led an apparent mutiny. After withdrawing his troops from the front line of the Ukraine War, Prigozhin took control of the military bases at Rostov-on-Don and began what he called “march for justice” (albeit a heavily armed one), heading towards Moscow. Within a day, it was all over, but what are we to make of these dramatic events?
A significant degree of uncertainty still surrounds Prigozhin’s adventure, particularly the motivations of the different individuals involved. This week’s episode of International Marxist Radio features...2023-06-2836 min
Spectre of CommunismMarx and the revolutions of 1848175 years ago, a wave of revolutions swept across the European continent, in which the working class played a key role in challenging the might of the feudal order. From France to Germany to Italy, the masses led a struggle for democratic and economic demands, winning significant concessions from the decrepit ruling classes of Europe. Marx and Engels were not just passive witnesses to these events, but active participants.
As well as being an immensely important chapter in the history of the working class, this period was crucial for the political development of Marxism. Thanks to the...2023-06-211h 29
Spectre of CommunismMultipolarity vs. world revolutionThe relative decline of US imperialism is leaving a void that is starting to be filled by other powers. In recent years, this has led to a rise of rival imperialist nations such as China and Russia, which are increasingly trying to challenge the domination of the US. What are the implications of this for the class struggle? What are the tasks of communists in a so-called multipolar world?
This week’s episode of International Marxist Radio welcomes Hamid Alizadeh from the editorial board of marxist.com to look at developments in world relations between the ma...2023-06-141h 00
Spectre of CommunismTowards a Third American Revolution?The recent period in the USA has been highly eventful. From the Trump presidency, to the Sanders movement, to BLM and the George Floyd protests, to the storming of Capitol Hill, the ‘Land of the Free’ is more polarised than it has been for decades. Poverty, racism and inequality are rampant; and seemingly not a month passes without another terrible mass shooting. The American Dream has turned into an American Nightmare for millions. What we need is a Third – Socialist – American Revolution!
This week, International Marxist Radio welcomes John Peterson, editor of Socialist Revolution, the website and sect...2023-06-0744 min
Spectre of CommunismOverpopulation or overproduction? Marx vs. MalthusIs human population growth to blame for poverty and climate change? Plenty of pundits and politicians on the right and left alike seem to think so. Knowingly or not, they repeat the reactionary ideas of the Reverend Thomas Malthus, whose economic and social theories Marx and Engels demolished nearly 200 years ago. Yet today, the spectre of Malthusianism still endures.
This week’s episode of International Marxist Radio welcomes back Adam Booth from the British Marxist organisation Socialist Appeal to discuss the pernicious role Malthus’ disciples play in the world today. Rather than overpopulation and migration causing ineq...2023-05-3151 min
Spectre of CommunismClass struggle in Africa: part twoThis week’s episode of International Marxist Radio concludes our two-part series looking at the class struggle in Sub-Saharan Africa. This week, Ben Morken, a leading comrade of the International Marxist Tendency based in South Africa, discusses the broader context that has led to the current state of affairs across the continent.
Historically ravaged by colonialism, Africa today continues to be cynically exploited by imperialism. In addition, many African nations find themselves ground between rival imperialist powers in their pursuit of raw materials and political influence, supported by quisling local rulers. But at the same time, th...2023-05-2446 min
Spectre of CommunismClass struggle in Africa: part oneThis week’s episode of International Marxist Radio is the first of a special two-part series looking at the class struggle in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ben Morken, a leading comrade of the International Marxist Tendency based in South Africa, discusses the current political situation in a number of African countries, which constitute a bubbling cauldron of class struggle.
From the revival of radical traditions in post-Apartheid South Africa, to explosive political developments in Nigeria, to human catastrophes in the Horn and Great Lakes region, Ben offers an overview of a continent deeply scarred by the legacy of co...2023-05-1756 min
Spectre of CommunismIdentity politics: capitalism’s weapon of divisionThis week’s episode of International Marxist Radio welcomes Daniel Morley, a leading comrade of Socialist Appeal, the British section of the International Marxist Tendency, to discuss so-called identity politics, and why Marxists oppose its influence on the class struggle.
In many countries today, identity politics (i.e. the idea that one’s racial, sexual, gender identity etc., rather than social class, determines one’s fundamental interests and worldview) is exploited by right-wing figures in politics and the media. By whipping up controversy around oppressed groups, the so-called culture war has been used to distract people from t...2023-05-1055 min
Spectre of CommunismHow Marx became a MarxistIn this week’s episode of International Marxist Radio, Josh Holroyd, a leading comrade of the International Marxist Tendency and editor of In Defence of Marxism magazine (issue 41 available now), discusses the early life, works and revolutionary career of Karl Marx, whose 205th birthday we mark on Friday!
Born on 5 May 1818 in Trier, Marx’s formative years were shaped by the explosive events of the society in which he lived, one that existed in the shadow of the Great French Revolution of 1789. He was also influenced by many thinkers in the socialist tradition, borrowing the best of t...2023-05-031h 02
Spectre of CommunismLabor struggle in the USA: the sleeping giant stirsThis week on International Marxist Radio, Tom Trottier, a leading comrade of Socialist Revolution, the US section of the International Marxist Tendency, speaks about exciting developments in the labour movement in the United States of America!
After a long period of relative inactivity, the US working class is beginning to move. As the ongoing crisis of capitalism continues to worsen living conditions for the vast majority, workers in the US, as elsewhere, are looking to the mass organisations. This has taken the form of a significant growth of the trade unions, as the working class seeks...2023-04-2649 min
Spectre of CommunismThe fall of woman: Engels, Morgan and the familyOn this week’s episode of International Marxist Radio, Fred Weston, a leading comrade of the International Marxist Tendency, discusses the historical roots of women’s oppression.
While we are often told that the oppression of women is innate to human relations, this could not be further from the truth. In reality, in pre-class societies, hunter-gatherer men and women generally existed in an egalitarian relationship. These were arguments raised by Lewis Henry Morgan, a materialist anthropologist whose work informed Engels’ writings, particularly his classic text The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State.
2023-04-191h 05
Spectre of CommunismPakistan on the brink!This week’s episode welcomes Adam Pal, leading comrade of Lal Salaam, the Pakistani section of the International Marxist Tendency, to discuss the ongoing turmoil in Pakistan.
In the midst of a deep political crisis, the Pakistani ruling class is split, with different factions leaning on sections of the military high command to maintain their position. This has led to the immense social instability that has characterised the country in the recent period.
On top of this, the Pakistani economy is on the ropes. Economists are already comparing the situation in Pakistan to...2023-04-121h 06
Spectre of CommunismBanking crisis: will there be a new recession?This week’s episode welcomes back Niklas Albin Svensson, a leading member of the International Marxist Tendency, to discuss the ongoing turmoil in the global banking system.
A few weeks ago, Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed, but the failure of SVB was not the end of the story. Rather, what we have seen is a sudden flurry of bank collapses, which has so far culminated in the forced merger of Credit Suisse into UBS and the dramatic fall in Deutsche Bank’s share price.
While a total collapse of the banking system has...2023-04-0541 min
Spectre of CommunismGermany: mega-strikes and major crisisThis week’s episode discusses the perspectives for class struggle in Germany, with Alex Kalabekow, a leading comrade of Der Funke, the German section of the International Marxist Tendency.
Note: this podcast was recorded before the 27 March ‘Mega-Strike’ which brought hundreds of thousands of transport workers onto the streets in the largest strike in Germany since 1992. While this turning point in the class struggle is not discussed directly, Alex points towards the growth of the unions, and the beginning of an uptick in strike action this year, which foreshadowed the explosive movement we are now seeing.
2023-03-291h 05
Spectre of CommunismFrance: Macron vs the masses!This week’s episode welcomes Jules Legendre, a leading comrade of Révolution, the French section of the International Marxist Tendency, to discuss the developing situation in France concerning Macron’s hated pension reforms.
Having bypassed the National Assembly and forced through a rise in the retirement age from 62 to 64, this week Macron narrowly survived a no-confidence vote in the French parliament. While Macron still barely clings on to power in the National Assembly, the masses have taken to the streets to express their anger.
After two months of strike action and count...2023-03-2232 min
Spectre of CommunismStalin: 70 years after a tyrant’s deathThis week’s episode welcomes Niklas Albin Svensson, a leading comrade of the International Marxist Tendency, to discuss the legacy of Stalinism, 70 years after the death of Joseph Stalin in March 1953.
While many associate Stalin and his crimes with socialism or communism, this could not be further from the truth. As Niklas explains, Stalinism is nothing else but a bloody caricature of the genuine traditions of Marxism, which are done an infinite disservice by their association with Stalin. Rather than a continuation of the ideas of Marxism, Stalinism was an expression of the bureaucratic degeneration of th...2023-03-151h 04
Spectre of CommunismWomen and the Russian RevolutionThis week’s episode of International Marxist Radio welcomes Ylva Vinberg, leading comrade of Revolution, the Swedish section of the International Marxist Tendency, and Fred Weston, co-author of Wellred Books’ latest publication, Women, Family and the Russian Revolution – available to pre-order now: https://wellred-books.com/women-family-and-the-russian-revolution/
To mark International Working Women’s Day, this episode focuses on the Marxist position on the struggle for women’s liberation, and the positive example embodied by the tremendous advances accomplished by the Russian Revolution.
Rather than ignoring the question of women’s liberation, or delaying it until som...2023-03-081h 06
Spectre of CommunismThe Ukraine War at one yearThis week’s episode of International Marxist Radio (IMR) welcomes back Jorge Martin – this time to speak about the continuing war in Ukraine, which recently passed the one-year anniversary mark.
The war has caused untold misery, not just for people caught in the conflict, but also for millions of workers around the world, as energy and food prices have shot up to intolerable levels, under a capitalist crisis aggravated by the war.
The deluge of propaganda from the ruling class has been deafening, with many on the so-called left falling shamefully behind thei...2023-03-011h 13
Spectre of CommunismTed Grant speaks! The 1970s: a world in turmoilTo mark 10,000 streams, this week’s special episode of International Marxist Radio (IMR) features a gem from the archives: a rare recording of a 1974 speech by Ted Grant – celebrated Marxist theoretician and founder of what was to become the International Marxist Tendency.
This fascinating speech on the world political situation came at a key juncture in history, when the decades of postwar capitalist upswing were drawing to a close – marking the beginning of a new world crisis, and revolutionary developments in one country after another.
Included amongst these developments were revolutionary movements in Eur...2023-02-221h 10
Spectre of CommunismJames Webb and the Crisis of the Big Bang TheoryThis week’s episode of International Marxist Radio (IMR) features marxist.com writer and editor Ben Curry speaking about the current crisis in cosmology, which has been intensified by the first images released by the James Webb Space Telescope.
These stunning images, which are the most far-reaching ever obtained by humanity, pose serious problems for some well-established theories in modern physics – most notably the Big Bang Theory.
As Ben explains, such mystical theories are a consequence of the influence of idealist philosophy in the natural sciences – which, as a means of explaining the ma...2023-02-1556 min
Spectre of CommunismLiberalism: fighting back or fracturing?This week’s episode of International Marxist Radio (IMR) features presenter Joe Attard speaking to Socialist Appeal writer Ben Gliniecki about the crisis of liberalism – and specifically about whether this crisis is now abating, as some bourgeois commentators have claimed. This is merely wishful thinking.
Events in recent years – such as the reelection of Macron in France, the imposing of Sunak in Britain, the election of Biden in the US among others – point to an uptick in fortunes for the institutions of liberal capitalism, or so the argument goes.
But as Ben explains...2023-02-0850 min
Spectre of CommunismFear and loathing in DavosThis week’s episode of International Marxist Radio (IMR) features presenter Joe Attard speaking to socialist.net editor Adam Booth about the world economy – in particular, about the latest annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) held in Davos, Switzerland.
Whilst some attendees attempted to highlight a few ‘green shoots of hope’, the overall tone of the event was sombre. ‘Polycrisis’ was this year’s buzzword, with everything going wrong all at once from the perspective of global capitalism.
Will interest rate hikes save the world economy? Protectionism? China? One thing seems certain...2023-02-0144 min
Spectre of CommunismPeru: free Castillo! Down with Boluarte!International Marxist Radio (IMR) will this week be covering recent developments in Peru, which in December saw democratically elected president Castillo deposed by a capitalist coup. Last week’s guest Jorge Martín returns to speak to presenter Joe Attard about the situation in the country – which has been escalating since Castillo’s removal – and what could be next for the movement.
While usurper president Dina Boluarte has doubled down on repression since introducing a state of emergency last month, the workers and peasants have also refused to back down, showing enormous bravery in resisting the illegitim...2023-01-2534 min
Spectre of CommunismBlood and Gold: Spanish Conquest of the AmericasThis week’s episode of International Marxist Radio (IMR) covers a pivotal period in the development of global capitalism: the Spanish conquest of the Americas. Presenter Joe Attard talks to America Socialista editor Jorge Martín about the brutal plunder of the continent, which began 500 years ago, and which set in motion the development of the world market, and the rise of capitalism on the global stage.
The episode also delves into the background of the conquered civilisations – their historical development, class content, and reaction to the European invaders. These included complex and powerful societies such as th...2023-01-1852 min
Spectre of Communism2023: for a revolutionary new year!The International Marxist Tendency (IMT) is pleased to announce the launch of its new podcast, International Marxist Radio (IMR). The first episode of this new series features presenter Joe Attard speaking to In Defence of Marxism (IDOM) editor-in-chief Alan Woods.
They discuss perspectives for the world situation going into 2023: will there be a return to normality for capitalism, or will the class contradictions continue to sharpen, as the bosses’ system lurches from crisis to crisis? Will there be a global recession? Where is the war in Ukraine heading?
Alan delves into the his...2023-01-111h 07Spectre of CommunismInternational Marxist Radio: coming Jan 2023!A new podcast from the International Marxist Tendency (marxist.com). Revolutionary news, theory and analysis every single week, starting Jan 2023. Spread the word with #IMR!2022-12-1403 min