The Socialist Approach to General Elections
The following was presented as an introduction to a discussion session during the ISO hui-ā-tau in January 2026. An audio recording of this talk is available here. Hopefully through this introduction and subsequent discussion, we’ll orient ourselves toward tomorrow’s consideration of motions relating to the upcoming 2026 New Zealand General Election. The goal today isn’t […]
D mo te Democracy
Nau mai, whakatau mai e te tī, e te tā ki ngā taihuringa āhuatanga o te wā, ā, ki te puna kōrero nei o A E I O U: Hei Hanga Ao mo te Kai Mahi. I te pānui kotahi kua pahure, kua whakataki ngā korero mo ngā ahuatanga o te pūrawa, ā, tēnā pānui […]
Freedom of Speech
The Left has long fought for the right to freely share ideas. Being able to criticise a government and powerful institutions without fear of reprisal is critical for social progress. Being able to freely access a range of analyses for educational purposes can be personally nourishing as well as help develop the capability of society […]
When Freedom isn’t Free
For centuries, capitalists have claimed that the working class need capitalism because it guarantees our freedom from tyranny and from encroachment into our personal liberties. The capitalist free market is promoted as being our sole means of attaining political and economic freedom because of the way it channels individual workers into consensual relationships of exchange […]
Striking: The Basics
This article was originally published 4 August 2025 in Salient under the title “It’s Right to Strike!”. It has since been edited and updated. On 30 June more than 36,000 nurses, midwives, health care assistants and kaimahi hauora went on strike for 24 hours after an insulting offer from the government. That offer for their […]
Iran: The Struggle, the Shah’s Son, and the Screaming Economy
Under the veil of an almost complete Internet blackout, the situation on the ground in Iran is impossible to meaningfully engage with at this moment. The mass protests seem to have quietened, though they will surely be sparked again in the near future, as the conditions that triggered them remain. The exact number of the […]
The Socialist Vision of Freedom
Freedom from Oppression, Freedom from Exploitation Freedom is a contested word, but the real freedom at the core of the socialist vision – freedom for everyone – must be fought for. Socialists envision a world where everyone has the freedom to take the time we want to do the things we want. A world where […]
US: Hands Off Venezuela!
The following statement was released on the evening of 3 January 2026, in the moments between Maduro’s abduction and the Trump administration’s declaration of responsibility for the attack. It is published here, with a few updates, for the record. Early reports indicate that the bombing of Venezuela’s capital city, Caracas, is the doing of the […]
Dire Emergency: Solidarity with the Firefighters! Shame on FENZ!
The following article was written after the 9 January Firefighters’ strike. The Ōtepoti Dunedin strike was attended by ISO members, including ISO editor Oscar Bartle, who conducted an interview with the local NZPFU branch secretary, Mike Taylor. Firefighters with the New Zealand Professional Firefighters’ Union (NZPFU) have, as part of their “Dire Emergency” campaign, been […]
Extended Interview: Alma de Anda on Crisis Pregnancy Centres
The following is the minimally edited transcript of an interview conducted in October/November 2025. A short commentary article based on this interview was previously published on this website and in Issue 17 of The Socialist. Welcome, Alma. First off, could you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about ALRANZ and the work you do? […]
