Why the Working Class?
“The emancipation of the working classes must be conquered by the working classes themselves” – so reads the first sentence of the rules to of the First International Workingmen’s Association, one of the first ever organizations to unite workers internationally. This formulation is at the heart of Marxist and socialist politics, but what does it […]
Euchred; eclipsed: Ralph Hotere (1931 – 2013)
Ralph Hotere – painter, sculptor, collaborator – is a hugely important figure in the art and culture of Aotearoa. His death, as well as being a great and personal loss to his whanau, fellow artists, and community, has historical significance for us all. He was, with his close friend and comrade Hone Tuwhare, one of […]
North Korea: A nuclear bogeyman created by the US
North Korea’s state-controlled news agency, Korean Central, says that the country’s recent nuclear test was conducted to strengthen North Korea’s overall nuclear capabilities. North Korea’s nuclear test has nothing to do with anti-imperialism or socialism. Its nuclear programme—pursued at the expense of its people’s livelihoods—will only increase tension in the region. As socialists who oppose […]
Anti-Chinese rants won’t stop asset sales
There was an evening rally against asset sales in Wellington on February 13. As a gathering of the committed the attendance was quite good. Estimates vary, but 400 would be about right I think. The unions – which could potentially turnout thousands of members against privatization – are not able to do so in their […]
Treaty hides racist rip-off
For many New Zealanders, Waitangi Day is a time to celebrate the founding of New Zealand, a nation which we are taught to believe is born of a union of two peoples, Maori and Pakeha – “He iwi tahi tatou”. This national myth serves to obscure the true character of the treaty and the colonial […]
The real invasion of Africa is not news
A full-scale invasion of Africa is under way. The United States is deploying troops in 35 African countries, beginning with Libya, Sudan, Algeria and Niger. Reported by Associated Press on Christmas Day, this was missing from most Anglo-American media. The invasion has almost nothing to do with “Islamism”, and almost everything to do with the […]
Marxism, feminism and women’s liberation
Sharon Smith, author of the soon-to-be-republished Women and Socialism: Essays on Women’s Liberation, examines how the Marxist tradition has approached the struggle to end women’s oppression, including its attitude toward other theories, in this article based on a talk given at the Socialism 2012 conference in Chicago. INESSA ARMAND, the first leader of the women’s department of […]
Militant Classics: Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou
Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou by Ranginui Walker (revised edition 2004) Ranginui Walker presents a history of Aotearoa/New Zealand from the perspective of Maori fighting for self-determination. In this way the book has a ‘bottom up’ or ‘people`s history’ feel too it – it is an indispensable resource for activists today. Walker has been an engaged intellectual, […]
The year the masks fell: Egyptians against the alliance of the Brotherhood, military and capital
The Egyptian people’s great revolution, which threw the dictator and his cronies into prison, is still aflame as it marks its second anniversary. It has already toppled several failed governments, and forced the Military Council to quit after elections which brought Mohamed Mursi and the Muslim Brotherhood to power. Their electoral success reflected the fact […]
On “Australia Day” / Invasion Day
Black Panther Billy X Jennings and Aboriginal activist Gary Foley will be speaking at Marxism 2013 28-31 March in Melbourne. Jeremy Gibson introduces these two anti-racist heroes. In the wake of Invasion Day on the 26th of January, questions of racial identity and racial discrimination in Australia have once again been thrown into the spotlight of discussion. Despite […]
