‘Black Marxism: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition’, by Cedric Robinson, has featured in countless anti-racist reading lists across schools and universities. The title suggests it will be a synthesis of Marxism and the Black struggle. In reality, it is an attempt to divide the two entirely. What is the ‘Black Radical Tradition’, and how does the Marxist method apply to it? In this session, Fiona Lali will explore whether historical materialism can explain the development of racism, if...

Fanon has been used by academics as a basis for a whole series of confused and reactionary ideas about “de-colonisation of the mind”. However, “Wretched of the Earth” is a book about revolutionary struggle against colonialism, arms in hand. In the book, Fanon issues very sharp and prescient warnings about the treacherous role of the bourgeoisie after independence, but at the same time he argues that the only revolutionary classes in colonial countries are the peasantry and the...

The history of the British Empire is littered with horrendous crimes. From the partitions of India and Ireland, to the suppression of the Mau Mau uprising, to the violent Jallianwala Bagh massacre, to its murderous role in the Easter Rising and Bloody Sunday; it is impossible to mention all the brutalities of British imperialism. Many brave anti-imperialists have fought and died for the cause of expelling British imperialism from their countries. It is our duty to learn from this...

With the founding congress only days away, we are joined by RCP national secretary Ben Gliniecki for the final episode of the series, to discuss the importance of this event, how the congress works, and what you can do to prepare for this historic weekend. ✊ Join the Communists! Build the RCP: https://communist.red/join 💸 Donate towards the launch of the RCP: https://communist.red/donate 📨 Order your communist cell starter pack: https://communist.red/starterpack 📰 Subscribe to 'The...

All across the world capitalism is in crisis. Climate change, imperialist war and the crushing poverty of the vast majority are exposing millions to the horror of the system and driving them towards revolutionary conclusions. But to bind these class fighters together and channel their anger into the fight for communism, a world party is needed, one that can create, school and orientate a leadership ready to successfully carry through the world socialist revolution. That is what we are...

The Iranian Revolution was one of the most inspiring revolutionary episodes of the post-war period. Without any pre-adopted plan, programme, or leadership, the Iranian masses swept away the Shah, and began to take charge of society for themselves through popular councils. And yet, this power was not consolidated, leading to the decline and defeat of the revolution. In this session, Hamid Alizadeh discusses this great historic drama, which holds a wealth of lessons for revolutionaries today...

With only two weeks to go until the founding congress of the Revolutionary Communist Party, and with students heading back to campuses for a final term of university, we sit down with Fiona Lali and Lubna Badi – members of the RCP's campaigns department – to discuss how RCP branches can recruit and organise around universities. In this episode, we cover how the capitalist crisis is affecting young people, the tactics and methods we can use to build the Party on campus, as well as how...

The powerful rise of the Scottish independence movement once struck fear into the British ruling class, threatening to break the United Kingdom and raise the rebellious spirit of the working class. Nearly ten years since the referendum that unleashed opposition to Tory Britain, and raised the Scottish National Party to unprecedented support, the movement is at a crossroads. The SNP leadership clique have proven themselves to be politically bankrupt, unable to retain their rosy reformist...

With less than three weeks to go until the founding of the Revolutionary Communist Party, we sit down with Jorge Martín, a leading member of the soon-to-be Revolutionary Communist International which is also being founded this summer. In this episode, we cover why the working class needs an international, the successes we've had in the recent period, as well as how the international works. ✊ Join the Communists! Build the RCP: https://communist.red/join 💸 Donate towards the launch of the...

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:...

The capitalist system is in a deep global crisis. Its decline has devastating consequences, not only in terms of social and economic conditions, but also the destruction of the planet. This is shaking millions of people to political life and it has driven an increase in political activity of all kinds. In particular, some are drawn towards the methods of ‘direct action’ and ‘civil disobedience’. In this talk, Joe Russell will examine the limits of ‘direct action’ groups like Just Stop Oil,...

As Lenin famously declared, "without revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement." Defending the ideas of genuine Marxism is the bedrock of what we do here at the Revolutionary Communist Party. With just a month to go until the founding congress of the RCP, Fiona Lali and Jack Tye Wilson discuss why Marxist theory is essential to building the Party, as well as how communists can go about educating themselves. ✊ Join the Communists! Build the RCP:...

In the first complete Marxist history of the Roman Republic, Alan Woods’ recently launched book provides a gripping and accessible analysis of the titanic struggles that shaped the Roman world, and continue to resonate today. Spanning more than a thousand years of development, the book delves into the fundamental processes which gave rise to the emergence of Rome as an imperial power, the crisis of the Late Republic and the rise of the Caesars. It also features additional material by the...

The oppression of women is one of the most reactionary elements of class society and Marxists have always stood on the frontlines in the fight against it. Yet one the most common prejudices against Marxism is that it views the struggle for women’s emancipation as secondary. For example, Silvia Federici, who calls herself a Marxist-feminist, criticises Marxism and says Marx’s analysis of capitalism falls short andignores the sexual division of labour in capitalist accumulation. This could not...

With six weeks to go until the founding congress of the Revolutionary Communist Party, Joe Russell and Jack Tye Wilson sit down to discuss the importance revolutionary finance, how to raise funds for the Party, and why a Bolshevik organisation requires material sacrifice. ✊ Join the Communists! Build the RCP: https://communist.red/join 💸 Donate towards the launch of the RCP: https://communist.red/donate 📨 Order your communist cell starter pack: https://communist.red/starterpack 📰...

141 years ago this week, Karl Marx died. His ideas laid the scientific foundation of the revolutionary communist movement, and would transform the course of world history. Today, not only do these ideas continue to inspire millions, they also provide our sharpest theoretical weapons in the struggle to overthrow capitalism and bring the working class to power. In this talk, Josh Holroyd – editor for In Defence of Marxism – explores the theories and events that inspired and shaped the young...

With deep anger at the establishment everywhere we turn, and a general election on the horizon, we respond to a question from a listener: will the Revolutionary Communist Party run in the elections? ✊ Join the campaign to build a Revolutionary Communist Party: https://communist.red/join 📨 Order your communist cell starter pack: https://communist.red/starterpack 📰 Subscribe to 'The Communist' – the voice of the working class: https://communist.red/subscribe 💸 Donate towards the launch of...

[Recorded in November 2023] With NATO staring down the barrel of an embarrassing defeat in Ukraine, the western imperialists' boastful jingoism has turned into its opposite. While some on the so-called 'left' continue to call for support for Zelensky's gang – thereby betraying the interests of workers everywhere – the Communists have taken a principled, internationalist position since day one. In this talk from last year's Revolution Festival, Hamid Alizadeh outlines the only way to fight...

In the age of the Enlightenment, the young, ascendant capitalist class began to stretch it's wings against the spiritual dictatorship of the church, and the feudal monarchies that they propped up. Breaking the chains of obscurantist medieval dogma, bold thinkers and pioneers like Locke, Newton, Diderot and Rousseau fought for rationality and science and in so doing, theoretically cleared the ground for the great bourgeois revolutions. Today, however, the capitalism is decrepit and dying and...

In episode two of 'Towards the RCP', we discuss why we have launched 'The Communist' newspaper, how we can use it as a tool to build the Party, and how we can pave the way for a weekly Communist paper. ✊ Join the campaign to build a Revolutionary Communist Party: https://communist.red/join 📨 Order your communist cell starter pack: https://communist.red/starterpack 📰 Subscribe to 'The Communist' – the voice of the working class: https://communist.red/subscribe 💸 Donate towards the launch...

With only 10 weeks to go until the founding Congress of the Revolutionary Communist Party, we are launching a new weekly podcast series dedicated to building the Party. Each episode, we will cover the key political events of the week, and delve into a particular aspect of communist organising – from Marxist education, to revolutionary finance, to building a workplace cell. This week, we cover why we are launching the RCP, what makes it different, and how to get started with recruiting new...

The Great French Revolution was one of the greatest events in human history. In just four years, the masses rose up and swept away the ancient regime that had stood for centuries, igniting revolutionary flames across Europe. Yet these heroic efforts ultimately prepared the way for the rule of the capitalist class, and could only herald what was to come: the struggle of the working class for socialism. Nevertheless, it is vital that all who are fighting for communism to carefully study these...

From La France Insoumise, to Podemos, to the ‘Communist’ Party of Britain, a number of figures and groups on the left believe that rallying around the national flag is the best way to attract the support of the working class. This opportunism goes back a long way. Both the reformists and the Stalinists have tended to bend to the chauvinism of the ruling class, leading to the betrayal of workers and oppressed peoples. As communists, we understand that the working class has no nation, and...

John Reed, the author of Ten Days that Shook the World, once said that Lenin was the most loved and the most hated person alive. He was loved by tens of millions who wanted to change society, but hated by the ruling class and their apologists. As the leader of the Russian Revolution, Lenin was a man who changed the world. A convinced Marxist, he created the Bolshevik Party, the most revolutionary party in history. Lenin translated the ideas of Marxism into reality. One hundred years since...