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...

For communists, China has a special importance, as it is home to the largest working class in the world. While the western capitalists denounce China as a totalitarian dictatorship, and the Stalinists praise it as a socialist motherland, Marxists must have a scientific understanding of the Chinese regime. In this episode, Jorge Martín explains the real nature of China today; its place in the world capitalist system; as well as the crisis, inter-imperialist conflict, and class struggle...

The October Revolution was not just an act of economic and political emancipation for the downtrodden masses, it also represented artistic and creative emancipation. Individual geniuses - such as Eisenstein, Meyerhold, Stanislavski, Tatlin, El Lizzitsky, and Shostakovich - rose to prominence and revolutionised their artforms. But more remarkably, millions of ordinary people were given access to the world of art and culture, previously denied to them by the bourgeois class. A spiritual and...

The coup in Gabon in August was most recent in a series of setbacks for French imperialism. The Sahel region of West Africa, which France has historically treated as it's colonial back yard, is today known as the 'coup belt', and has seen military takeovers in Chad, Niger, Mali, Sudan, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone and Guinea. In this talk, Josh Holroyd will explain the causes of these seismic events, as well as the revolutionary way forward: the masses can't be duped by the cynical Chinese and...

The Soviet Union stands out in history as the first time a workers' state began the task of planning the economy. In this talk, Adam Booth uncovers the dynamics and laws of the Soviet economy, explaining the objective forces which propelled the policies of the Bolsheviks, and later the Stalinist bureaucrats. Through understanding the Soviet economy, we can see the potential of economic planning today, as well as a glimpse of what a future communist society might look like. 🌐 Head to our...

With a deafening chorus from the imperialist establishment in support of Israel's genocidal war, it's vital that communists have a clear understanding of the current conflict, and the role of our own ruling class. In this episode, Khaled Malachi discusses the history of Israel and Palestine, and outlines a revolutionary way forward. 🌐 Head to our website for theory, news, and analysis: socialist.net/ 📚 Get your copy of 'Israel-Palestine: A Revolutionary Way Forward':...

World capitalism continues to spiral. The crisis is affecting the consciousness of workers and youth all over the world. Many are increasingly turning to communism. In this episode, taken from the opening rally of the recent Revolution Festival, Alan Woods discusses the crisis of capitalism, the bankruptcy of the reformist leaders, and why only the ideas of revolutionary communism can offer a way forward. 🌐 Head to our website for theory, news, and analysis: socialist.net/ ✊ Join the...

In this episode of Marxist Voice, Rob Sewell outlines the perspectives for British capitalism and the tasks of communists, as well as announcing our campaign to found the Revolutionary Communist Party in May 2024. 🌐 Head to our website for theory, news, and analysis: socialist.net/ ✊ Join the campaign to build a Revolutionary Communist Party: socialist.net/join 📰 Help us launch 'The Communist' newspaper by taking out a subscription: socialist.net/subscribe 🚩 Subscribe to the Revolution...

We are republishing Alan Wood's series on the Russian Revolution as a podcast, originally released to mark the centenary of the greatest event in human history. In the final episode of the 1917 series, Alan Woods discusses the October Revolution, when the workers and peasants of Russia seized power. Alan looks at the build up to the insurrection, which took place exactly 106 years ago on 7th November (25th October, old calendar), and explains the historic significance of the Bolshevik...

We are republishing Alan Wood's series on the Russian Revolution as a podcast, originally released to mark the centenary of the greatest event in human history. In part five, Alan Woods discusses the failed coup attempt by General Kornilov and the impact this had on the political consciousness of the masses. Following the events of the "July Days" in 1917, the Bolsheviks were driven underground and the forces of reaction were emboldened. Nevertheless, the terrible conditions facing the...

We are republishing Alan Wood's series on the Russian Revolution as a podcast, originally released to mark the centenary of the greatest event in human history. In part four, Alan discusses the counter-revolution that reared its head in the July Days. Terrified by the outbreak of mass, armed demonstrations with the slogan "All Power to the Soviets", the Provisional Government suppressed the leaders of the Revolution. The Bolshevik offices and printing press were shut down, with Lenin driven...

We are republishing Alan Wood's series on the Russian Revolution as a podcast, originally released to mark the centenary of the greatest event in human history. In part three, Alan investigates the June Days. Lenin understood that despite the initial popularity of the Provisional Government, the bourgeois coalition would be unable and unwilling to meet the demands of the peasantry and proletariat of peace, land, and bread. As the temperature among the masses rose, the Bolsheviks; the only...

We are republishing Alan Wood's series on the Russian Revolution as a podcast, originally released to mark the centenary of the greatest event in human history. Alan continues into part two of this series by discussing Lenin's April Theses, in which he sought to theoretically rearm the Bolshevik leaders who were in danger of taking an opportunist route following the February revolution. 🌐 Check out Socialist Appeal's website for theory, news, and analysis: socialist.net/ 🎟 Get your ticket...

In this episode of Marxist Voice, Khaled Malachi outlines the situation in Israel-Palestine, the position that communists must take, and what we can do here in Britain to get organise international solidarity with the Palestinian struggle. 🎧 Listen to the latest episode of International Marxist Radio on the occupation of Gaza: https://www.marxist.com/podcast-israel-palestine-intifada-until-victory.htm 🌐 Check out Socialist Appeal's website for theory, news, and analysis:...

We are republishing Alan Wood's series on the Russian Revolution as a podcast, originally released to mark the centenary of the greatest event in human history. Alan continues into part 2 of this series by discussing Lenin's April Theses, in which he sought to theoretically rearm the Bolshevik leaders who were in danger of taking an opportunist route following the February revolution. 🌐 Check out Socialist Appeal's website for theory, news, and analysis: socialist.net/ 🎟 Get your ticket to...

The socialist revolution cannot win without first of all winning the masses. This is why the Communist International formulated the United Front tactic, which is summarised by the slogan: “March separately, but strike together!” In this episode, Sarah Vedrovitch outlines the events which led to the adoption of this tactic, how it was applied by the Communists, and how it was distorted by the Stalinists. 🌐 Check out Socialist Appeal's website for theory, news, and analysis: socialist.net/ ✊...

In a few short years, the Communist International went from being a beacon of internationalism and world revolution, to a tool for the narrow, national interests of the Soviet bureaucracy. How and why did this happen? In this talk, Jack Tye Wilson provides a Marxist response to Stalin's "theory" of 'socialism in one country', and outlines the disastrous consequences of the Comintern's abandonment of internationalism. 🌐 Check out Socialist Appeal's website for theory, news, and analysis:...

In the third part of our podcast series on the lessons of the Communist International, Thomas Soud covers the ultra-left mistakes made by the young forces of communism, and how Lenin and the Comintern corrected this "infantile disorder". 📚 Get your copy of the Classics of Marxism vol.2, which contains Lenin's text 'Left-wing Communism: An infantile disorder': https://wellredbooks.co.uk/product/the-classics-of-marxism-volume-two/ 🌐 Check out Socialist Appeal's website for theory, news, and...

In part two of our series on the lessons of the Communist International, Lubna Badi outlines the events of the German Revolution of 1918-1923 and draws out the lessons for communists today. With power lying in their hands, the masses were able to topple the Kaiser and end Germany's involvement in WWI. And yet, without a well-established Communist leadership, the socialist revolution ultimately failed. The consequences of that failure would be most brutally felt over a decade later with the...

To kick off our six-part series on the lessons of the Communist International, Fiona Lali outlines the rich history of Marxist internationalism, stretching from Marx and Engels' efforts to build the First International, through to Trotsky's Fourth International. 🌐 Check out Socialist Appeal's website for theory, news, and analysis: https://socialist.net/ ✊ Join the fight for revolution with the International Marxist Tendency: https://www.socialist.net/join 📰 Subscribe to the Socialist...