John Bellamy Foster and Brett Clark: The planetary emergency, capitalism's ultimate crisis
[Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal urges its readers to consider taking out a subscription to Monthly Review, where this article first appeared. Click HERE to read more from John Bellamy Foster. For more articles on Marxism and ecology, click HERE.]
By John Bellamy Foster and Brett Clark
Why is Cuba’s health-care system the best model for poor countries?
Cuba-trained medical student examines Peruvian child, Lima, Peru, December 2010. Photo by Don Fitz.
Paul Le Blanc: International conference in China on Lenin’s thought
Paul Le Blanc presents the keynote address to the international conference on “Lenin’s thought in the 21st century: interpretation and its value”, held October 20-22, 2012.
[Read more by (and about) Paul Le Blanc HERE and more on Lenin HERE.]
By Paul Le Blanc
Audio of the talk, "Marxism and Women's Liberation", presented by US International Socialist Organization leader Sharon Smith at Socialism 2012, on June 28, 2012.
See "Left debate: Organising women against sexist violence". For more discussion of feminism, click HERE.
By Rosa Louverture
Left debate: Organising women against sexist violence
Socialist Alliance member Margarita Windisch addresses the 2012 Melbourne Reclaim the Night rally.
Trade unionists joined a march in Doha for action on climate change to demand improved human rights for migrant workers. Photograph: Karim Jaafar/AFP/Getty Images.
Statement by the international peasant movement La Via Campesina,
December 7, 2012 – As the climate negotiations come to a close, the industrialised countries insist on inaction for the next decade, finding even more ways to escape their historical responsibility, create more carbon markets including one on agriculture and to keep business as usual of burning the planet.
While governments continue to prioritise the interests of industry and agribusiness, peasant farmers continue producing to feed the world’s people and the planet.
Doha climate talks: Bolivia declares, 'The climate is not for sale!'
The following address was presented on December 5 by Jose Antonio Zamora Guitierrez (pictured), minister of environment and water for the Plurinational State of Bolivia, to the UN Conference on Climate Change (COP18) in Doha, Qatar.
* * *
December 5, 2012 -- Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -- Mr. President of the COP, distinguished heads of state of countries of the world, ministers, officials, delegates and representatives of social organisations, Indigenous peoples and communities and farmers of the world, receive a greeting from the Plurinational State of Bolivia and our president, Evo Morales Ayma.
The planet and humanity are in serious danger of extinction. The forests are in danger, biodiversity is in danger, the rivers and the oceans are in danger, the Earth is in danger. This beautiful human community inhabiting our Mother Earth is in danger due to the climate crisis.
'The Greek people are at the epicentre of the capitalism crisis'
Speech given by Eric Toussaint at the SYRIZA youth festival in Athens on October 6, 2012 (transcript below).
Malaysian socialist MP: 'Socialism and democracy are indivisible!'
Socialism 2012 ends with a rousing rendition of the "Internationale".
By Jeyakumar Devaraj
[The following paper was presented at the Socialist Party of Malaysia's Socialism 2012 conference in Kuala Lumpur, over the November 25-26, 2012, weekend. Jeyakumar is a member of parliament for the PSM.]
November 24, 2012 -- Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal -- Socialism has been painted as the antithesis of democracy – and millions of people the world over believe this untruth. Right-wing political propaganda states (among other things) that
- A society based on socialism is “unnatural”. It goes against human nature which is individualistic. That’s why socialist and communist countries developed into totalitarian states. People had to be compelled to act against their normal human instincts.
- A socialist program therefore will breed dictatorship and an authoritarian government with a repressive political police etc.
- Democracy and a system of checks and balances are only possible in the free market (capitalist) system. Socialism will lead to totalitarianism.
False beliefs such as these are among the main reasons why, despite the ongoing implosion of capitalism in Europe, the majority of the people are not yet decisively moving towards a socialist economic model.
What might a socialist world look like?
November 29, 2012 – Socialist Aotearoa –