Solidarity & More

Capital, not population, is the culprit — A review of "David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet" documentary, by Zack Muddle, in Solidarity 580-581, February 2021 More, a paper version of the booklet For Workers' Climate Action (4th edition), and a contents list, at workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

Marx, ecology, and science — Review of Kohei Saito’s “Marx’s Ecology”. More, a paper version of the For Workers' Climate Action booklet, and a contents list, at workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

Adapted from Solidarity 561, September 2020 More, a paper version of the WCA booklet, and a contents list, at workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

Zack Muddle wrote this article in Solidarity 579, January 2021, during the UK’s third Covid-19 lockdown More, a paper version of the WCA booklet, and a contents list, at workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

Climate resistance must be built from below: 'The transition has hardly begun...', review of Simon Pirani's 'Burning Up', 2018, by Neil Laker. More, a paper version of the For Workers' Climate Action booklet, and a contents list, at https://workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

The shop stewards who represent the future, a review of 'Workers and Trade Unions for Climate Solidarity' by Paul Hampton, 2015, by Martin Thomas. More, a paper version of the WCA booklet, and a contents list, at https://workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

Workers' Action for Climate Justice, written for the Workers' Liberty bulletin at Ende Gelande August 2017, by Mike Zubrowski More, a paper version of the WCA booklet, and a contents list, at https://workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

Socialist politics and climate change: an introduction to the 2018 edition of this pamphlet, by Neil Laker More, a paper version of the WCA booklet, and a contents list, at https://workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

Climate change and extreme energy, document passed by Workers' Liberty conference, October 2013 More, a paper version of the booklet, and a contents list, at https://workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

Camila Bassi delivered this talk at the AWL online meeting on 30 August 2020. For all AWL online meetings go to: https://workersliberty.org/meetings A similar article is For Workers’ Climate Action (4th Ed.), part 7. More, a paper version of the booklet, and a contents list, at workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet The outbreak of SARS Coronovirus 2 or COVID-19 proceeds an escalation of recent epidemics and proto-pandemics: notably, H5N1 or Avian influenza, SARS, MERS, Swine flu, Ebola, and Zika. Camila tells the story of HIV/AIDS and SARS to explore the nexus between capitalist political economy, nature, and emergent infectious diseases; concluding that, without radical change to how we organise and run our world, our future will be locked into this deadly trajectory. For a transcript of the talk and the full set of references, please see Camila's blog here: https://anaemiconabike.com/2020/08/19/on-global-capital-not-abiding-limits-and-a-history-of-pandemics/ Video: https://youtu.be/zSSbkGbBCpA The quote during the pause is: “PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, Jan 26 – An American‐owned company here is buying blood plasma from impoverished Haitians who need the money and exporting 5,000 to 6,000 liters of it every month to the United States. […] Hemo Caribbean is owned by Joseph B. Gorinstein, stockbroker with interests in New York and Miami. He has a 10‐year contract with the Haitian Government that was negotiated with President Francois Duvalier, who died last April. Werner H. Thill, the company’s technical director, said that the Haitian Government received no money from Hemo Caribbean. Reliable sources here say that the principal agent between the Government and Hemo Caribbean was Luckner Cambronne, the Minister of Interior and National Defense, who is said to be one of the most influential persons here. […] Mr. Thill says that applicants are rejected if they are known to have hepatitis, but he adds that he is not especially concerned about those who may slip through the screening process with venereal disease or malaria. The freezing process used on the plasma “kills those bacteria,” he says. The Haitians, many in rags and without shoes, crowd into Hemo Caribbean six days week from 6:30 A.M. to 10 P.M. They spend about an hour and a half to two hours in screening and actually giving blood. […] The plasma is frozen and shipped to the United States by Air Haiti, Mr. Cambronne’s airline.” The New York Times, January 1972

Two articles from the climate pamphlet: The politics of carbon drawdown — Todd Hamer reviews "Under a White Sky" by Elizabeth Kolbert and "After Geoengineering" by Holly Jean Buck, Solidarity 599, June 2021 Carbon capture and storage? Not a help yet — Zack Muddle wrote this article for Solidarity 578, January 2021 More, a paper version of the booklet For Workers' Climate Action (4th edition), and a contents list, at workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

Just after COP26 finished, Zack Muddle wrote this article in two parts for Solidarity 614-615, November 2021 More, a paper version of the booklet For Workers' Climate Action (4th edition, WCA), and a contents list, at workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

"More rail yes, HS2 maybe not": Simon Nelson wrote that article for Solidarity 535, February 2020. After that is a response by Mark Catterall’, then a reply to that by Simon Nelson. Then there is the Further Reading box. More, a paper version of the booklet For Workers' Climate Action (4th edition), and a contents list, at workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet *Further reading* We have a weekly environmental column in Solidarity, and hundreds of climate articles on our website. There are countless books we might recommend, beyond those reviewed and mentioned so far. But there are a few notable areas which we wanted to cover in this pamphlet, but couldn’t because of space. What is the ruling class likely to do in response to climate change, in the coming decades? We read and discussed a book, Climate Leviathan, that we were heavily critical of, but which is nonetheless thought provoking. See two reviews: “Against Leviathan, a workers’ plan” bit.ly/against-leviathan and “Four climate futures” bit.ly/4-climate-f How may global warming play out? David Wallace-Wells’ The Uninhabitable Earth attempts to sketch answers. “Climate disaster is already with us” is a review of this book. There have been some critical replies, and a debate, following this. The interlocutors both agree the book is worth reading. See the articles: bit.ly/w-wells Fossil Capital: The Rise of Steam Power and the Roots of Global Warming by Andreas Malm attempts to chart the rise of steam power and its links to the development of capitalism. We are critical of much of his politics. See workersliberty.org/malm-debate for several differing reviews on Malm’s writings, a debate, plus a critical study guide. We read and discussed several different readings on “Degrowth” from a Marxist perspective. Readings and videos at workersliberty.org/readings-degrowth *Stay updated* The climate, and related science, politics, and activism are constantly changing. This pamphlet will start going out of date as soon as we publish it. We work to make that happen: to build a climate movement to move us onto a different track. Here are some ways to keep up to date: • Our website, workersliberty.org • Articles at workersliberty.org/climate-change • Subscribe to receive our weekly newspaper Solidarity, and support our work, for only £5 per month, at workersliberty.org/sub • Events, including our socialist environmental study group, at workersliberty.org/events • Contact us, and get more involved. Call 020 7394 8923, email [email protected] or find us on facebook, twitter, or instagram: @workersliberty

Environmentalists in Singapore, on May Day. Sara Lee wrote this, May 2021 Building workers’ action at climate strikes. From articles in September 2019 Both For Workers’ Climate Action (4th Ed.). More, a paper version of the booklet For Workers' Climate Action (4th edition), and a contents list, at workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

Zack Muddle wrote this for Solidarity 604, September 2021. More, a paper version of the booklet For Workers' Climate Action (4th edition, WCA), and a contents list, at workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

Towards an independent working-class climate movement, published in the American socialist journal New Politics, summer 2011, by Daniel Randall and Paul Hampton More, a paper version of the WCA booklet (4th ed.), and a contents list, at https://workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

Stop the fossil fuel reboot! Adapted from Solidarity 610’s editorial, October 2021 Plus cover info More, a paper version of the WCA booklet, and a contents list, at https://workersliberty.org/climate-pamphlet

What kind of union do we need? There are strengths and weaknesses in our current union set-up. Union officials will often have you believe that things can only be done the way they are done, because ... well, because they have always been done that way. We do not agree. We have several criticisms of the existing rail unions, so it is only fair that we set out in more positive terms what our ideal union might look like. Let's call it the Fantasy Union of Rail and Transport Workers (FURT). Video: https://youtu.be/38zbtZkvoMQ Some of the good things about this fantasy union could be put in place by changes in rules and ways of organising; others by electing better officials and leaders. But others need changes in the culture of the union and a big increase in workers' confidence. This description of our fantasy union is a manifesto for change in our unions, but it is also a statement of how we aspire to work, and the principles we try to uphold, as union activists. It is about the present as well as the future. By "Off The Rails" blog: https://workersliberty.org/OTR/fantasy

Women's Fightback 25, Winter/Spring 2021. Articles include: Tenants' organising and feminism Understanding emotional labour Wages for immigration? Pregnancy, abortion and the women's strike Social reproduction in prisons Rent strike! More online: https://workersliberty.org/publications/womens-fightback/womens-fightback-25-winterspring-2021

Women's Fightback 25, Winter/Spring 2021. Articles include: Can Biden kill off Trumpism? Solidarity with the Uyghur people Free Nodeep Kaur Feminism, Interrupted: a write-up The Paris Commune and the Union des Femmes Cancel culture and trans rights Esther Roper, Eva Gore-Booth and "Urania" More online: https://workersliberty.org/publications/womens-fightback/womens-fightback-25-winterspring-2021

Women's Fightback 25, Winter/Spring 2021, part 1 of 2, pages 1 to 9. Articles include: Strajk! An interview with Ewa Pospieszynska Life under lockdown Working mums, paying the price Cut the working week Discrimination on the Tube Women of the Poplar rebellion More green space Can Biden kill off Trumpism? More online: https://workersliberty.org/publications/womens-fightback/womens-fightback-25-winterspring-2021

For #InternationalWomensDay 2021 Jill Mountford takes a look at the origins of IWD, the work of Mary McArthur and the women chainmakers of Cradley Heath: their fight against injustice, and fights against sweatshop labour today. #ChooseToChallenge sweatshop labour Tonight at 6pm Workers' Liberty Students have a meeting on it: https://facebook.com/events/761405588108413 And at 7pm Leeds Workers' Liberty are running a meeting on the story of the Grunwick strike by mainly women, Asian, migrant workers - a pivotal working-class battle in the 1970s: https://facebook.com/events/477530426614635 And you can read or buy the new edition of our Socialist Feminist paper Women's Fightback here: https://workersliberty.org/publications/womens-fightback/womens-fightback-25-winterspring-2021 Read about the socialist and labour movement origins of the International Women's Day idea: https://workersliberty.org/story/2020-03-10/socialist-history-international-womens-day See our youtube playlist on Socialist Feminism for more! #InternationalWorkingWomensDay #SocialistFeminism Reposted with thanks from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28ui8JZjdWQ . Created originally for Lewisham's IWD celebrations.

Tubeworker and Off The Rails - two rank-and-file bulletins published by Workers' Liberty - hosted an online meeting on 19 November 2020. These are the two opening speeches, from TWU Local 100 Fightback's John Ferretti and Vermont socialist Traven Leyshon. Videos: https://workersliberty.org/story/2020-12-10/video-us-rail-workers-struggles-wake-presidential-election Future meetings: https://www.workersliberty.org/meetings Tubeworker: https://workersliberty.org/tubeworker Off The Rails: https://workersliberty.org/rails All audio: https://workersliberty.org/rails

Sweeping cuts are now taking place and are expected in local authorities across the UK, but neither Labour nor the left are prepared for this. If Labour does not take up the fight it will have much less chance of winning back working-class voters, and importantly, saving the jobs and services we all rely on. Josh Lovell, a Labour Party councillor (in opposition) discusses the history of past battles in local government going back to the 1970s, and how we can apply lessons learned from those struggles today. From a meeting of the same name, on 4 October. All meetings: https://workersliberty.org/meetings Video on several platforms: https://workersliberty.org/story/2020-11-25/video-fighting-council-cuts The referenced other talk, more focussed on Covid-19: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/josh-lovell-covid-19-and-fighting-council-cuts?in=workers-liberty/sets/public-meetings

Intro speeches from 15 December on "After the US election, which way for the left?" by Ruth Cashman; Thomas Harrison, New Politics Editorial Board (personal capacity); and Robert Cuffy, Guyanese socialist based in New York, member of DSA and the Socialist Workers Alliance of Guyana. From a meeting of the same name, future meetings at: https://workersliberty.org/meetings All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio Video of this meeting: https://workersliberty.org/story/2020-11-21/video-after-us-election-which-way-left-ruth-cashman-robert-cuffy-and-tom-harrison A discussion on the results of the US election and tasks facing class struggle socialists. Trump and the Republican Party continue to resist the result of the US election; what impact will they have? We heard about what the left and social movement activists are doing to defend US democracy and develop class struggle responses to the pandemic, jobs and social crisis. What does the left say about Biden, as the "lesser evil" in the election. What are the longer-term tasks and prospects for the left?

Introductory speech by Daniel Randall from a meeting of the same name. Future meetings: https://workersliberty.org/meetings Video: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/what-is-left-antisemitism-and-how-can-it-be-confronted-with-daniel-randall-workers-liberty The imminent publication of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) report, as well as the ongoing fallout from the Panorama documentary and subsequent legal wranglings, have kept the issue of antisemitism in the Labour Party in the news and political discussion. But the “debates” so far have tended to generate more heat than light, by keeping the focus on the factional implications rather than the underlying political issues. This discussion seeks to get back to the fundamental questions: what does antisemitism on the left consist of, where does it come from, and how can it be confronted? More on this topic: https://workersliberty.org/left-as See more videos on this and related topics: https://www.youtube.com/c/WorkersLibertyUK **Reading list** Steve Cohen – That's Funny, You Don't Look Antisemitic https://libcom.org/files/thats_funny.pdf Robert Fine and Philip Spencer – Antisemitism and the Left http://www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526104977 Moishe Postone - “Zionism, Antisemitism, and the Left” https://www.workersliberty.org/files/100205postone.pdf Stan Crooke – “The Stalinist Roots of Left Antisemitism” https://www.workersliberty.org/files/wl10stalinismantisemitism.pdf Isabella Tabarovsky - “Soviet anti-Zionism and contemporary left antisemitism” https://fathomjournal.org/soviet-anti-zionism-and-contemporary-left-antisemitism Workers' Liberty - “The Slansky Trial: Stalinism, antisemitism and conspiracy theories” https://www.workersliberty.org/slansky-trial-stalinism-anti-semitism-and-conspiracy-theories-workers-liberty-336 Dale Street - “Three decades of Socialist Worker on antisemitism” https://www.workersliberty.org/story/2020-01-27/three-decades-socialist-worker-antisemitism John O'Mahony - “The 1980s left and antisemitism” https://www.workersliberty.org/story/2018-06-01/1980s-and-left-antisemitism Satnam Virdee - “Socialist antisemitism and its discontents in England, 1884-98” https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0031322X.2017.1335029 Brendan McGeever – Antisemitism and the Russian Revolution https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/antisemitism-and-the-russian-revolution/AF5AE3BB29CB5A7909C75036694CDADE April Rosenblum - The Past Didn’t Go Anywhere https://www.aprilrosenblum.com/thepast Spencer Sunshine - “Looking At Left Antisemitism” http://transformativestudies.org/wp-content/uploads/Spencer-Sunshine.pdf

RMT activists Janine Booth and John Pencott offer their views on fighting the wave of job cuts that face the rail industry. These were the opening remarks at an online meeting held on 16 July 2020, hosted by Tubeworker and Off The Rails, bulletins written by and for Tube and rail workers respectively and published by Workers' Liberty. Tubeworker: https://workersliberty.org/tubeworker OTR: https://workersliberty.org/rails Video: https://youtu.be/PtNKvZE07HQ All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio

Introductory speeches from a meeting of the same name, which outline the complex events that led up to the war, left responses and legacies of the war. Sarah Correia is a researcher at LSE, researching memories of the Bosnian war. Martin Thomas talks about the response of much of the left at the time. A recent interview on this topic with Sarah Correia: https://workersliberty.org/story/2020-09-09/bosnian-war-25-years-later And an article by Martin Thomas: https://workersliberty.org/story/2020-09-09/left-and-bosnia December 2020 marks 15 years since the end of the Bosnian war. In 1992 after Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence, a Serb-backed military assault took place, bringing ethnic cleansing, rape and destruction of mosques. Under the banner of “peace” and opposing Western intervention many on the left sided with, or failed to oppose, the Serb nationalists. Workers' Liberty argued an international arms embargo should be lifted so that the Bosnians could defend themselves. This meeting will outline the complex events that led up to the war, the left responses and the legacies of that war.

The 1945 Labour Government - an introduction by Mark Catterall to what lead to the election victory and what socialists today can learn from it. From a meeting in May 2020. Upcoming meetings: https://workersliberty.org/meetings Video: https://workersliberty.org/story/2020-09-07/video-1945-labour-government-causes-and-lessons

A speech by Dan Davison, a labour activist and sociology PhD student at the University of Cambridge, for a talk on C.L.R. James and the Haitian Revolution held in July 2020. Future meetings: https://workersliberty.org/meetings Read online: https://workersliberty.org/story/2020-08-26/black-jacobins-haitian-revolution-against-slavery All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio Cyril Lionel Robert James (CLR James) was born in Trinidad in 1901. He wrote his first book, a novel called Minty Alley in the 1920s (published in 1936), while a school teacher in Trinidad; the book is a critique of class and colonialism, and indicated a lifelong interest in integrating race and class struggles. James, spent six years in the UK before the Second World War, joining the ranks of British Trotskyism. In 1938 he travelled to the US at the invitation of the American Socialist Workers’ Party and stayed for 15 years. In the same year The Black Jacobins was published. James left the Trotskyist movement in 1951 and from that time, until his death in 1989, James had a long and varied socialist and literary “career”, remaining a Marxist but also heavily influenced by Pan-Africanism. The Black Jacobins is the story of the Haitian Revolution of 1791-1804, focusing on the life and leadership of the ex-slave leader Toussaint L’Ouverture. It is also a history of European colonialism, the slave plantation system, the huge sugar factories of the French colony of San Domingue (the eastern half of the island that is now Haiti). Slave resistance came first in the form of flight to the mountains and forming of maroon band. But the French Revolution created a political conflict in the colony, one of many dimensions, including of whites against the French monarchy, of the free people of colour as well as the slaves. One ex-slave Toussaint Breda, later Toussaint L’Ouverture (meaning opening to liberty) joined up with the expanding slave army in the mountains; they created a disciplined fighting force. What happened next is a complex story of shifting alliances, increasing radicalisation, the end of slavery, and a war for independence.

Workers against slavery: the US Civil War, the First International and the British working class. A Workers' Liberty pamphlet by Sacha Ismail. In 1865, slavery was abolished in the United States at the end of a four year Civil War. This Workers' Liberty pamphlet looks at the stand taken during the war by workers in Britain, who organised mass protests against slavery and against British ruling-class plans for military intervention in support of the slave-owners. It tells the story of how this internationalist and anti-racist struggle revived the British labour movement, gave workers the confidence to fight for the vote, and contributed to the birth of Karl Marx's International Working Men's Association, the "First International". PDF of this, including photos and scans, at https://workersliberty.org/workers-against-slavery All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio Anti-racist resources: https://workersliberty.org/anti-racist-resources Contents: Title quotes Timeline Introduction Britain and the American Civil War Workers against slavery The Voice of Lancashire The Voice of London Renewing the labour movement The birth of the First International Enfrachising labour black and white Solidarity Picture captions: Karl Marx; Ernest Jones; Black soldiers; mass demonstration; Peterloo; Reconstruction; Slaves What to read

How To Beat The Racists, part 10 of 10. Contents: How Europe underdeveloped Africa — by Chris Reynolds No Sweat: workers of the world unite against sweatshop labour — by Sacha Ismail Whole playlist: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/how-to-beat-the-racists Read the articles online, download the pdf, order a paper copy, or subscribe to our newspaper: https://workersliberty.org/beat-the-racists Anti-racist resources: https://workersliberty.org/anti-racist-resources All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio In particular, other publications: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/pamphlets-publications-beyond Related videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6axvxELjd0hAoRSscUR_CaXWMzmLpT0G In 2001, the far-right British National Party (BNP) more than tripled its vote share in the general election, reaching record levels for any UK fascist party in some constituencies. This was fuelled in large part by the Labour Party and the New Labour government. The left and the labour movement were, as a whole, not taking the fight against racism as seriously as they should have. The republished pamphlet aimed to convince labour movement activists of the importance of the fight against racism, and anti-racists of the importance of the labour movement — and the fight to transform it once more into a militant force for human solidarity and progress. It sketches a programme to beat racism, and the kind of radical anti-racist and anti-fascist labour movement we need. Decades later, racism and fascism have again been rising. The labour movement and the left, as a whole, still do not take anti-racism seriously enough. With the upsurge of anti-racist activism and protests, anti-racists, in general, still do not look to the labour movement. The fight to transform the labour movement, imbue it with radical anti-racist politics, and to beat racism is as important as ever.

How To Beat The Racists, part 9 of 10. Contents: "No-platform" and free speech — by Violet Martin Self-defence is no offence Lewisham: a turning point The Anti-Nazi League: The poverty of "anti-fascism" — by Mark Osborn Whole playlist: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/how-to-beat-the-racists Read the articles online, download the pdf, order a paper copy, or subscribe to our newspaper: https://workersliberty.org/beat-the-racists Anti-racist resources: https://workersliberty.org/anti-racist-resources All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio In particular, other publications: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/pamphlets-publications-beyond Related videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6axvxELjd0hAoRSscUR_CaXWMzmLpT0G In 2001, the far-right British National Party (BNP) more than tripled its vote share in the general election, reaching record levels for any UK fascist party in some constituencies. This was fuelled in large part by the Labour Party and the New Labour government. The left and the labour movement were, as a whole, not taking the fight against racism as seriously as they should have. The republished pamphlet aimed to convince labour movement activists of the importance of the fight against racism, and anti-racists of the importance of the labour movement — and the fight to transform it once more into a militant force for human solidarity and progress. It sketches a programme to beat racism, and the kind of radical anti-racist and anti-fascist labour movement we need. Decades later, racism and fascism have again been rising. The labour movement and the left, as a whole, still do not take anti-racism seriously enough. With the upsurge of anti-racist activism and protests, anti-racists, in general, still do not look to the labour movement. The fight to transform the labour movement, imbue it with radical anti-racist politics, and to beat racism is as important as ever.

How To Beat The Racists, part 8 of 10. Contents: What is the Nation of Islam? The Black Panthers: The cult of the gun — by Dan Katz The Panther Programme (1966) Whole playlist: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/how-to-beat-the-racists Read the articles online, download the pdf, order a paper copy, or subscribe to our newspaper: https://workersliberty.org/beat-the-racists Anti-racist resources: https://workersliberty.org/anti-racist-resources All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio In particular, other publications: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/pamphlets-publications-beyond Related videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6axvxELjd0hAoRSscUR_CaXWMzmLpT0G In 2001, the far-right British National Party (BNP) more than tripled its vote share in the general election, reaching record levels for any UK fascist party in some constituencies. This was fuelled in large part by the Labour Party and the New Labour government. The left and the labour movement were, as a whole, not taking the fight against racism as seriously as they should have. The republished pamphlet aimed to convince labour movement activists of the importance of the fight against racism, and anti-racists of the importance of the labour movement — and the fight to transform it once more into a militant force for human solidarity and progress. It sketches a programme to beat racism, and the kind of radical anti-racist and anti-fascist labour movement we need. Decades later, racism and fascism have again been rising. The labour movement and the left, as a whole, still do not take anti-racism seriously enough. With the upsurge of anti-racist activism and protests, anti-racists, in general, still do not look to the labour movement. The fight to transform the labour movement, imbue it with radical anti-racist politics, and to beat racism is as important as ever.

"Minnie Lansbury - a different sort of Labour councillor", intro speeches with Janine Booth, author of 'Minnie Lansbury: suffragette, socialist and rebel councillor', and Selina Gellert, the great niece of Minnie Lansbury — from a meeting by the same name. Upcoming meetings at: https://workersliberty.org/meetings Video version: https://youtu.be/Cer7PeO0Nb4 Janine's books: https://fiveleaves.co.uk/product/minnie-lansbury-suffragette-socialist-rebel-councillor/ and https://www.janinebooth.com/writing/guilty-and-proud-it-poplars-rebel-councillors-and-guardians-1919-25 Two videos by Janine Booth: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr8zC24zVOk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8IFbUlmCDA Janine Booth will speak about this inspiring working-class woman. The daughter of Jewish immigrants to London's east end, Minnie was one of the Poplar Labour councillors who carried out extensive reforms in the interests of the borough’s working class and, when the council began to struggle financially, led a mass campaign for poor boroughs to receive more funding. Defying the Tory-Liberal coalition government, she went to prison as a result, along with 29 other councillors. They won! She was a member of both the Labour Party and the Communist Party inspired by the Russian Revolution. Before that she was a suffragette, a campaigner for the rights of war widows, orphans and disabled ex-servicemen. The Poplar council which took on the government in 1921 was very different from Labour councils today and Minnie Lansbury was very different from virtually all our Labour councillors. We can draw great inspiration from her story – what lessons can we learn for our struggles now?

How To Beat The Racists, part 7 of 10. Contents: Martin Luther King and Malcolm X — by Dion D'Silva Was Malcolm X a socialist? — by Martin Thomas Black trade unionists today Whole playlist: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/how-to-beat-the-racists Read the articles online, download the pdf, order a paper copy, or subscribe to our newspaper: https://workersliberty.org/beat-the-racists Anti-racist resources: https://workersliberty.org/anti-racist-resources All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio In particular, other publications: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/pamphlets-publications-beyond Related videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6axvxELjd0hAoRSscUR_CaXWMzmLpT0G In 2001, the far-right British National Party (BNP) more than tripled its vote share in the general election, reaching record levels for any UK fascist party in some constituencies. This was fuelled in large part by the Labour Party and the New Labour government. The left and the labour movement were, as a whole, not taking the fight against racism as seriously as they should have. The republished pamphlet aimed to convince labour movement activists of the importance of the fight against racism, and anti-racists of the importance of the labour movement — and the fight to transform it once more into a militant force for human solidarity and progress. It sketches a programme to beat racism, and the kind of radical anti-racist and anti-fascist labour movement we need. Decades later, racism and fascism have again been rising. The labour movement and the left, as a whole, still do not take anti-racism seriously enough. With the upsurge of anti-racist activism and protests, anti-racists, in general, still do not look to the labour movement. The fight to transform the labour movement, imbue it with radical anti-racist politics, and to beat racism is as important as ever.

How To Beat The Racists, part 6 of 10. Contents: The roots of anti-semitism — by Dan Katz The roots of racism — by Jeni Bailey Unemployment Whole playlist: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/how-to-beat-the-racists Read the articles online, download the pdf, order a paper copy, or subscribe to our newspaper: https://workersliberty.org/beat-the-racists Anti-racist resources: https://workersliberty.org/anti-racist-resources All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio In particular, other publications: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/pamphlets-publications-beyond Related videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6axvxELjd0hAoRSscUR_CaXWMzmLpT0G In 2001, the far-right British National Party (BNP) more than tripled its vote share in the general election, reaching record levels for any UK fascist party in some constituencies. This was fuelled in large part by the Labour Party and the New Labour government. The left and the labour movement were, as a whole, not taking the fight against racism as seriously as they should have. The republished pamphlet aimed to convince labour movement activists of the importance of the fight against racism, and anti-racists of the importance of the labour movement — and the fight to transform it once more into a militant force for human solidarity and progress. It sketches a programme to beat racism, and the kind of radical anti-racist and anti-fascist labour movement we need. Decades later, racism and fascism have again been rising. The labour movement and the left, as a whole, still do not take anti-racism seriously enough. With the upsurge of anti-racist activism and protests, anti-racists, in general, still do not look to the labour movement. The fight to transform the labour movement, imbue it with radical anti-racist politics, and to beat racism is as important as ever.

How To Beat The Racists, part 5 of 10. Contents: A short history of black people in Britain William Cuffay Whole playlist: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/how-to-beat-the-racists Read the articles online, download the pdf, order a paper copy, or subscribe to our newspaper: https://workersliberty.org/beat-the-racists Anti-racist resources: https://workersliberty.org/anti-racist-resources All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio In particular, other publications: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/pamphlets-publications-beyond Related videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6axvxELjd0hAoRSscUR_CaXWMzmLpT0G In 2001, the far-right British National Party (BNP) more than tripled its vote share in the general election, reaching record levels for any UK fascist party in some constituencies. This was fuelled in large part by the Labour Party and the New Labour government. The left and the labour movement were, as a whole, not taking the fight against racism as seriously as they should have. The republished pamphlet aimed to convince labour movement activists of the importance of the fight against racism, and anti-racists of the importance of the labour movement — and the fight to transform it once more into a militant force for human solidarity and progress. It sketches a programme to beat racism, and the kind of radical anti-racist and anti-fascist labour movement we need. Decades later, racism and fascism have again been rising. The labour movement and the left, as a whole, still do not take anti-racism seriously enough. With the upsurge of anti-racist activism and protests, anti-racists, in general, still do not look to the labour movement. The fight to transform the labour movement, imbue it with radical anti-racist politics, and to beat racism is as important as ever.

How To Beat The Racists, part 4 of 10. Contents: What is fascism? The battle for Cable Street Trotsky on fascism: Demonstrations are not enough; For workers' unity against the fascists; No to state bans!; The causes of fascism Oldham, Burnley and Bradford: The threat from the fascist BNP Whole playlist: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/how-to-beat-the-racists Read the articles online, download the pdf, order a paper copy, or subscribe to our newspaper: https://workersliberty.org/beat-the-racists Anti-racist resources: https://workersliberty.org/anti-racist-resources All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio In particular, other publications: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/pamphlets-publications-beyond Related videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6axvxELjd0hAoRSscUR_CaXWMzmLpT0G In 2001, the far-right British National Party (BNP) more than tripled its vote share in the general election, reaching record levels for any UK fascist party in some constituencies. This was fuelled in large part by the Labour Party and the New Labour government. The left and the labour movement were, as a whole, not taking the fight against racism as seriously as they should have. The republished pamphlet aimed to convince labour movement activists of the importance of the fight against racism, and anti-racists of the importance of the labour movement — and the fight to transform it once more into a militant force for human solidarity and progress. It sketches a programme to beat racism, and the kind of radical anti-racist and anti-fascist labour movement we need. Decades later, racism and fascism have again been rising. The labour movement and the left, as a whole, still do not take anti-racism seriously enough. With the upsurge of anti-racist activism and protests, anti-racists, in general, still do not look to the labour movement. The fight to transform the labour movement, imbue it with radical anti-racist politics, and to beat racism is as important as ever.

Brazil is now one of the epicentres of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The far-right Bolsonaro government's irrational response to the pandemic has triggered political turmoil. The Black Lives Matter movement has organised against widespread racism and police violence in Brazil. A Workers' Liberty activist from Brazil discusses the political background to current events. Introductory speech from June 28 2020 meeting. Video version: https://youtu.be/cLK0ax23ZEA Future events: https://workersliberty.org/c19-online All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio

How To Beat The Racists, part 3 of 10. Contents: Police injustice — UK — by Alan McArthur Free Mumia abu-Jamal! America's racist death penalty The police after Macpherson: still armed and dangerous — by Sacha Ismail Police violence: "representative"? Police violence — the facts Free Satpal Ram! Racist attacks What we say on the police Whole playlist: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/how-to-beat-the-racists Read the articles online, download the pdf, order a paper copy, or subscribe to our newspaper: https://workersliberty.org/beat-the-racists Anti-racist resources: https://workersliberty.org/anti-racist-resources All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio In particular, other publications: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/pamphlets-publications-beyond Related videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6axvxELjd0hAoRSscUR_CaXWMzmLpT0G In 2001, the far-right British National Party (BNP) more than tripled its vote share in the general election, reaching record levels for any UK fascist party in some constituencies. This was fuelled in large part by the Labour Party and the New Labour government. The left and the labour movement were, as a whole, not taking the fight against racism as seriously as they should have. The republished pamphlet aimed to convince labour movement activists of the importance of the fight against racism, and anti-racists of the importance of the labour movement — and the fight to transform it once more into a militant force for human solidarity and progress. It sketches a programme to beat racism, and the kind of radical anti-racist and anti-fascist labour movement we need. Decades later, racism and fascism have again been rising. The labour movement and the left, as a whole, still do not take anti-racism seriously enough. With the upsurge of anti-racist activism and protests, anti-racists, in general, still do not look to the labour movement. The fight to transform the labour movement, imbue it with radical anti-racist politics, and to beat racism is as important as ever.

How To Beat The Racists, part 2 of 10. Contents: Scapegoating refugees: Labour's new racism Immigration: Their lies, and our replies Solidarity with the Roma people — by Cathy Nugent Whole playlist: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/how-to-beat-the-racists Read the articles online, download the pdf, order a paper copy, or subscribe to our newspaper: https://workersliberty.org/beat-the-racists Anti-racist resources: https://workersliberty.org/anti-racist-resources All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio In particular, other publications: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/pamphlets-publications-beyond Related videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6axvxELjd0hAoRSscUR_CaXWMzmLpT0G In 2001, the far-right British National Party (BNP) more than tripled its vote share in the general election, reaching record levels for any UK fascist party in some constituencies. This was fuelled in large part by the Labour Party and the New Labour government. The left and the labour movement were, as a whole, not taking the fight against racism as seriously as they should have. The republished pamphlet aimed to convince labour movement activists of the importance of the fight against racism, and anti-racists of the importance of the labour movement — and the fight to transform it once more into a militant force for human solidarity and progress. It sketches a programme to beat racism, and the kind of radical anti-racist and anti-fascist labour movement we need. Decades later, racism and fascism have again been rising. The labour movement and the left, as a whole, still do not take anti-racism seriously enough. With the upsurge of anti-racist activism and protests, anti-racists, in general, still do not look to the labour movement. The fight to transform the labour movement, imbue it with radical anti-racist politics, and to beat racism is as important as ever.

How To Beat The Racists, part 1 of 10. Contents: Cut the roots of racism! Fight for a workers' government! — by Sacha Ismail and Faz Velmi A programme to beat racism Workers can unite, do unite — by Jim Denham Whole playlist: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/how-to-beat-the-racists Read the articles online, download the pdf, order a paper copy, or subscribe to our newspaper: https://workersliberty.org/beat-the-racists Anti-racist resources: https://workersliberty.org/anti-racist-resources All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio In particular, other publications: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/pamphlets-publications-beyond Related videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6axvxELjd0hAoRSscUR_CaXWMzmLpT0G In 2001, the far-right British National Party (BNP) more than tripled its vote share in the general election, reaching record levels for any UK fascist party in some constituencies. This was fuelled in large part by the Labour Party and the New Labour government. The left and the labour movement were, as a whole, not taking the fight against racism as seriously as they should have. The republished pamphlet aimed to convince labour movement activists of the importance of the fight against racism, and anti-racists of the importance of the labour movement — and the fight to transform it once more into a militant force for human solidarity and progress. It sketches a programme to beat racism, and the kind of radical anti-racist and anti-fascist labour movement we need. Decades later, racism and fascism have again been rising. The labour movement and the left, as a whole, still do not take anti-racism seriously enough. With the upsurge of anti-racist activism and protests, anti-racists, in general, still do not look to the labour movement. The fight to transform the labour movement, imbue it with radical anti-racist politics, and to beat racism is as important as ever.

"Religion... is the opium of the people", wrote Marx in 1843. What did Marx and Engels say about religion? How should Marxists and socialists think, talk and act about religion today? Introductory speech by Kate in a talk: 'Opium of the people': Marx on Religion. All upcoming meetings here: https://workersliberty.org/c19-online All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio Video: https://youtu.be/tkYVbmxuqRY

What is the history of mind-altering substances, and of prohibition? Are there potential medical benefits that prohibition has limited? Are we just libertarians who have a live and let live attitude to what people consume? Are their public health benefits to legalising currently illegal drugs? Who are the real victims of the drugs trade and are we just advocating for criminal enterprises to gain capitalist respectability? Intro from meeting 3 of 4 in The state, crime, prisons, and the police series. Future meetings and more: https://workersliberty.org/c19-online All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio Referenced: ‘The Inner Level’ by Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson Rat Park study http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Park further reading A review of the Inner Level published in Workers’ Liberty’s newspaper Solidarity: https://www.workersliberty.org/node/33768 https://workersliberty.org/story/2018-06-06/psychedelic-drugs-therapy https://workersliberty.org/story/2018-07-17/what-should-labour-do-about-policing https://workersliberty.org/story/2017-07-26/prescription-opioids-opiate-people https://workersliberty.org/story/2017-07-26/story-banning-legal-highs https://workersliberty.org/story/2013/05/08/cuts-will-undermine-drugs-progress https://workersliberty.org/story/2013/01/09/end-%E2%80%9Cwar-drugs%E2%80%9D Many of the above will be in audio form in Solidarity. Look for the recording of that issue, or search for the title, you may find

The AWL has long argued for Marxists to intervene in the Labour Party to politically shape it, despite many obstacles of organisation and ideology, particularly during the Blair years. What is the basis for that argument, and how has the Corbyn period reshaped the Labour Party to make it an instrument for socialist organising? What are the limitations of the Corbyn project? And what does the prospect of a Starmer-led Labour Party mean for class struggles ahead? Intro to the meeting of the same name, from April 2020, by Cathy Nugent. Upcoming meetings: https://workersliberty.org/c19-online Part of the ABCs of Marxism series of meetings. More at: https://www.workersliberty.org/abcs-marxism Related reading: https://www.workersliberty.org/story/2010/06/15/labour-party-perspective https://www.workersliberty.org/story/2017-07-26/organise-labours-newcomers-remake-party https://www.workersliberty.org/story/2020-03-11/left-opposition-starmer Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Aa4IkIrW9I&list=PL6axvxELjd0gjNYHKiuMs7xQ0OdYSTcZg

Why not a united Ireland? Ireland, Brexit, and Partition, 100 years after the declaration of the Irish Republic by Dail Eireann. Part 2 of 5: timeline. This Workers’ Liberty pull-out discusses the interaction of Brexit with the partition of Ireland. It reviews the basic and long-standing arguments why Northern Ireland, as it stands, is not a viable democratic political unit. It surveys the historic inadequacies of the often-heroic Irish Republican tradition in dealing with the issue of Partition, and the political logic of the recurrent transitions of Republican currents, once revolutionary by their own lights, into conventional bourgeois politics. The articles are all by Sean Matgamna. All sections of this pull-out: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/why-not-a-united-ireland Read online, download PDF, subscribe: https://www.workersliberty.org/wl-3-66 All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio

Why not a united Ireland? Ireland, Brexit, and Partition, 100 years after the declaration of the Irish Republic by Dail Eireann. Part 4 of 5: The mind of Irish Republicanism. This Workers’ Liberty pull-out discusses the interaction of Brexit with the partition of Ireland. It reviews the basic and long-standing arguments why Northern Ireland, as it stands, is not a viable democratic political unit. It surveys the historic inadequacies of the often-heroic Irish Republican tradition in dealing with the issue of Partition, and the political logic of the recurrent transitions of Republican currents, once revolutionary by their own lights, into conventional bourgeois politics. The articles are all by Sean Matgamna. All sections of this pull-out: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/why-not-a-united-ireland Read online, download PDF, subscribe: https://www.workersliberty.org/wl-3-66 All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio

Why not a united Ireland? Ireland, Brexit, and Partition, 100 years after the declaration of the Irish Republic by Dail Eireann. Part 3 of 5: What's wrong with the Six Counties? This Workers’ Liberty pull-out discusses the interaction of Brexit with the partition of Ireland. It reviews the basic and long-standing arguments why Northern Ireland, as it stands, is not a viable democratic political unit. It surveys the historic inadequacies of the often-heroic Irish Republican tradition in dealing with the issue of Partition, and the political logic of the recurrent transitions of Republican currents, once revolutionary by their own lights, into conventional bourgeois politics. The articles are all by Sean Matgamna. All sections of this pull-out: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/why-not-a-united-ireland Read online, download PDF, subscribe: https://www.workersliberty.org/wl-3-66 All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio

Why not a united Ireland? Ireland, Brexit, and Partition, 100 years after the declaration of the Irish Republic by Dail Eireann. Part 1 of 5: Why not a united Ireland? This Workers’ Liberty pull-out discusses the interaction of Brexit with the partition of Ireland. It reviews the basic and long-standing arguments why Northern Ireland, as it stands, is not a viable democratic political unit. It surveys the historic inadequacies of the often-heroic Irish Republican tradition in dealing with the issue of Partition, and the political logic of the recurrent transitions of Republican currents, once revolutionary by their own lights, into conventional bourgeois politics. The articles are all by Sean Matgamna. All sections of this pull-out: https://soundcloud.com/workers-liberty/sets/why-not-a-united-ireland Read online, download PDF, subscribe: https://www.workersliberty.org/wl-3-66 All audio: https://workersliberty.org/audio