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It is five and a half years since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) signalled the start of a new phase in the struggle for Irish liberation. 30 years of popular struggle and armed conflict had brought the British to realise that, although they were not beaten outright, neither was there any chance … [Read more…]

21st January 2004 marks the 80th anniversary of the death of V.I.Lenin who defended the revolutionary heritage of Marxism and creatively developed it, bringing it to a higher stage – Leninism. His teachings on scores of topics, particularly on imperialism, state and revolution, party organisation, war and peace, the fight against social democracy and opportunism, … [Read more…]

Born in Droylsden, Lancashire in 1890 Pollitt was a political activist from an early age. He served an apprenticeship in boilermaking and was a lifelong member of the Boilermaker’s Union. Pollitt was 27 years old at the time of the historic October Revolution and later remembered thinking – “The workers have done it at last. … [Read more…]

This article, to be presented in 3 instalments because of its length, is a slightly extended version of that which appeared in The Marxist, Volume XIX, No 2 April-June 2003. The question of communalism and religious bigotry is extremely important, for it divides and weakens the working-class movement, therefore a Marxist analysis of the problem … [Read more…]

Indian Workers Association (GB) comrades have been active in raising monies in support of a memorial to one of the great martyrs of the Indian Revolution – Shaheed Sukhdev. Comrade Surinder Cheema has recently received a letter from Dr Hardeep Singh, Convenor of the Shaheed Sukhdev Yadgar Committee, Ludhiana, Punjab, acknowledging this work. Letter of … [Read more…]

Ian Johnson On Tuesday 30th September 2003 The Hague Tribunal heard a submission from the Prosecution that if accepted would mean the imposition of Defence Counsel on President Milosevic against his will, and would enable the trial to proceed without the presence of the accused. This basic denial of the right of the accused to … [Read more…]

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe announced on 7 December that Zimbabwe was officially quitting the Commonwealth in response to that body’s decision (predictably spearheaded by the ‘white’ members – UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) to maintain Zimbabwe’s suspension, originally put in place after allegations of fraud and intimidation during the 2002 presidential election. He stated: … [Read more…]

Bolivia has been described as a beggar sitting on a mountain of gold. It is a description that applies to any number of the world’s super-exploited and oppressed countries. Imperialism helps itself to the gold only with the beggar’s permission, obtained through depositing pennies in the begging bowl or, if necessary, by force. The people … [Read more…]

On 18 September the residents of the Brent East constituency in North London participated in the unthinkable – their actions not only lost Labour its 13,000 majority and with one of its safest parliamentary seats (only 57 seats were safer), but also recorded a blistering criticism of the present Labour Government. Labour had not lost … [Read more…]

On 15 October, amid outpouring of legitimate national pride, China became only the third country to launch a man into space and return him safely to Earth. Shenzhuo V (Divine Vessel V) took off from the Jiuquan satellite launch-pad in the Gobi desert, spent 21 hours in space, orbited the Earth 14 times and left … [Read more…]