Imtv Radio - Marxist Ideas. Fighting For Revolution.

In this podcast, Daniel Morley discusses the accusations of 'fatalism' levelled at Marxism by its enemies. Ironically, it is Marx's accusers who would make human beings passive victims of fate. They say that Marxism is a 'teleological' theory, according to which all of human history is preordained. They even accuse Marxism of being a religion, with the role of God replaced by iron laws of history, leaving no role for active, conscious human beings to change history. This is, of course, a caricature. Marxism is the only philosophy that explains the contradiction between free will and determinism. It is only by understanding the objective laws that govern society that we can change it. Get involved with Socialist Appeal today! Join - https://www.socialist.net/join​ Donate - https://www.socialist.net/donate​ Subscribe - https://www.socialist.net/subscribe​ Follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Soundcloud: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SocialistAppeal​ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/Sociali

Postmodernism is a trend in philosophy that has become mainstream, and heavily influences identity politics. But when we ask the question 'what is postmodernism?', we are often told that it is indefinable. Indeed it can be summed up as a philosophy that rejects theory, science and the idea of progress. In this podcast, Hamid Alizadeh of In Defence of Marxism explains why this philosophy is wrong and reactionary; and how the 'old' ideas of Marxism are far more relevant. Get involved with Socialist Appeal today! Join - https://www.socialist.net/join​ Donate - https://www.socialist.net/donate​ Subscribe - https://www.socialist.net/subscribe​ Follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Soundcloud: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/SocialistAppeal​ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/SocialistNe...​ Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/socialist_app​ Podcast - https://www.wavve.link/marxistvoice

How do we acquire knowledge, and how reliable is it? Is there a real world beyond our senses, or is each of us an isolated atom? Can we really understand the workings of society and change it for the better? In his podcast, Alan Woods - editor of In Defence of Marxism - mounts a defence of materialism against the trends of subjective idealism, such as positivism and postmodernism, that deny the possibility of objective and scientific knowledge about the world and society.

In this podcast, Niklas Albin Svensson – editor of marxist.com – sets out a Marxist analysis of the history and nature of fascism: what it is; what it isn’t; and how the labour movement can smash fascist and far-right groups wherever they emerge. The crisis of capitalism has shaken and polarised society all over the world. While thousands of workers and youth are taking to the streets against austerity and oppression, far-right and openly fascist groups of thugs and extremists have also risen in prominence. We saw the danger these groups pose earlier this year, when a 17-year-old white supremacist opened fire on unarmed demonstrators in Kenosha, Illinois. These protestors were out demonstrating against the racist murder of Jacob Blake by police, and demanding an end to all police brutality. At the same time, we are warned that reactionary governments – such as those of Trump, Johnson, or Bolsonaro – constitute a threat of fascism; and that the only way to defeat these regimes is for the left to team up wit

In this podcast, Joe Russell explains the history of the Levellers and the Diggers, and discusses what we can learn from these heroic revolutionary movements to help us in the struggle for socialism today.Over 350 years ago, the masses in England turned the world upside down, carrying out one of the first of the bourgeois revolutions. This shows how English history – contrary to the story we are constantly told – is not one glorious, uninterrupted march of conservative progress and moderation. In this great revolution, two movements – the Levellers and the Diggers – developed that went far beyond the confines of capitalism. With their vision and demands, they laid the foundations for the traditions of communism in England. Join - socialist.net/join Donate - socialist.net/donate Subscribe - socialist.net/subscribe Follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and our podcast, Marxist Voice: Facebook - facebook.com/SocialistAppeal YouTube - youtube.com/c/SocialistNet1917 Twitter - twitter.com/socialist_app Podcas

In this podcast, Ben Curry explains the Marxist understanding of the role played by individuals in history – and the role that we must play today. History is commonly taught as little more than the deeds of great men, who alone possess the ability to make history. Marxism rejects this view, and instead sees the development of society and great events as subject to objective processes, which often act behind the backs of the people taking part in them. But does this mean that the actions, ideas, and characteristics of individuals play no role at all? And what does this mean for revolutionaries living and fighting today? Marxism has sometimes been wrongly accused of fatalism: the belief that everything that happens is predetermined and unavoidable. But this raises an important question of how the powerful objective forces of history interact with the conscious acts of individuals. Get involved with Socialist Appeal! Join - www.socialist.net/join Donate - www.socialist.net/donate Subscribe - www.socialist.n

In this podcast, Olivia Ruadh explains why it is the capitalist system that is to blame for climate change – and why we need to fight for a clear socialist solution. With the huge youth strikes for climate internationally in recent years, the environmental movement became a real mass movement. The slogan of these protests – ‘for system change, not climate change – indicated a clear revolutionary mood amongst activists. Whilst more and more people are drawing direct links between the climate catastrophe and capitalism, many environmentalists still argue that economic growth, industrialisation, ‘consumerism’, high living standards and overpopulation are the primary cause of ecological destruction. All of these ideas, ultimately, reflect a form of neo-Malthusianism: a reactionary perspective that points the finger at ordinary people for the problems facing our planet. Get involved with Socialist Appeal! Join - www.socialist.net/join Donate - www.socialist.net/donate Subscribe - www.socialist.net/subscribe

In this podcast, Shaun Morris of the Revolution editorial board, will examine the lessons and legacy of the Irish independence struggle – an understanding of which is essential for revolutionary Marxists fighting for a socialist united Ireland today. One hundred years ago, Ireland was in the midst of a revolutionary war for independence from Britain. As Britain’s oldest colony, Ireland was the testing ground for the brutal policies that the British ruling class applied across the Empire. The terror the British troops (known as the “black and tans”) unleashed is a notorious and blood-stained page in the history of British imperialism – one that is little discussed today. The War of Independence took place in the immediate aftermath of the Russian Revolution, forming part of a wave of revolutions across Europe. In content, the Irish Revolution was a proletarian revolution, accompanied by strikes, factory and land occupations, and even the formation of soviets. Again, this fact is little mentioned one hundred

In this podcast, Jules Legendre from Révolution - the French section of the International Marxist Tendency - explains what the Paris Commune was, and the lessons that revolutionaries must draw from it today. For two months between March and May 1871 the armed workers of Paris, surrounded by enemies on all sides, took their destiny into their own hands and demonstrated that it is possible for the workers to run society democratically, without capitalists, bankers or even a standing army. In his brilliantly concise and penetrating addresses, written in the heat of the events themselves, Marx succeeds in distilling the experience of the Commune down to its most fundamental elements, drawing out in the process a programme for the revolutionaries of the future. 150 years on, this book remains a priceless resource for the workers of the world. Pre-order Wellred's brand new edition of Marx's 'The Civil War in France' here: https://wellredbooks.net/the-civil-war-in-france.html Get involved with Socialist Appeal!

In this talk from yesterday's meeting on how to end violence against women, we were joined by Natasha Sorrell, an NEU activist and Socialist Appeal supporter, and Karen Campos, an activist in Izquierda Socialista (IMT - Mexico)and the Liga de Mujeres Revolucionarias. Both Natasha and Karen emphasised that it is only by abolishing capitalism that we can begin to build a society free from oppression and violence. "Killed by the system we're told 'protects' us.” These were the striking words on one placard at Saturday's vigil for Sarah Everard in London – a protest against the daily violence, oppression, and unsafe conditions that women face under capitalism. In the case of Sarah Everard – and her harrowing murder, allegedly at the hands of a serving police officer – women everywhere see themselves, and the traumatising experiences they live through day-in, day-out as a result of this oppressive system. Across the world, however, women are rising up against these injustices. From Mexico to Argentina; from Ire

In this podcast, James Kilby analyses the Great Depression, a period of crisis that many have compared to the present situation. In both cases, however, it is clear that these crises are not 'accidental', but a necessary product of capitalism's incurable contradictions. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a deep economic collapse. The world stands on the verge of a new depression. We must therefore look to the past to understand the present – and the future. The Wall Street Crash was the spark for the Great Depression of the 1930s. This period provides a stark demonstration of the failure not only of the capitalist system, but also of the Keynesian New Deal – as admitted by even Keynes himself. Facing mass unemployment and struggling to survive, workers began to fight back. Today, we are entering into a similarly stormy period of crisis, instability and rising class struggle. However, every historical analogy has its definite limits: there is no precedent for the current capitalist crisis. We must learn

In this talk from our international women's day event, Laurie explains where women's oppression comes from and what we can do to end it. Marxists understand that women's oppression has not existed forever. Rather, it arose with the rise of class society, which alongside subordinating the majority of people to the will of a few exploiters, also resulted in the origins of the family and the oppression and exploitation from women. This historical understanding of oppression is crucial - contrary to the beliefs of those who think that the oppression of women is somehow biological or innate. If women's oppression has not existed forever, then it can be overthrown. Today, despite decades of so called 'progress', nothing has really changed for the vast majority of the world's women. In fact, COVID-19 has turned back the clock on many of the gains of the past period. In the first few weeks of lockdown alone, 14 women were murdered in the UK. Just as women's oppression arose with class society, so it will only tr

In this talk from last month's MSF conference, Fiona Lali - lead organiser of the MSF - discusses need for leadership in our present-day struggles, and why we should look to the ideas of Lenin and Trotsky as inspiration. With mass movements taking hold in every corner of the world, it has become clear that the masses possess plenty of energy and initiative. But spontaneous outbursts of anger are only one side of the equation: without a conscious, far-sighted leadership, movements will ebb, enter into decline and be defeated. But how do we build such a leadership? And what should it be based on? The rich history and traditions of Bolshevism offer us a wealth of lessons in how to build a revolutionary leadership, capable of winning over the masses. Join - www.socialist.net/join Donate - www.socialist.net/donate Subscribe - www.socialist.net/subscribe Follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Soundcloud: Facebook - www.facebook.com/SocialistAppeal YouTube - www.youtube.com/c/SocialistNet1917​ Twitter - ww

In this talk, Fiona Lali discusses the importance of remembering the crimes of the ruling class. While almost all African nations have official independence, they have no independence at all from imperialist exploitation. The only way forward is militant struggle against the exploiters of all lands, based on the principles of socialist internationalism. The idea that the British Empire ‘civilised’ the ‘backward’ and ‘barbarian’ people of Africa is the story rolled out by the apologists of imperialism, even to this day. The brutal reality of colonialism is almost always whitewashed over. Instead, at school and in the news, we are told to take pride in the role “we” played when “Britannia ruled the waves”. These ideas serve as a useful foundation for the racist and xenophobic ideas that the capitalists deploy today in order to divide the working class and exploit it all the more surely. The truth is that the wealth of Britain’s capitalist class came from the enslavement of black people and later, the bloodt

In this podcast, we share with you a talk given by Fred Weston - editor of marxist.com - given at the recent Marxist Student Federation Conference, on the perspectives for world revolution in 2021. As the pandemic drags on and the crisis of capitalism deepens, any illusions in the stability of the current system have been crushed. All around the world, the working class are awakening to the reality of the situation. In the USA, we have witnessed the seismic Black Lives Matter movement, which took on insurrectionary characteristics. Elsewhere, in places like Tunisia, Algeria, Russia and Haiti, we have seen similar mass movements taking to the streets, burning with anger at governments who offer no way out of the suffering experienced under capitalism. But where do we go from here? Can we just sit back and let events take care of themselves? Or do we need to actively build a Marxist leadership capable of winning over the masses to a revolutionary programme. Join - https://www.socialist.net/join Donate - ht

In this talk, Alan Woods - editor of marxist.com - discusses the relationship between Marxism and art, noting the nature of art under class society and how we can create a world where everyone can express themselves freely through art. Marxists are sometimes accused of only being interested in pouring over economic data and political analysis; that we have no interest in art and culture. Nothing could be further from the truth. By striving for the end of capitalism, and freeing men and women from exploitation, we seek to give ordinary workers more time to enjoy and participate in culture, and to raise art to new heights. Art under capitalism is chained to the profit motive. Culture is a business. And many of humanity’s finest works of art, music, and literature are locked up in private collections or reserved for the wealthy. Moreover, art has become increasingly shallow and pedestrian, reflecting the crisis of the capitalist system itself. Rather than empowering artists to experiment and develop new idea

At a meeting of leading members of the International Marxist Tendency at the end of January, Alan Woods (editor of marxist.com) provided an overview of the dramatic events unfolding at the start of 2021. The crisis of world capitalism is causing eruptions, dislocation and class polarisation in one country after another. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to inflict misery and hardship on ordinary people, while the wealthy enrich themselves even further. The ruling class is pumping trillions into the system to keep it afloat, but even if there are short-term recoveries, this will ensure an even-deeper collapse down the line. The new year barely began before a far-right mob stormed the US Capitol Building in Washington at the urging of former US president, Donald Trump – turning the centre of Western imperialism into the image of a failed state. These events, coupled with the vastly larger BLM protests last summer, show how deep the polarisation of US society has become. Elsewhere, big protests in India and Ru

In this talk, Ben Gliniecki discusses the history of the capitalist state and the police, and why a workers’ state would offer a clear socialist alternative to the repression and violence seen under capitalism. The ruling class has always tried to give the state and the police an appearance of neutrality and justice – a force for preserving peace and stability. But since 2008, the crisis of capitalism has destroyed the economic and political equilibrium. And the present crisis will make this much worse. In these conditions, the brutality of the state and its repressive apparatus have become more and more obvious. This real, ugly face of the capitalist state has been plainly revealed by the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent mass movement against police violence in the USA and internationally. Rather than acting as a force for peace and stability, the state’s “armed bodies of men” – in the words of Friedrich Engels – are provoking radicalisation and revolution. Join - socialist.net/join Donate - soc

In this talk, Daniel Morley explains why ‘academic Marxism’ is incompatible with the real revolutionary ideas of Marxism. To paraphrase Marx’s famous aphorism: The academics have only interpreted the world in various ways; the point, however, is to change it. Ever since their inception, there has been a war waged against the genuine ideas of Marxism – not only by the ruling classes and by Stalinist regimes, but in the universities also. The aim of this concerted campaign has always been the same: to blunt the revolutionary edge of Marxism. In the interwar years – a period of revolution and counter-revolution – the Frankfurt School and its theorists served to obscure socialist ideas and sow confusion. Subsequently, postmodernist thinkers have played a similarly pernicious role. Deciding that Marx's ideas were outdated and that ‘new ideas’ were necessary, these so-called Marxists opened the backdoor to idealism and all manner of reactionary conclusions. Today, prominent academic ‘Marxists’ such as Slavoj Zizek

In this podcast, Fred Weston – editor of marxist.com – discusses what attitude Marxists should take to the Beijing regime, and outlines the future perspectives for China, its working class, and the coming Chinese revolution. China has risen rapidly to become a major global power. It now represents a serious challenge to US imperialism, which only 20 years ago claimed hegemony over world capitalism. The result has been an ever-deepening trade war between the two countries, which has escalated in recent months with the tussle over Huawei and Tik Tok. Some argue that China’s ascent and development is a vindication of communism, presenting the potential for a new economic model. But, in reality, China’s rise is being accomplished with all the same brutal capitalist methods used by every imperialist power in history: exploitation of the working class at home and abroad; repression against the Uighurs and Hong Kongers; and profit-seeking policies that are exacerbating the contradictions of the capitalist system