Categories
Spectre of Communism

Palestine: a communist perspective

Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza is undoubtedly the defining political event of 2023. The entire political establishment has lined up behind Israel, justifying a brutal military campaign of collective punishment against the Palestinians (which has killed around 20,000 civilians so far) as “self defence.” While liberals, reformists and even some self-proclaimed “communists” parrot the rhetoric of the bourgeoisie, or descend into utopian moralising, genuine communists must boldly proclaim a revolutionary solution for the liberation of Palestine.

The IDF onslaught against Gaza has awakened an immense wave of anger among the masses around the world, with millions hitting the streets in protest. Comrades of the IMT have faced McCarthyite attacks from the establishment for our solidarity action for Palestine, yet we will not back down. It is the duty of communists to stand on the side of the oppressed: supporting the struggle for a Palestinian homeland, against Western imperialism-supported Israeli aggression. 

But what does a genuine communist approach to Palestinian liberation look like? Where next for the solidarity movement?

For the final episode of 2023, the Spectre of Communism Podcast welcomes two speakers on this important topic: Khaled Malachi, a leading member of Socialist Appeal, the British section of the International Marxist Tendency (who has personal experience of state repression towards the Palestine solidarity movement); and Hamid Alizadeh, editor for marxist.com.

The podcast will be taking a short break over the New Year, but will return in January 2024 with a wealth of new and exciting content.

More articles on the current and historical situation in Israel and Palestine, as well as our comrades’ activities in the solidarity movement, are available here.

Pre-order In Defence of Lenin, a new biography by Rob Sewell and Alan Woods, today! 

Categories
Spectre of Communism

The Origins of Christianity

It’s the festive season, and the Spectre of Communism podcast is welcoming Alan Woods (marxist.com editor-in-chief) onto a special live episode to discuss the origins of Christianity from a Marxist perspective. This is a fascinating story of revolution and counter-revolution in the ancient world.

Despite the reactionary nature of Christianity today, the first Christians were revolutionary fighters against the brutality of the Roman Empire. Crushed by the oppressive fist of the Roman military, the early Christians sought messianic leadership to bring them liberation on earth, not just in Heaven. This had a profound impact on the class struggle in the Roman Empire at the time, which contains many lessons for communists today. Also instructive is the way Christianity was eventually co-opted by precisely the ruling class the early Christians railed against.

Categories
Spectre of Communism

Napoleon: Marxism vs movie myths

Ridley Scott’s recent biopic Napoleon has evoked much criticism for its shallow narrative and plethora of historical inaccuracies. But who was the real Napoleon Bonaparte? How did a young Corsican from a relatively modest background become the strongman behind an empire that would dominate Europe?

This week’s episode of the Spectre of Communism Podcast welcomes Keelan Kellegher, a leading member of Socialist Appeal, to fill in the many gaps in Scott’s portrayal of Napoleon. We discuss the revolutionary and counter-revolutionary movements that swept France in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Napoleon’s role in them.

For further reading on the historical figure of Napoleon Bonaparte from a Marxist perspective, we recommend this article by Alan Woods.

We also recommend this report on the recent Revolution Festival, which featured a talk by Keelan on the French Revolution.

Here is Keelan’s review of the film.