In this first episode of a new series, we break down Arghiri Emmanuel's "Unequal Exchange" chapter by chapter, beginning first with the Introduction. We discuss how Emmanuel critiques David Ricardo's comparative advantage theory and the Heckscher-Ohlin Theorem, and extends Marx's analysis of value to an international level.

In the 1960s, the independence of the Congo seemed to herald the delinking of one of Africa's most powerful economies and nations from Western imperialism. Patrice Lumumba presented a vision of a unified, Pan-African Congo whose resources "would actually benefit its children". This posed an immense challenge to the rule of Belgian high finance, the major mining companies in the Katanga province led by Union Minière du Haut-Katanga, and not least the white settlers who by 1960 numbered 110,000 throughout the Congo, yet accrued half of the value of the entire country. And of course, the rising imperial hegemon of the time, America, refused to allow a socialist Congo allied with the Soviet Union. All these forces unified to remove Lumumba and crush his Pan-African vision. In the ensuing conflict, imperialism would win out even against the settlers. Yet the resistance of the Congo continued, with Lumumbist figures like Antoine Gizenga rising and struggling to create socialism in the Congo. In this first episode of an ongoing series aimed to reveal the ways the Congo has been exploited by unequal exchange, we begin with reference to Arghiri Emmanuel, who began his theorization of unequal exchange by seeing its brutal effects firsthand while advising and allying with Lumumba. Thus, we tease out the roots of Unequal Exchange analysis as a method of solidarity with Third World liberation, originating undeniably in the Congo.

A bibliography for this episode:

Emmanuel on Settler Colonialism: https://newleftreview.org/issues/i73/articles/arghiri-emmanuel-white-settler-colonialism-and-the-myth-of-investment-imperialism.pdf

The Bias of the World: https://www.kallebrolin.com/Local%20Images%20Folder/portfoliostills/0TheBiasoftheWorld.pdf

A People's History from Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja: https://www.bloomsburycollections.com/monograph?docid=b-9781350223004To support our work, consider becoming a Patron: patreon.com/ArghiriEmmanuelAssociation

We read a selection from Torkil Lauesen's "The Global Perspective", Appendix 1: "Introduction to the Marxist Theory of Value", where Lauesen connects Arghiri Emmanuel's Unequal Exchange analysis of International Value to critical Marxist concepts.

We interview Thumeka Magwangqana and Gabisile Khanyile of the Sinethemba Marikana Women's Collective on the legacy of the Marikana Massacre in South Africa, the connections between patriarchy and imperialism, and more.

Support Request:

Sinethemba means ‘We have hope’ in isiXhosa. Sinethemba is a self-organised grass roots group that has set up a sewing and handicraft cooperative, making products to provide some income for Marikana women, but Covid has hit them hard. “We are worried as our government is not helping with social relief funds. Food is scarce in our houses, sometimes we go to sleep with our children without anything to eat. We are asking for funds for a stipend for these women even if it’s for 6 months. We are hoping that we can do our job until we sell our stock. We also want to buy some material so that we can keep on working. We are women that always fight Gender Based Violence and have been making some workshops to equip our communities with knowledge. We need a computer so that we can be able to talk to you anytime and so that you can be able to see us when you want...We want this Unity to be stable until death do us part, because we have a history and a memory of our Mine Workers that were killed by Police and our own Government. Please help us, our hopes are with you...We hope to meet one day and tell you our Stories. Hoping that our plea will be taken into consideration. "

The Arghiri Emmanuel Association was founded to preserve the legacy of Arghiri Emmanuel, a Greek political economist and author of "Unequal Exchange", "Profit and Crises", "Appropriate or Underdeveloped Technology?" and many other classic texts related to the economic and political liberation of the Third World. We are seeking to archive this material and preserve it in an accessible fashion for other anti-imperialists.

Though Thomas Sankara was removed and assassinated in a comprador counter-revolution backed by the West 36 years ago, his legacy is still a source of revolutionary inspiration for the Burkinabé people and their ongoing revolutionary struggle against imperialism. Today, after a period of great unrest, a military government led by Captain Ibrahim Traoré has signaled some shifts towards justice for Sankara and the continuation of his legacy - but work remains for the Burkinabé revolution. 

That work is being greatly assisted by the efforts of the Thomas Sankara Center for Liberation and African Unity, an initiative designed to support the Sankarist project and its continuation through pedagogy for the youth and the continued distribution of revolutionary literature. We were glad to discuss this with Inem, one of the co-founders of this incredible project. 

Find all the links to support the Thomas Sankara Center here:

https://lnk.bio/BurkinaBooks

Song credit: "Sankara" by Cheikh Lô

A new conflict in Sudan has erupted between two capitalist factions led by warlord/gold profiteer Hemedti and ruling clique leader al-Burhan. The Sudanese Communist Party is resisting both capitalist sides and fighting for the safety of the masses, and for the continuation of the 2019 revolution.

We read aloud Samir Amin's "Letter of intent for an inaugural meeting of the International of Workers and Peoples", where he issued a call for a 5th International to combat imperialism.

Originally published by Pambazuka News

Why is the U.S. backing a coup against Peruvian president Pedro Castillo? Why is the unelected golpista Dina Boluarte keeping power and using force against protestors? What's at stake with Perú's contracts with foreign businesses up for renewal?

To answer these questions, we talked with Didier Ortiz (@DiddyOrtiz), a comrade from Troika Kollectiv (@troikakollectiv) and Perú Libre, Castillo's party.

Check out PUMAS Collective here:

https://www.instagram.com/pumascollective/

We read Lenin's text "The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism", published in 1913 in Prosveshcheniye No. 3, dedicated to the Thirtieth Anniversary of Marx’s death.

Source: https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1913/mar/x01.htm