Socialism

Judy Beishon from the Socialist Party’s executive committee joins us to discuss the causes of terrorism, how it manifests today and why a socialist programme is the only way to stop it.

Useful further reading:

• Marxism opposes terrorism: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/Trotsky/againstterrorframe.htm

• Following the Christchurch mosque attacks: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28861/20-03-2019/new-zealand-mosque-terror-atrocity

• Following the Westminster attack: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/keyword/Anti-war/Terrorism/25102/27-03-2017/unite-against-terror-racism-and-war

• “The consequences of 9/11”: http://www.socialismtoday.org/151/911.html

• On ‘Prevent’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/keyword/Anti-war/Terrorism/27402/23-05-2018/how-prevent-training-fosters-racist-paranoia

• On the Orlando massacre: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/keyword/Anti-war/Terrorism/23000/15-06-2016/orlando-massacre-working-class-unity-to-defeat-homophobia-terrorism-and-racism

• Anti-terror laws: http://www.socialismtoday.org/90/terror.html

Paula Mitchell from the Socialist Party’s executive committee examines the latest Brexit news and puts forward what Corbyn should be doing and saying to lead a way out of the deadlock in the interests of the working class.

Useful further reading:

• Corbyn and workers' movement must lead fight for general election and socialist alternative to EU bosses' club: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28921/03-04-2019/corbyn-and-workers-movement-must-lead-fight-for-general-election-and-socialist-alternative-to-eu-bosses-club

• The way out of the Brexit impasse: http://socialismtoday.org/227/editorial.html

• The socialist case for exit: available at Left Books http://leftbooks.co.uk/epages/950002679.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/950002679/Products/EB0016

We’re joined by Philip Stott from our Scottish sister party to explain the lessons from the victory of workers in Glasgow City Council following their strike action in October.

Useful further reading:

• Report of the strike: http://socialistpartyscotland.org.uk/2018/10/24/glasgows-equal-pay-uprising-shows-the-power-of-the-working-class/

• On the victory: http://socialistpartyscotland.org.uk/2019/01/18/mass-strike-wins-historic-step-towards-victory-in-glasgow-equal-pay-battle/

• Equal pay strikes and mass teacher’s demo opens up a new phase of working class struggle in Scotland: http://socialistpartyscotland.org.uk/2018/11/05/equal-pay-strikes-and-mass-teachers-demo-opens-up-a-new-phase-of-working-class-struggle-in-scotland/

• ‘The mask slips’ – on the role of the SNP: http://socialistpartyscotland.org.uk/2018/10/05/the-mask-slips-as-snp-led-council-goes-to-war-with-equal-pay-strikers/

• ‘Left v right in the battle for Scottish Labour leader’ http://socialistpartyscotland.org.uk/2017/09/04/left-v-right-battle-scottish-labour-leader/

Socialist Students national organiser Theo Sharieff joins us to discuss ideas on the way forward for the climate strikes movement, including the possibility of establishing school students unions.

Useful further reading:

• Reports from 15 March: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28872/20-03-2019/massive-protests-over-catastrophic-climate-change

• Report from the recent student strike in Spain Theo mentioned: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28850/13-03-2019/spanish-state-historic-8-march-action

• Socialist Students leaflet from 15 March: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/e59952_4074d33792e246e79704324ebeecb433.pdf

• On previous student strikes in Britain: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/7360/27-05-2009/school-students-organised-strikes

Interview with Sue Atkins, Socialist Party member who is standing in the Coxford ward byelection in Southampton on 14 March.

Rob Williams, the Socialist Party’s industrial organiser, discusses the threat to the Honda car plant in Swindon and the Socialist Party’s demand for nationalisation.

Useful further reading:

• ‘Honda closure threatened – Corbyn must pledge nationalisation to save jobs’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28752/27-02-2019/honda-closure-threatened

• ‘From anger to action to sae Honda plant’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28753/27-02-2019/from-anger-to-action-to-save-honda-plant

• ‘The case for socialist nationalisation’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/27722/25-07-2018/the-case-for-socialist-nationalisation

• ‘Socialist nationalisation – what it is and why we need it’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/27420/30-05-2018/socialist-nationalisation-what-it-is-and-why-we-need-it

We talk to Hannah Sell, Socialist Party deputy general secretary, about the latest developments in the Labour Party, including the Independent Group split and the suspension of Chris Williamson.

Useful further reading:

• ‘No retreats – Corbyn must stand firm against the Blairites’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28792/06-03-2019/no-retreats-corbyn-must-stand-firm-against-the-blairites

• ‘Britain’s historic political crisis’: http://socialismtoday.org/226/britain.html

• ‘Eight Blairites split – now kick out the rest’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28709/20-02-2019/eight-blairites-split-now-kick-out-the-rest

• ‘Corbyn must launch struggle to kick out Blairites and fight for socialist policies’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28669/13-02-2019/corbyn-must-launch-struggle-to-kick-out-blairites-and-fight-for-socialist-policies

Chris Baugh, Socialist Party member and assistant general secretary of the PCS civil servants’ union (personal capacity), speaks to us about what type of change is necessary to truly combat climate change.

Useful further reading:

• "There's no planet B": Thousands of youth strike against climate change - we need socialist change! - https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28716/20-02-2019/theres-no-planet-b-thousands-of-youth-strike-against-climate-change-we-need-socialist-change

• Climate strike reports: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28699/15-02-2019/youth-strike-for-the-climate-reports-theres-no-planet-b

• 'We need system change to halt climate change': https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/keyword/Environment/Climate_change/28347/28-11-2018/we-need-system-change-to-halt-climate-change

• 'Planning for the planet: how socialism could save the environment' by Pete Dickenson available at leftbooks.co.uk

• ‘Working for a just transition’ from Labour Research: https://www.lrdpublications.org.uk/publications.php?pub=LR&iss=1960&id=idp512392

• One Million Climate Jobs: https://www.campaigncc.org/climatejobs

Socialist Students national organiser Theo Sharieff and London Socialist Party youth and student organiser Helen Pattison join us to discuss the recent student climate strikes.

Useful further reading:

• Reports from 15 February: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28699/15-02-2019/youth-strike-for-the-climate-theres-no-planet-b

• Socialist Students response to 15 February: https://www.socialiststudents.org.uk/single-post/2019/02/16/Build-a-mass-movement-against-climate-change-%E2%80%93-no-reprisals-for-protesting-students-%E2%80%93-fight-for-socialist-change

• ‘We need system change to halt climate change’: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/keyword/Environment/Climate_change/28347/28-11-2018/we-need-system-change-to-halt-climate-change

• ‘Planning for the planet: how socialism could save the environment’ by Pete Dickenson available at leftbooks.co.uk

Ben Robinson from Socialist Books discusses the latest publication of this Frederick Engels’ classic and why it’s so relevant today.

Useful further reading:

• ‘Socialism: Utopian and Scientific’ by Frederick Engels, available at socialistbooks.co.uk – where you can also find the discussion questions Ben mentions

• ‘The renewed relevance of Socialism: Utopian and Scientific’ by Tony Saunois: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/28107/17-10-2018/the-renewed-relevance-of-engels-classic-socialism-utopian-and-scientific

• ‘The Masses Arise’ by Peter Taaffe on the French revolution, available at leftbooks.co.uk

• ‘Value Price and Profit’ by Marx, available at leftbooks.co.uk

• ‘An introduction to the Logic Of Marxism’ by George Novack, available at leftbooks.co.uk

• Last week’s episode on Venezuela, as mentioned: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnoMCW-aJpI