International Viewpoint, the monthly English-language magazine of the Fourth International, is a window to radical alternatives world-wide, carrying reports, analysis and debates from all corners of the globe. Correspondents in over 50 countries report on popular struggles, and the debates that are shaping the left of tomorrow.
Gauche anticapitaliste (“Anticapitalist Left” – Belgian section of the Fourth International) is presenting a list for the European elections, for an anticapitalist alternative worthy of the name. At federal and regional level, we call for a vote for the PTB (Parti du Travail de Belgique), in particular for candidates representing social struggles. Beyond our disagreements, the essential thing is indeed that here and now, only the PTB is in a position to inflict the most monumental slap in the face possible to the right and the far right, while sanctioning this so-called left (the Socialist Party (PS) and Ecolo (Greens) which rolls out the red carpet for them.
read article...“Unsurprisingly, the proposals of the inter-Malian dialogue go in the direction of the junta, except that demands for peace are emerging, reflecting the will of the people to put an end to the war.”
read article...“Let’s hope that this victory strengthens the anti-racist battle!”
read article...“But in Iran, no one forgets that these same regional and European leaders are never in a hurry when it comes to saving the thousands of Iranians who have fallen victim to natural disasters or to the regime itself.”
read article...The Citizens’ Victory Movement and the Puerto Rican Independence Party are forming a coalition called La Alianza. Their goal: a radical shift in Puerto Rican politics.
read article...The creation of Podemos in the Spanish state was an important attempt to build an anti-neoliberal and pluralist mass party to the left of social-liberalism. That experience, which started very well, has finally ended very badly. Perhaps, for this reason, the title of this article could have been “Radiance and decline of Podemos ... as an emancipatory political project.”
No matter how much time passes, or how often history is declared to have ended, the debate over socialist strategy and organization always returns. This foundational question appeared in embryo at the very start of the workers movement in the nineteenth century and was raised explicitly by Lenin when he described his perspective as “tactics as plan” and when revolutionaries split with social-democracy during World War I.
For the second time since the turn of the century, governments in North America and Europe are intervening massively with public funds and in conjunction with central banks to bail out entire sectors of the economy and prevent a general economic collapse. The ongoing rescue operations necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic has already reached a much higher scale than the one deployed against the 2007–08 financial crisis. These operations clash with the basic tenets of neoliberalism in that they constitute a massive regulatory intervention by the state in reining back the market, whereas deregulation and market “survival of the fittest” are central to neoliberal ideology.
The semiannual French review Les Possibles, a publication of Attac France, in its most recent issue (No 23) features a number of articles on planning for the ecological and social transition. Most are addressed to the issue of socialist planning vs. capitalist markets that was prominent in the debates of 20th century socialism. The contribution by Michael Löwy puts this debate in the ecosocialist framework that has emerged in this century. My translation of it is published below.
– Richard Fidler
“In the Dáil this morning, Minister Fleming disgraced himself by again using the ‘Putin’s puppets’ smear. The Minister knows full well that we are relentless critics of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and his authoritarian right wing politics.”
- read article...“The NPA-l’Anticapitaliste supports the demands put forward by the FLNKS, the CCAT and the mobilized Kanak population: withdrawal of the Darmanin law, withdrawal of the forces of repression, respect for the right to self-determination of the Kanak people, opening of discussions for a decolonization process. In Kanaky as in all colonized territories: no justice, no peace!”
- read article...“In this calamitous situation, we are unable to maintain the Antifascist International Conference on the proposed date.”
- read article...“Therefore, today we stand united, pledging to continue the fight for the rights and welfare of the working class, and in saving our planet and humanity from the destructive capitalist system. Labor Day will always be a day of protest for all of us. So, with the days beyond.”
- read article...“This is the culmination of a campaign by the German government that has been going on for months to prevent any solidarity with the people of Palestine and criticism of the German government’s military and political support for Israel.”
- read article...International Viewpoint is published under the responsibility of the Bureau of the Fourth International. Signed articles do not necessarily reflect editorial policy. Articles can be reprinted with acknowledgement, and a live link if possible.
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