International Viewpoint - online socialist magazine

A left government to conquer the debt

Francisco Louçã — 2013-05-16T16:59:45Z

1. The Portuguese problem is democratic. This problem is the democratic answer to the blackmail of debt and the austerity that results from it, with social effects that destroy Portugal. This is the problem of problems.

- IV460 - May 2013 / Portugal, Anti-capitalist left, Debt

“It is necessary to propose a radical, anti-systemic, anti-capitalist alternative: ecosocialism”

Bernard Rioux , Michael Löwy — 2013-05-12T12:35:57Z

Greetings from Michaël Lowy to the Founding Assembly of the Ecosocialist Network in Quebec, followed by an interview datelined 12 March 2013.

- IV460 - May 2013 / Québec, Ecosocialism

A Marxist Critique of Post-Marxism

James Petras — 2013-05-09T11:25:03Z

“Post-Marxism” has become a fashionable intellectual posture, with the triumph of neo-liberalism and the retreat of the working class. The space vacated by the reformist left [in Latin America] has in part been occupied by capitalist politicians and ideologues, technocrats and the traditional and fundamentalist churches (Pentecostals and the Vatican). In the past, this space was occupied by socialist, nationalist and populist politicians and church activists associated with the “theology of liberation”. The centre-left was very influential within the political regimes (at the top) or the less politicised popular classes (at the bottom). The vacant space of the radical left refers to the political intellectuals and politicised sectors of the trade unions and urban and rural social movements. It is among these groups that the conflict between Marxism and “post-Marxism” is most intense today.

- 4. Features / Marxism, Features

Barbacha boils over

Alain Krivine — 2013-05-09T10:45:15Z

The commune of Barbacha (with around 30,000 inhabitants) near Béjaïa was the only one in Algeria led by a mayor from the Parti socialiste des travailleurs (PST – Socialist Workers' Party), our comrade Sadeq Akrour. During the municipal elections of November 2012, the Wali (prefect) of Béjaïa tried to prevent the presentation of a PST list but finally had to give way. This list came first with more than 30% of the votes but control of the town hall was lost to an unprincipled alliance of municipal councillors from three other lists.

- IV460 - May 2013 / Algeria

China's Rise: Strength and Fragility by Au Loong Yu (with contributions from Bai Ruixue, Bruno Jetin & Pierre Russet)

Garth Frankland — 2013-05-06T13:28:53Z

No one who reflects seriously on the changing economic and political world developments can over-estimate the importance of China. It seems to have suddenly emerged as the second biggest economy in the world. Many project it to overtake the US economy by 2020 or 2030 depending on how one values the Chinese GDP. China has become one of the most important factors in geopolitics. It affects everyone on the globe.

- 7. Books section / Economy, China, Book reviews

New opportunities for left realignment

Alan Thornett — 2013-05-04T15:35:47Z

The impact of austerity has thrown politics in Britain into turmoil. Both parties of the ruling coalition government (the Tories and the Liberal Democrats) lost heavily in local elections in England last week to UKIP (the United Kingdom Independence Party) – a right wing, populist, anti-immigration party which is pulling all the main parties to the right. Labour's performance was better but poor; since its answer to austerity is its own brand of austerity and it has pandered to anti-immigrant sentiment.

- IV460 - May 2013 / Britain, New parties of the left

A Reflection on US Ecosocialist Conference by an Organizer

Andy Wojozen — 2013-05-04T15:19:09Z

On Saturday, April 20, at Barnard College in New York City, a coalition of Ecosocialists hosted a conference whose purpose was to call together [groups and individuals fighting ecological destruction from an anti-capitalist perspective]. The coalition evolved from a group of organizations originally calling itself the Ecosocialist Contingent, who held a public forum and rallied against the Keystone Pipeline in Washington on February 17.

- IV460 - May 2013 / USA, Ecology and the Environment, Ecosocialism

PDF IV 459 April 2013

robmarsden — 2013-04-30T19:32:00Z

The PDF magazine of IV459 April 2013 can be downloaded here The PDF magazine of IV459 April 2013 can be downloaded here - IV459 - April 2013

Sectarianism and the Assad regime in Syria

2013-04-29T14:07:31Z

This article was first published on the English-Arabic blog ”Syria Freedom Forever” on 4 April 2013.

- 4. Features / Syria, Arab Revolutions

The Manifesto of the Mediterranean Meeting in Tunisia

2013-04-29T09:53:20Z

This manifesto was adopted by the meeting of progressive organisations from the Mediterranean, held just before the World Socialis Forum in Tunisia.

- IV459 - April 2013 / Mediterranean, Global Justice