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Obituary: István Mészáros, hungarian Marxist political philosopher who taught at St Andrews
István Mészáros, Marxist political philosopher. Born: Budapest on 19 December 1930. Died: Kent on 1 October 2017.
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The FCC’s plan to end Net Neutrality: What you need to know
The details of FCC Chairman Ajit Pai’s plan to destroy Net Neutrality are out. And they’re even worse than expected. Our lawyers and policy experts are reviewing the reports and gathering details about Pai’s plan. This is our first read on the most important details you need to know about this proposal. We will update this post as new details emerge.
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Venezuelan company lets 55 tons of flour rot
The company received more than US$85 million in government subsidies in 2015 for the production and distribution of food at fair prices.
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Not with a bang but with a (prolonged) Whimper
It is probably obvious to everyone that global capitalism is in dire straits, notwithstanding the brave talking up of output recovery that now characterises almost every meeting of the international governing elite. Even so, discussions of the end of capitalism still typically seem overstated and futile, not least because those hoping and mobilising for bringing in an alternative system are everywhere so scattered, weak and demoralised
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Engels’ “theoretical moment”?
In Marx and Engels’ Collected Works volume 47, I found a very interesting letter written by Engels to August Bebel. It was written about a month and half after Marx’s death, April 30 1883. Bebel seems to have suggested Engels to move somewhere else in Europe. Engels’ justifications to continue staying in England is quite remarkable.
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NUMSA condemns the military coup in Zimbabwe
Pressed by the military forces, the president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, has finally resigned from his seat after 37 years in power. Although his resignation was celebrated by many, the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa warns that nothing good ever came from a military coup in Africa.
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Tackling Britain’s private debt crisis
As of July 2017, the Bank of England measured the stock of private debt held by individuals at £1.548 trillion; making household sector indebtedness one of the biggest problems facing the United Kingdom’s economy and society. There is growing public policy concern over the historically unprecedented level of household debt but little by way of proposed solutions to deal with it.
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Against legal fetishism (part two)
Couching Trump as a “lawless” autocrat-in-the-making has become a matter of routine, something of a mantra repeated by “liberals” and “conservatives” alike. The trouble with this characterization is not that it is inaccurate, but rather that it is incomplete.
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Against legal fetishism (part one)
Law here, law there, law everywhere. The first nine months of the Trump administration have thrust questions about the force of law, legal strategy and tactics, and the role of judges in the United States’ much-vaunted system of constitutional checks and balances to the fore of public attention.
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Where has all the surplus gone?
Thanks to the release of the so-called Paradise Papers, and the additional research conducted by Gabriel Zucman, Thomas Tørsløv, and Ludvig Wier, we know that a large share of the surplus captured by corporations is artificially shifted to tax havens all over the world.
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Political economy of labour repression in the United States
Why is the book called “Political Economy of Labor Repression in the United States”, and not the “History of Labor Repression in the United States”? Considering it is a rather comprehensive survey of labour history in the US, how do you explain your choice of the title?
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Just say no to NAFTA
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is unpopular with many working people in the United States, who correctly blame it for encouraging capital flight, job losses, deindustrialization, and wage suppression.
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More than 15,000 scientists from 184 countries issue ‘warning to humanity’
“Our mandate is that we take care of Earth and earthlings and human beings because we’re all family.”
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Step by step: How to fabricate news about the ‘default’ in Venezuela
Let us not forget that Standard & Poor, Moody and Fitch rating services are financed by the banks and therefore have no real independence.
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What the Russian Revolution proved possible
Nov. 7, 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the seizure of power by workers and peasants in the Russian Revolution, regarded as the most world-altering event in the history of civilization.
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How capitalism uses gender oppression to rule
Following is the text of a talk delivered by the author on Nov. 4 at the “The Solution is Socialism” educational conference in Connecticut. The conference was hosted by the Youth for Socialist Action chapter at Central Connecticut State University, where the sessions were held.
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The real fake news
Edward S. Herman has sadly passed away. He was one of the great critical voices speaking out while the media grew steadily into the conglomerated machine it is today. It is testament to his work that his ideas transcend generations.
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150 Years of Capital—with No End in Sight
For Capital’s explosive force to truly unfold, not only was education in general necessary, but also knowledge of the relevant economic and philosophical theories, in order to perceive not just the explicit, but also the implicit critiques.
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The meritocratic myopia of Ta-Nehisi Coates
A question that might sound ludicrous to some: what do Trump and liberals have in common? Answer: a penchant for discussing anything other than class and capitalism—seriously.
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Venezuela hosts Global Solidarity Summit
Human rights activists, grassroots organizers, and progressive political party representatives from around the world have gathered in Caracas to denounce U.S. economic and military aggression against Venezuela.