December 2008Frontlines | Letter from... | Features |
Columns | A-Z of Socialism | Reviews | Letters FrontlinesJob cuts on the riseby Patrick Ward
Unemployment has risen to its highest level since 1997, and is set to continue increasing dramatically in the near future as the recession starts to bite. Glenrothes: Where did it all go right?by Patrick Ward
Voters in Glenrothes backed Labour in a surprise by-election win last month. The victory in itself was not the only boost for the beleaguered Gordon Brown. Trade unions - the need for unity and fightbackby Charlie Kimber
The scale of the crisis, and the avalanche of job losses, underlines the need for the working class to fight. This is why it was so disappointing to see two unions that have led the resistance, the teachers' NUT and the civil service's PCS, turn away from strikes earlier this month. The BBC and public service broadcastingby Des Freedman
By the time you read this, "Sachsgate" - the events that culminated in the suspension of two of the BBC's highest-profile presenters and the resignation of a senior radio executive - will have, in all likelihood, disappeared from the front pages of those newspapers that used it to paint a picture of moral decay with the BBC at its epicentre. Hedging their betsby Patrick Ward
They leech off the system, destroy public services, and bring unemployment and now they're threatening to come to Britain. But this is one group of migrants to whom the gutter press won't be devoting the front pages - hedge fund managers. Number crunchingby Patrick Ward
The impact of the economic crisis over the past year has led to a significant change in our phone habits according to recent figures from directory enquiry service 118118. Egypt's tax collectors and the fight for independent trade unionsby Hossam el-Hamalawy
Historically regarded as one of the state's tools of repression, Egypt's property tax collectors are today spearheading the fight for independent trade unions. Letter from...Letter From Iraqby Ahmed Ali
Ahmed Ali reports from Baquba on the treatment of Iraqi people at the hands of the US military. Feature ArticlesAfter Barack Obama's historic victory, what's next?by Jonathan Neale
What will Barack Obama's presidency bring? That depends on the balance of forces argues Jonathan Neale. Barack Obama as president symbolises change by David Hilliard
Barack Obama as president symbolises change and finally something I'd consider a revolutionary transformation. After the electionby Gary Younge
I was with an African American guy on the morning of the election; a thoughtful working class guy who must have been in his 50s. When I asked him what it felt like to come out from voting he started crying. Even he didn't know where it came from. Barack Obama and the working classby Joe Bageant
I always say that if Obama was delivered to the White House with Jesus Christ, a five-piece band and six gilded seraphims holding up his fucking balls he still won't be able to do anything because the country's broke and Congress is bought and sold. Getting out the vote for Barack Obamaby Verity Burgmann
I am normally a Politics professor, but in late October I entered a parallel universe doing "participant-observer research" as a Democratic Party activist in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The four legged stool that won the US presidential electionby Manning Marable
What are Barack Obama's political roots? Manning Marable considers his historic election and argues that he is part of a new generation of post-racial black politicians. Hope and despair - the experience of the 1930s and the crisis todayby Noam Chomsky
As he reaches his 80th birthday this month, Noam Chomsky looks at Barack Obama's victory, today's economic crisis and his memories of a childhood shaped by the 1930s Depression. Studs Terkel - Talking Americaby Mike Gonzalez
Studs Terkel was that rare thing - a sensitive, thoughtful and attentive listener. InterviewReality Bitesby Jim Wolfreys
Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne talk to Jim Wolfreys about the solidarity that transcends the tragedies of existence facing their characters and their latest film, The Silence of Lorna. ColumnsIn my view Iraq and Afghanistan - out of the frying pan...by Lindsey German
One of the most popular placards on any Stop the War demonstration in the past few years has been Socialist Worker's image of George W Bush with the slogan "World's #1 Terrorist". It's not just the change of name that makes that redundant after 20 January. Union-made Boeing beaten backby Larry Brown
We have just concluded a 57 day strike. People have really sacrificed over that period. But it felt good to conclude it with a significant win and even over job security - where the company seemed intractable - we made gains. In perspective The politics of economicsby Chris Harman
The efforts of governments and central bankers to prop up the financial system and make workers pay for the crisis can be derailed by rising anger. LettersPaying for the privilegeby Alasdair Smith
Shaun Doherty outlined the developments in the government's academies privatisation plans (Frontlines, Socialist Review, November 2008). More has since come to light. Naked greedby Simon Guy
If you thought short selling was crazy enough now check out "naked short selling". (The value of money, Socialist Review, November 2008). Short selling was blamed for the crisis for a while. The practice was to borrow shares, sell them, and then buy them back as they got cheaper. Bringing home Baconby Colin Wilson
Tom Davies is entitled to have a low opinion of Francis Bacon (Feedback, Socialist Review, November 2008). But his reasons worry me. Warhol is no hucksterby Max Clark
Mike Gonzalez paints Andy Warhol as a passive huckster of art (Culture, Socialist Review, October 2008). I think this is wrong. Make them payby Rachel Eborall
Over the past month we have seen the effect the economic crisis on the lives of working class people with rising job losses and home repossessions (How will the crisis affect people's lives?, Socialist Review, November 2008). A to Z of SocialismR is for Revolutionby Donny Gluckstein
"Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, but to be young was very heaven!" English poet William Wordsworth's reaction to the fall of the Bastille in 1789 conveys the exhilaration of those precious moments when the masses overthrow an old society and build a fresh one. ReviewsBooks The Challenge and Burden of Historical Timeby Paul Blackledge
István Mészáros, Monthly Review Press, £16.95 Toussaint L'Ouverture: The Haitian Revolutionby Clare Fermont
Toussaint L'Ouverture, Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Verso, £7.99 The Armiesby Nicola Field
Evelio Rosero, Maclehose Press, £14.99 Priestley's Warsby Alan Gibson
Neil Hanson, Great Northern Books, £18.99 Hidden Chainsby Keith Flett
John Charlton, Tyne Bridge Publishing, £10 Black Orchidsby Beth Stone
Gillian Slovo, Virago, £17.99 A Country of Wordsby Miriam Scharf
Abdel Bari Atwan, Saqi, £20 Patrice Lumumbaby Simon Hester
Leo Zeilig, Haus, £9.99 Crossing the 'river of fire'by Sarah Murdock
Hassan Mahamdallie, Redwords, £7.99 Shoot an Iraqiby Bea Leal
Wafaa Bilal and Kari Lydersen, City Lights Books, £14.99 Deer Hunting with Jesusby Alan Watts
Joe Bageant, Portobello, £8.99 New in paperbackDesiring Arabs - Blind Willie McTell - Fire in the Blood - Born Free Privacy: A Manifestoby Richard Seymour
Wolfgang Sofsky, Princeton University Press, £11.95 Film Gonzoby Louis Bayman
Director: Alex Gibney; Release date: 19 December Trouble the Waterby Judith Orr
Directors: Tia Lessin and Carl Deal; Release date: 5 December Summerby Anna Gluckstein
Director: Kenneth Glenaan; Release date: 5 December Blacklisting the rainbow manby John Newsinger
The Xmas holidays will bring The Wizard of Oz onto TV once again. John Newsinger looks at the life of socialist Yip Harburg who wrote the song "Over the Rainbow". Exhibition New Lanarkby Mark O'Brien
South Lanarkshire, Scotland Five Things... Five things to get or see this monthGethsemane - War made Easy - Devil's whore - Q-Tip - Taking liberties |
