Articles
Friday, March 18, 2022
Dopesick is a TV miniseries based on the book by the same name. It exposes the aggressive marketing of Oxycontin a prescription pain relief drug and the subsequent epidemic of addiction, ill-health and early death that it fueled in America. It shows up the failings of a health care system where profit is a central motive rather than people. Whilst Dopesick throws the spotlight on the company and individuals involved, the system that gave rise to them should also be in the dock.
Tuesday, November 30, 2021
The United States’ world role under Biden has been different from Donald Trump only in that has been more effective in asserting US dominance, and bullying other countries. However, it is also causing consternation among US allies which are increasingly unhappy about its actions.
The withdrawal from Afghanistan was a shock. Previously Trump and Obama had talked about “ending the forever wars” and “pivoting to Asia”, but they had never taken the final step of pulling out of Afghanistan. However, it was not just that Biden did it, but the manner of the departure – hurried and without consultation – that bothered allies.
There were huge ramifications arising from this, not only making allies wary, but also changing the power relationships in the region and beyond, involving China, Russia, Pakistan, Turkey, India and others. Although the United States remains the world’s preeminent power it has damaged its reputation and emboldened voices among US allies who want their nations to be less dependent on an unreliable partner. This is particularly evident in the European Union with strengthened calls from many leading politicians, like Emmanuel Macron, for EU “strategic autonomy”.
Monday, November 29, 2021
When the United States, Britain and Australia formed the AUKUS pact tensions were ramped up further with allies. The move enraged France as it meant Australia cancelling its order for new French submarines in favour of buying US nuclear powered ones instead. It is not just this further snub which has implications, AUKUS is a new alliance among several which are being orientated towards confrontation with China. This is a significant escalation of the threat to peace in the Asia/Pacific region and it is particularly concerning that the US is transferring nuclear technology to Australia as part of the submarine deal.
The United States’ strategic priority is now pushing back China. To that end it is building up its military alliances and power in the Asia/Pacific. It is also reorienting the alliances it leads, like NATO, towards China and corralling its allies into following its hostile approach. It has had success at this but relations are increasingly strained with countries which take a different view of how to deal with China (and it should be said Russia), like Germany. This has been exacerbated by the US’ contemptuous treatment of them over Afghanistan and AUKUS.
Sunday, May 16, 2021
Joe Biden’s political appointments and domestic policies are the backdrop to the United States strategy to maintain its world dominance. These policies are being forged by veteran Washington insiders - key figures who were also prominent in the Obama era. Domestically policies are aimed at stabilising the US economy post-pandemic and preventing social dislocation and potential further unrest. This includes a big stimulus package for the economy and progressive measures on trade union rights and policing in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. But the Republicans will block much of this and the left will need to push Biden and Harris to fight for these policies. Though Biden’s rhetoric is different from Trump’s, he has appointed foreign policy hawks to his cabinet and will continue with the policies of Obama and Trump aimed at confronting the rise of China and Russia on the world stage. To be able to focus on that more effectively, however, the US is seeking to get out of major military commitments in the Middle East, which have proved a quagmire and instead to use proxies as a more effective way of achieving its ends.
Friday, May 14, 2021
Amazon employees endure oppressive working conditions but there are now struggles taking place to improve these and to gain union recognition across the globe. These are hard fought battles as the company uses any dirty tricks: lying to staff, spying on union organisers and sacking activists, to fight their own workers.
Thursday, February 11, 2021
One of the hallmarks of this increasingly dangerous world has been the growing hostility of the US towards China as it becomes more powerful and assertive. To understand this conflict it is necessary to also understand China's development since its revolution and the aspiration that the United States had to bring it into its orbit as a capitalist economy serving US economic interests. When it became clear that China would not follow the path prescribed for it by the US and was seeking to develop its own direction, including nurturing hi-tech industries, the US responded quickly to try to halt this. These moves began in earnest under President Obama and were continued by Donald Trump. President Biden will not depart from this path but will seek to collaborate more with US allies, alienated by Trump’s approach, to put pressure on China. The question is whether or not China can overcome attempts to isolate it and the barriers created by sanctions designed to strangle the development of its hi-tech industries.
Thursday, February 4, 2021
W. E. B. Du Bois was an outstanding intellectual and activist. Born in 1868, the year that black people in the South were enfranchised he put his science, learning and life in the service of the struggle for equality for black people in America. He was an internationalist and fighter for peace which meant that like so many he became the subject of the US state witch hunts against progressives.
Sunday, January 3, 2021
SOCIALIST CORRESPONDENT ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION MEETING
Speaker: Steve Howell – Former adviser to Jeremy Corbyn, Author of Game Changer, the story of Labour’s 2017 election campaign, and a US-UK joint citizen.
Chair: Elly Baker