Articles
Monday, October 14, 2024
In the 2024 South African election the African National Congress (ANC) received 40.2% of the votes, dropping below 50% for the first time since the first democratic election in 1994.
There are a variety of reasons for this decline but they include the growth of opportunism, careerism, corruption and state capture alongside dissatisfaction with the ANC government and its policies.
Whilst there has been progress in many areas since 1994 nevertheless inequality, poverty and unemployment have increased.
There is now a government of national unity. Will the ANC be able to renew itself and lead the GNU in a progressive direction - it will be a difficult task.
Sunday, October 13, 2024
In August the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina resigned. On the surface, and as reported in mainstream media outlets, she was forced to step down due to student protests, but there were deeper geopolitical reasons behind her ousting. Not least she had raised US ire by refusing to host a United States military base in Bangladesh and by drawing closer to China and the BRICS countries. The student movement, as has happened in similar situations in other countries, provided leverage for the US regime change agenda.
Saturday, October 12, 2024
Chile is a very rich country but the people see little of the wealth. It has enormous natural resources, including huge reserves of copper and lithium, both essential for the transition to clean energy. The future is bright – but for whom? Politically the right is making gains and this favours capital over the ordinary workers in Chile.
Friday, October 11, 2024
Spring by Sergei Antonov (Foreign Languages Publishing House, Moscow 1954)
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Israel has long defied international law and has been repeatedly censured by the United Nations, which has also supported the Palestinians. As the genocide in Gaza continues, Palestinians are now the front line of defence for international law and the United Nations as its institutional expression.
The west does not talk about international law, but rather the rules based order – by which it means its rules and its order. Whilst the United Nation has not always been progressive – the security council has an inbuilt western bias – yet it has always been an arena of struggle for anti-imperialist forces.
South Africa’s bold move taking Israel to the International Court of Justice has proved a rallying call for supporters of Palestine and upholding the international law which Israel flaunts.
Seeing the danger of the UN becoming a real force to counter western aggression Israel and the US have launched attacks on UN institutions, especially those which offer practical support to the Palestinians, like UNRAW. The global south, South Africa and the Palestinians are taking the lead in defending international legal norms from the west.
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Politically and economically the war in Ukraine is becoming less sustainable, with no sign that pouring more arms in is bringing Ukraine any closer to winning and every sign that it is losing. However, the mantra of western politicians remains that “Ukraine must win”. This has led to talk of dangerous escalation, like sending more advanced weaponry and NATO committing boots on the ground (more than the small number it already has). Desperation in Kiev and among Ukraine’s western backers is making the situation more volatile. Competing interests with the US and within Europe are complicating matters further and making a negotiated end to the war seem distant.
Monday, May 27, 2024
The miners' strike of 1984-85 demonstrated the power of the state acting in the interests of capital and against working people as jobs and mining communities were destroyed. That state power was no where more evident than the systematic attack on picketing miners at Orgreave with many injured and imprisoned. There were meticulous plans formulated by the government and the police to crush the miners. Orgreave became the blueprint for the policing of dissent and sent a harsh message to working class people that strike action would be met by the full force of the state. 40 years later those falsely arrested and injured are still waiting to see justice.
Sunday, May 26, 2024
There is always money to be made from war and Ukraine and Gaza are no exceptions. The arms industry has certainly benefited from both these current conflicts. Increasingly, however, electronic systems are vital to fighting wars. the US company Palantir has contracts in Israel, Ukraine and here in the NHS. It has been described as “…the AI arms dealer of the 21st century” and works closely with the US government. So what is it doing in our NHS? Apparently “integrating health data”. Access to data is a prime objective of tech companies and Palantir’s role in the Health Service has met widespread opposition.