Issue 37 Summer 2020 | The Socialist Correspondent

Articles featured in Issue 37

Covid-19 and the sickness of capitalism
Monday, April 20, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic has once again demonstrated the clash between capitalism's priority of safeguarding profits over peoples lives. But it has also revealed the deeper problem that working class people's lives were already precarious before the virus struck. We are not in this together.
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Coronavirus - Cuba and China take a lead
Sunday, April 19, 2020

China was where the coronavirus outbreak originated, bit also where there was an effective response, bringing it under control. China has offered what it has learned about the virus along side practical support to other countries and Cuba too continues its tradition of health care solidarity with others. This contrasts sharply with the response of the United States which has tightened sanctions not only on Cuba, but on Venezuela and Iran.
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The epidemic of poverty - killing before coronavirus
Saturday, April 18, 2020

Ten years after his first report Professor Sir Micheal Marmot shows that little has changed in terms of the health of the population. In fact things are getting worse, with stalling life expectancy. The report puts the blame on austerity - not only its impact on health services, but on the wider impact that cuts, poor housing and fewer opportunities have had on peoples lives.
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The case of Julian Assange
Friday, April 17, 2020

The extradition hearing for Julian Assange continues as he battles against the US and British states' determination to make an example of anyone who brings their misdeeds to light - particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the process he has suffered many injustices and his treatment has been condemn by the UN rapporteur on torture and the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute.
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The EU and the USA dismiss the "politics of generosity"
Friday, April 17, 2020

Cuba and china have offered support to other countries hit by the coronavirus outbreak. Their actions have been dismissed by the EU and worse the US has warned other countries not to accept Cuban help.
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The future after Corbyn
Thursday, April 16, 2020

Corbyn's leadership of the Labour Party always faced huge problems some of which were almost insurmountable, but others could have been tackled more effectively. Whilst the election of Sir Keir Starmer is a huge setback nevertheless a lot has been achieved. The political landscape has shifted to the left and there there is a new generation of serious socialists beginning to emerge.
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The trials of Salmond and the tribulations of Sturgeon
Thursday, April 16, 2020

The trial and acquittal of Alex Salmond, former leader of the Scottish National Party and former First Minster of Scotland on sexual assault charges has blown open the rifts within the SNP on how to secure its principle aim of independence for Scotland. The divisions are deep and bitter with Salmond on the side of the fundamentalists and his protegee and successor Sturgeon on the other side, favouring a more cautious approach.
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From Potsdam to Defender-Europe 20
Wednesday, April 15, 2020

The post 2nd world war settlement was supposed to guarantee peace in Europe, but the actions of the West and NATO have stoked tensions over the years. A huge exercise, Defender-Europe 20 was due to last 5 months and would have been the biggest military deployment in Europe for 25 years. Only the coronavirus outbreak prevented this massive military build up from happening.
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In or out of the EU - neoliberalism is the real disease
Wednesday, April 15, 2020

With coronavirus the realities of the EU have been shown to contradict the image it presents. It has failed to show social solidarity to poorer and worst hit countries. The EU institutionalises neoliberal economic relationships, but it is only part of a wider network of neoliberal global economic relations which also need to be challenged.
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University staff fight on wages, conditions and the future of education
Tuesday, April 14, 2020

University staff and their union the UCU are putting up a determined fight over how they are rewarded and valued and the future of higher education.
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The fall and rise of the British left by Andrew Murray
Monday, April 13, 2020

Andrew Murray's book is a timely reminder of the battles fought in recent decades for workers rights, peace and a host of other issues. The rise of neoliberalism under Margaret thatcher and the defeat of the Miners in 1985 marked a sharp decline in working class and socialist organisation. Today, however, the left has renewed strength, enabled by Jeremy Corbyn's time as Labour leader.
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Barry Johnson 1931-2020 - a life in struggle for the working class
Sunday, April 12, 2020

We pay tribute to our comrade Barry Johnson who was a founder member of the editorial board of The Socialist Correspondent. We will miss his thoughtful socialist analysis and passionate commitment to the struggle.
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