Imperialism

Back to Herbert Spencer!

Industrial vs. militant society

January 12, 2016 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

HERBERT SPENCER’S GRAVE faces Marx’s at Highgate Cemetery in London. At his memorial, Spencer was honored for his anti-imperialism by Indian national liberation advocate and anti-colonialist Shyamji Krishnavarma, who funded a lectureship at Oxford in Spencer’s name. Marx and Spencer's facing graves.Photograph by Christian Fuchs, http://fuchs.uti.at/ What would the 19th century liberal, Utilitarian and Social Darwinist, Herbert Spencer (1820-1903), who was perhaps the most prominent, widely read and popular philosopher in the world during his lifetime – that is, in Marx’s lifetime – have to say to Marxists or more generally to the left, when such liberalism earned not only Marx’s own scorn but also Nietzsche’s criticism? [Read More]

Anti-imperialism Anti-war Benjamin Constant Capitalism Carl Schmitt Freedom Martin Heidegger Imperialism Karl Marx Liberalism Libertarian Max Weber Friedrich Nietzsche Paul Lafargue Socialism Theodor W. Adorno Herbert Spencer Featured Articles

1914 in the history of Marxism

May 6, 2014 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

At the Platypus Affiliated Society’s annual International Convention, held at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago April 4–6, 2014, Chris Cutrone delivered the following President’s Report. An edited transcript of the presentation and subsequent discussion appears below. A full audio recording is available online at <sixth-annual-platypus-international-convention>. Cover of the Vorwärts, the SPD's party organ in 1914; the headline reads, 'Social Democracy and the War!' The SPD voted for war credits to the First World War almost 100 years ago on August 4 1914. [Read More]

1914 /2nd International August 4 Bebel Imperialism Karl Kautsky Karl Liebknecht Vladimir Lenin Marxism Nationalism Pacifism Rosa Luxemburg RSDLP SPD War Woodrow Wilson WWI

Internationalism fails

October 1, 2013 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

THE “ANTI-IMPERIALIST LEFT” considers itself opposed to all U.S. government action as “imperialist” on principle. But, as Trotsky wrote to his followers in 1938, “Learn to think!” while one may oppose the government politically, to oppose the government putting out a fire, especially when there is no alternative agency for doing so, is nonsense. But the “Left” today is not the inheritor of Trotsky, but rather of what he pitilessly assailed, the policy of the Stalinist “Popular Front Against War and Fascism” of the 1930s, for which the shibboleth was, “Which side are you on? [Read More]

Internationalism Imperialism

What is imperialism? (What now?)

September 1, 2013 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

ON APRIL 6, 2013, a panel on “What is Imperialism? (What Now?)” took place during the Platypus International Convention at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The panel was motivated by the ten-year anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and aimed to discuss whether we are any closer to understanding what imperialism is and the relationship between anti-imperialism and anti-capitalism. This panel brought together Larry Everest from the Revolutionary Communist Party (USA), Joseph Green from Communist Voice, and Paul Demarty of the Communist Party of Great Britain, and was moderated by Lucy Parker of Platypus. [Read More]

Convention 2013 Fora Imperialism Iraq CPGB

Imperialism: What is it, why should we be against it?

July 9, 2010 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

ON JANUARY 30, 2007, Platypus hosted its first public forum, “Imperialism: What is it – Why should we be Against it?” The panel consisted of Adam Turl of the International Socialist Organization (ISO), Kevin Anderson of the Marxist-Humanist group News and Letters, Nick Kreitman of the new Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Danny Postel of Open Democracy, and Chris Cutrone of Platypus. What follows is an edited transcript of this event; the full video can be found online at the above link. [Read More]

Afghanistan Bosnia Bush administration History of the Left Iraq Imperialism War Anti-war ISO Marxism New SDS Vietnam

The Imperialism Question and the Twentieth Century

May 28, 2010 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

A panel discussion event held on May 28, 2010, at the 2010 Platypus International Convention held at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Audio Recording Your browser does not support the audio element Panelists Atiya Khan Spencer A. Leonard Sunit Singh Description To many on the Left today, opposition to imperialism has become a political litmus test of sorts, but historically anti-imperialism was by no means an exclusively leftist political project whether we are speaking of right-wing anti-colonialism in the metropole or in the colonies. [Read More]

Anti-colonialism Anticolonialism Christopher Hitchens Fred Halliday Imperialism Moishe Postone

Is Marx back?

May 9, 2010 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

IN LIGHT OF the recent economic crisis, Marxist theory has enjoyed a resurgence of interest. This most recent is the last of many returns to Marx’s work throughout the 20th century. Still, the question poses itself: Why return to Marx, yet again? What does this move tell us about our contemporary situation? Most important, what do previous returns to Marx tell us about capitalism and those who have self-consciously struggled against it? [Read More]

Leo Panitch Karl Marx Politics Vietnam 1968 Imperialism

Remarks on Chris Cutrone's 'Iraq and the election: the fog of 'anti-war' politics'

March 15, 2009 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

I WAS INTRIGUED TO FIND in The Platypus Review #7 a commentary by Chris Cutrone on the U.S. role in world politics. I found it more sophisticated and original than anything I had previously come across in the mainstream media either here or in Europe. Before launching my machine, I would like to situate myself. I’m a foreigner, philosopher of sorts, and not a student any more (That means I’m old. [Read More]

Anti-war War Bush administration Capitalism Democracy Exchanges Francis Fukuyama Imperialism Iraq Neo-conservatism Reagan Wilsonianism

Iraq and the election

The fog of "anti-war" politics

October 1, 2008 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

BARACK OBAMA HAD, UNTIL RECENTLY, made his campaign for President of the United States a referendum on the invasion and occupation of Iraq. In the Democratic Party primaries, Obama attacked Hillary Clinton for her vote in favor of the invasion. Among Republican contenders, John McCain went out of his way to appear as the candidate most supportive of the Bush administration’s policy in Iraq. Looking towards the general election, it is over Iraq that the candidates have been most clearly opposed: Obama has sought to distinguish himself most sharply from McCain on Iraq, emphasizing their differences in judgment. [Read More]

Adolph Reed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad ANSWER Anti-imperialism Anti-war Ba'athism Bill Clinton Bush administration Democracy Democrats Election History History of the Left Imperialism Iran Iraq ISO Joe Biden Kurds Liberalism NATO Barack Obama Occupation Politics RCP (USA) Republicans Saddam Hussein Saudi Arabia Shia Sunni The Left The Right U.N Vietnam World Can't Wait

Five questions to the student Left

October 1, 2008 | The Platypus Affiliated Society

AN INTERVIEW WITH SDS MEMBER Rachel Haut published in the September issue of this publication provoked widespread comment in radical circles.1 We welcome the discussion but worry that it remains ensconced within the sterile jargon and petty antinomies of the actually-existing-Left. More fundamental questions exist than, say, the position of sectarian groups within the SDS – questions that unsettle the comfortable assumptions of radical politics. There’s a temptation to think such of questioning as an irrelevant, academic obstruction to real action. [Read More]

Anti-war Capitalism Class Identity Ideology Imperialism Movement New SDS Organization Politics Racism Radicals Reflections Society Students Transformation