Marxism through the back door

Marxism through the back door

 September 1, 2015  |  The Platypus Affiliated Society

GREGOR BASZAK of the Platypus Affiliated Society conducted an interview with Cedric Johnson, author of From Revolutionaries to Race Leaders: Black Power and the Making of African American Politics (2007). What follows is an edited transcript of their conversation. Stokely Carmichael lecturing on Pan-Africanism in the 1960s. Gregor Baszak: Most on the Left claim that the recent cases of police violence suffered by Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Freddie Gray, and others are racially motivated. [Read More]
Race  Cedric Johnson  Marxism  Racism  Black Power 

Radical Ideologies Today

Anarchism and Marxism, London

 January 5, 2015  |  The Platypus Affiliated Society

This is part of an international series of panels organized by the Platypus Affiliated Society. For previous panels in this series please see: <marxism-and-anarchism/>. This panel was held in London on 20 November 2014. Audio Recording Your browser does not support the audio element Panelists John Sinha, Occupy London Activist and member of SWP Tony Wood, Anarchist Bookfair organiser Iain McKay, author of An Anarchist FAQ Dan Morley, Socialist Appeal (International Marxist Tendency) [Read More]
Marxism  Anarchism 

Radical Ideologies Today: Marxism and Anarchism (University of Chicago)

 December 24, 2014  |  The Platypus Affiliated Society

This is part of an international series of panels organized by the Platypus Affiliated Society. For previous panels in this series please see: <marxism-and-anarchism/>. This panel was held at the University of Chicago on 20 November 2014. Audio Recording Your browser does not support the audio element Panelists Christopher P. (Anarcho-Syndicalist Review) Michael Staudenmaier (author, Truth and Revolution) Mel Rothenberg (Chicago Political Economy Group) Jamie Theophilos (local activist) [Read More]
Marxism  Anarchism 

Empire and social democracy

Summer 2014 teach-in

 June 14, 2014  |  The Platypus Affiliated Society

A discussion of the relation of Keynesianism, social-democratic politics and Marxism to the purported decline of the U.S. as global hegemonic state, beginning in the 1970s and continuing in “Left” discourse to the present held on June 14, 2014 at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Teach-in led by Chris Cutrone. Audio Recording Your browser does not support the audio element Video Recording Description Taking advantage of the break in our primary reading group schedule, we will hold a discussion of the relation of Keynesianism, social-democratic politics and Marxism to the purported decline of the U. [Read More]
American empire  Empire  Milton Friedman  Michael Harrington  Friedrich Hayek  John Maynard Keynes  Keynesianism  Marxism  Social Democracy  Socialism 

On Anarchism and Marxism

In response to Price and Swenson

On Anarchism and Marxism

 May 6, 2014  |  The Platypus Affiliated Society

IN RESPONSE TO THE CRITIQUES of Wayne Price and Liam Swenson to my piece on anarchism in The Platypus Review #65,1 I will reiterate what I consider the major differences between Marxist revolutionary theory and anarchism in general. I say in general because I see nothing to be gained by dealing with the great variety of differences within anarchism itself presented by these critiques. In fact their great variety proves the very fleeting and vacillating nature of the anarchist project. [Read More]
Anarchism  History  History of the Left  Vladimir Lenin  Marxism  Occupy  Revolution 

1914 in the history of Marxism

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 

The Left After the Crisis

 April 7, 2014  |  The Platypus Affiliated Society

A panel discussion held at Loyola University on April 3, 2014. Audio Recording Your browser does not support the audio element Panelists Tarek Shalaby (Revolutionary Socialists) Quentin Cyr (Quebec Student Strike) Glauk Tahiri (VETEVENDOSJE! movement) Respondent: Samir Gandesha Moderated by Nathan Smith Description From massive demonstrations by students in the UK and Canada, to square occupations and general strikes in Greece, to the reemergence of Left political currents in Kosovo in response to waves of privatization and austerity, responses to the economic downturn were international in character. [Read More]
Crisis  Marxism  Quebec Student Strike  Revolutionary Socialist  Revolutionary Socialists  VETEVENDOSJE! 

Marxism and Anarchism, Chicago

 April 5, 2014  |  The Platypus Affiliated Society

A panel held at the Sixth Annual Platypus International Convention on Saturday, April 5, 2014 at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Audio Recording Your browser does not support the audio element Panelists Dimitrios Roussopoulos (Transnational Institute of Social Ecology) Tarek Shalaby (Revolutionary Socialists (Egypt)) Joshua Stephens (Institute for Anarchist Studies) Description It seems that there are still only two radical ideologies: Anarchism and Marxism. They emerged out of the same crucible - the Industrial Revolution, the unsuccessful revolutions of 1848 and 1871, a weak liberalism, the centralization of state power, the rise of the workers movement, and the promise of socialism. [Read More]
Platypus International Convention 2014  Anarchism  Mikhail Bakunin  Institute for Anarchist Studies  Peter Kropotkin  Marxism  Zapatista 

Democratic Socialists of America

Differing Perspectives on the Left

 April 5, 2014  |  The Platypus Affiliated Society

A workshop with the Democratic Socialists of America (Joseph Schwartz (Temple University) and Bill Barclay) held on April 5, 2014, at the Sixth Platypus International Convention. Audio Recording Your browser does not support the audio element Every year at the Platypus International Convention, speakers from various perspectives are asked to bring their experience of the Left’s recent history to bear on today’s political possibilities and challenges as part of the “Differing Perspectives on the Left” workshop series. [Read More]
Platypus International Convention 2014  Democratic Socialists of America  Marxism  Platypus  Socialism 

150 Years after the First International

A Critical History

 April 5, 2014  |  The Platypus Affiliated Society

A panel held at the Sixth Annual Platypus International Convention on Saturday, April 5, 2014 at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Audio Recording Your browser does not support the audio element Panelists Jon Bekken (Anarcho-Syndicalist Review) James Heartfield (audacity.org) William Pelz (Elgin Community College) Description The First International (1864 - 1876), or International Workingmen’s Association, was founded in the long shadow of 1848, amidst Polish and Italian national liberation movements and the upheaval of the American Civil War. [Read More]
Platypus International Convention 2014  Anarchism  Mikhail Bakunin  First International  International Workingmen's Association  Karl Marx  Marxism  Socialism