Pope Francis: friend of the poor? On Monday 21 April, Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88. During his time at the Holy See, he had been charged with laundering the image of the Church, with giving it a ‘human face’, and stemming the crisis of that institution. Whatever else one thinks of him, he certainly executed his role with skill, but the job was itself impossible. The crisis of the Church continued apace and it will accelerate after his death.
The reformist left has lost its Pope The recent death of Pope Francis has dominated politics and the media in Italy this week. Amidst the unending chorus of Francis’ sycophants, however, the reformist left have been keen to make their voices heard, celebrating the life of this supposedly ‘revolutionary’, ‘anti-capitalist’ figure. We publish below a translation of an article by the Partito Comunista Rivoluzionario – the Italian section of the Revolutionary Communist International – explaining the truth about Pope Francis and clearly stating the communist position on the reactionary institution of the Catholic Church.
The rise of China and the end of the American century For the last century, the USA has been the undisputed master of the capitalist world. Now, all that is changing. Today, America is in decline and facing a new contender: China.
Milei's economic plan is kaput. Where is the government going? Milei and his Minister of Economy, Caputo, along with all the parties that support their government, are driving the working class into an ever-deepening abyss.
Balochistan: a long tale of oppression and resistance – what is the solution? The struggle of the Baloch people in Pakistan has reached unprecedented levels, while state repression and the brutality by the Pakistani ruling class have exceeded all limits. It is hell-bent on crushing the aspirations of these oppressed people.
Britain: Gary, Jeremy, and the super-rich – how do we make the billionaires pay for this crisis? While workers and the poor face ever-greater hardships, the super-rich are making a killing. In response to this gaping wealth divide, left wingers in Britain like Jeremy Corbyn and Gary Stevenson are saying we should ‘tax the rich’. But does this offer a real solution?
Britain: nationalising the losses – Labour’s emergency rescue for British Steel Over the weekend, the Labour government passed emergency legislation to take control of steel – in particular Scunthorpe’s steelworks. While the union leaders breathe a sigh of relief, we say: No trust in Starmer! Expropriate all the parasites!
The global arms race intensifies: imperialism, militarism, and capitalism As the world becomes a more dangerous place, it seems we are once again being asked by our governments to love the bomb.
West looks the other way as Israel’s impunity reaches new heights A month has passed since the short-lived ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came to a violent end on 18 March. Since then, Benjamin Netanyahu has once again upped the ante in his genocidal war on Gaza.
Bolivia: workers occupy Pepsi plant in Cochabamba in defence of jobs On 31 March, the Cervecería Boliviana Nacional (CBN) suddenly and without justification announced to the workers at the Pepsi plant in Cochabamba that operations were to be shut down immediately, leaving more than 150 workers without a job. In response, the workers decided that they would not accept such an affront and took over the plant, which remains occupied to this day. The Núcleo Comunista Revolucionario fully supports their struggle.
Canada: lessons from the 2004 Arvida factory occupation The trade war threatens hundreds of thousands of jobs in Quebec and Canada. We cannot count on the ruling class and their parties who have proven time and time again that they will prioritize their profit before all else. The workers can count only on their own means. Faced with closures, this means strikes and factory occupations.
US-China trade war: who holds the cards? The global trade war launched by Trump has already resolved into one between the two dominant actors of the world economy, the US and China. The question is posed: who holds the cards? Who will blink first? This question determines the fate of the world economy.
First congress of the PCR in Italy – revolutionary communists are on the advance! From 11 to 13 April, the First Congress of the Revolutionary Communist Party (PCR) in Italy was held in Cervia. Exactly one year earlier, the political organisation Sinistra Classe Rivoluzione decided to establish itself as a party and raise the flag of revolutionary communism, calling together all young people and workers ready to do battle against the capitalist system. A year later, the exciting growth of the party's forces and the tumultuous development of events on a global scale offer the best confirmation of the courageous choice we made and the political perspectives on which we base our action.
The Second World War: setting the record straight – issue 49 of ‘In Defence of Marxism’ magazine out now! Issue 49 of In Defence of Marxism magazine is here! Below we publish Alan Woods’ editorial explaining the true history of WWII – which capitalist historians have obfuscated for decades. Issue 49 also explores the revolutionary legacy of the end of the war, including articles on: the fall of fascism in Italy; the liberation of France; post-war neorealist cinema; and a 1945 analysis by Ted Grant on the shifting world order. Get your copy now!
The trade war takes another turn After a week of market mayhem, Trump decided that retreat was the better part of valour and paused his ‘reciprocal’ tariffs. Yet, the trade war is still very much in full swing, and the markets are jittery.