Theory and analysis

Declining standards of living: professor blames immigration; Marxists blame capitalism

According to Robert Rowthorn, economics professor at Kings’ College, Cambridge, large-scale immigration will be bad for Britain’s economy. In a report published by the right-wing think tank Civitas, Rowthorn argues that immigration causes a decline in standards of living. This comes just after the publication of the OECD’s fifty-year projection for the world economy which says that global economic growth in the future will be reliant on unprecedented immigration by workers into the advanced capitalist countries. Read more…

By Marxist Student, 10 yearsAugust 6, 2014 ago

Study guide: Socialism – Utopian and Scientific

Chapter One: The development of utopian socialism Summary The philosophy of the bourgeois revolutions (such as the French Revolution) established Reason as the only thing capable of justifying the existence of things (enlightenment philosophy). o The bourgeoisie’s demands were limited to political equality, whereas certain movements at this time began demanding economic equality, not just political rights. o These movements saw themselves as offering liberation, not to a particular class, but Read more…

By Marxist Student, 10 yearsAugust 5, 2014 ago

Study guide: Manifesto of the Communist Party

Chapter One: Bourgeois and Proletarians Summary History is defined, not by great individuals, but by struggle between classes. The modern ruling class, the bourgeoisie, is a product of the class struggle throughout history and this historical role that the bourgeoisie has played was to revolutionise the means of production through a capitalist economy. o Veiled exploitation became clearer as wage-labour became the norm. o National boundaries were dismantled. o Political centralisation Read more…

By Marxist Student, 10 yearsAugust 5, 2014 ago

How to engage with student media

Student media can be a useful way to build the presence of the Marxist society on campus. It is also a useful tool to be used for campaigning activity on campus. The most important thing to remember is that we want to use student media to put our ideas across – we must never water down our Marxist ideas just for the sake of getting recognised by student media. We would Read more…

By Marxist Student, 10 yearsAugust 5, 2014 ago

How to move a resolution in your students’ union

Moving resolutions is a vital part of the campaigning work of the Marxist society on campus. Most resolutions will be moved at the student union, but there may be other forums in which to move resolutions, such as your local trade union branches, your local CLP or campus Labour Club, as well as national forums such as the NUS. Read below for some ideas about how to make the most out Read more…

By Marxist Student, 10 yearsAugust 5, 2014 ago

How to raise money for the Marxist Student Federation

The activities of your local Marxist society and the Marxist Student Federation as a whole require money. This covers printing costs, costs for the travel of speakers to and from the meetings, maintenance of the website etc. We have no big business backers and so the Federation is sustained exclusively by donations from Marxist society members and sympathisers. Below are some ideas for raising money to keep the society and the Read more…

By Marxist Student, 10 yearsAugust 5, 2014 ago

How to write for the Marxist Student Federation

An important part of building the Marxist Student Federation is publishing articles, reports and interviews by our members and those who agree with our ideas. We publish these articles on our website, in our journal and in local Marxist society newsletters. Many of our articles are also reproduced in the pages of Socialist Appeal or on www.socialist.net The aim of writing articles should be to keep others up to date with Read more…

By Marxist Student, 10 yearsAugust 5, 2014 ago

How to organise a Marxist society meeting

The weekly meetings of the Marxist societies are the foundation upon which the Marxist Student Federation is built. Without these meetings campaigning and other work will be impossible. Choose a topic This has to be one that will draw in people who are interested in the ideas of Marxism. It can tackle a particular aspect of Marxist theory (the state, the national question, economics etc.), or it could address a particular Read more…

By Marxist Student, 10 yearsAugust 5, 2014 ago

Bolivia: Palestine solidarity demo in La Paz

Wake up world and see the carnage Sunday 20th July marked a day of action in Bolivia, as demonstrators took to the streets in three cities across the country to show their support for Palestine following the recent escalation of violence in Gaza. Residents of Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and La Paz joined the global call for an end to the spiralling conflict. In La Paz, where the county’s government sits, over Read more…

By Marxist Student, 10 yearsJuly 21, 2014 ago

France: Youth Mobilise Against the Front National

The important result achieved by the FN in the European elections – and of the extreme right in other European countries – rightly provoked a wave of indignation among young people in France. The week after the elections, demonstrations, spontaneous in many instances, of several thousand school and university students took place in many large towns, including Paris. The bourgeois media attempted to ridicule these demonstrations, the coverage of which certainly Read more…

By Marxist Student, 10 yearsJuly 10, 2014 ago

Sussex students asked to shake hands with Chair of Student Loans Company

The Chair of the Board of Directors of the Student Loans Company (SLC), Chris Brodie, was selected to preside over the first four University of Sussex graduation ceremonies on 8-11 July, as popular comedian and University Chancellor Sanjeev Bhaskar was unavailable due to filming commitments. The selection, made by Vice-Chancellor Michael Farthing, was an insult to graduating Sussex students, who would have had their degrees conferred on them by the man they Read more…

By Marxist Student, 10 yearsJuly 10, 2014 ago

Italy: 92% of Schools are at Risk

On May 22 the Prime Minister famously promised to release 36 million euros earmarked for school buildings with the aim of rebuilding “obsolete structures” and for the builidng of “new buildings that meet the highest standards of safety”. This appeared to be a step forward after silence on this question over the past few months and the non-fulfilment of the measures detailed last year. In June 2013 there was talk, in Read more…

By Marxist Student, 10 yearsJuly 5, 2014 ago

Looking for the communist?

Looking for the communists?