The following report from Lahore was written by Khalid Bhatti from the Socialist Movement Pakistan (SMP). The SMP is the sister organisation of the Socialist Party in Pakistan. More reports and analysis will be published on this site in the next few days. Benazir Bhutto, leader of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), was killed in a suicide attack after addressing a public rally in Rawalpindi on 27 December. (more…)

Recently Dean Roberts from ‘The Socialist’ newspaper in Australia visited China. During his travels he met with Li Gang who is a 25 year old white collar worker and socialist from Shanghai. Li Gang works for the state owned Chinese Railway company and is engaged in administrative duties. Below is the transcript from an interview conducted in mid December. (more…)

THE UN climate change talks in Bali to discuss a follow up to the discredited Kyoto treaty are taking place after the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) update on global warming warned for the first time that some of its effects are already irreversible.
By Pete Dickenson, Socialist Party (more…)

Marxists like everyone else are discussing China, which has become central to economic and political developments in the world. An important aspect of this discussion is how we view the Chinese state. The state (the police, army, judiciary and, in China’s case, the ruling Chinese ‘Communist’ Party - CCP) is as Lenin explained “an organ for the oppression of one class by another”. In China, which class is oppressor and which are oppressed?
By Vincent Kolo, CWI (more…)

World food prices are at an all time high. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, FAO, has warned of the possibility of serious social unrest and food shortages. Why are food prices rising now? And what will be the consequences?
By Per-Åke Westerlund, CWI (more…)

The Socialist Party (SP) is the Australian affiliate of the Committee for a Workers’ International (CWI). The CWI groups together socialist organisations from over 40 countries across the world. In December the CWI held its International Executive Committee meeting (IEC) in Belgium. The Socialist Party was represented by National Organiser, Anthony Main and Yarra City Councillor, Stephen Jolly. (more…)

Finding a non fiction socialist book to read is fairly easy, there are numerous. But finding a fiction book, a true classic none the less, with overtly socialist views is a rarity. “The Iron Heel” by Jack London is one of those rarities in the literary world.
By Fikret Pajalic Socialist Party Melbourne (more…)

Last Tuesday, leaders of the Parti Sosialis Malaysia were among those arrested in a new round of detentions. The same day, the British Financial Times carried an article about an earlier round-up over the week-end in what appears to be a vicious game of cat and mouse with opposition parties and groups. It quoted the prime minister, Abdullah Badawi, as saying that “he was willing to sacrifice public freedoms for stability”.
(more…)

Complete paralysis of absolutely everything and massive demos in all major cities of Greece were the results of the general strike by the Greek Trade Unions last Wednesday, December 12.
By Andros Payiatsos, Xekinima, CWI Greece (more…)

Melbourne construction workers had an important victory yesterday. Union organisers from the militant CFMEU physically blocked entry to the giant ferris wheel site at the Docklands, blocking a planned concrete pour. (more…)