Taming the beast or changing the system? Review of "Capitalism and its Critics"

There is growing and widespread dissatisfaction with capitalism worldwide. Economic models that dominated the post-Word War Two decades — Keynesian social democracy and later neoliberal globalization — are seen as having run aground. The system today is failing to meet the basic needs of working class people. This crisis has fuelled both right and left populist movements. Economic nationalism, authoritarianism and inequality are resurgent. It is with this background that John Cassidy explores, in a timely fashion, the critics of capitalism and the alternatives they advocate in Capitalism and its Critics – A Battle of Ideas In The Modern World. TU Senan and Niall Mulholland discuss Cassidy’s book and where his analysis differs from that of the CWI.

More analysis at https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/ A month after the second anniversary of the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel and the subsequent prolonged genocidal slaughter in Gaza, the fate of Trump’s latest proposals for an end to the war is still in the balance. The US plans to impose a transitional government of technocrats on the Palestinians in Gaza, backed up by outside armed forces – a form of naked colonialism. Israeli military forces will be allowed to remain inside the perimeter of the Gaza strip, maintaining control of its borders – a continued blockade, imprisoning the Palestinians and deciding what goods can enter and leave the strip. Israeli prime minister Netanyahu has made clear that Israel has no intention of entirely withdrawing from Gaza and stressed that there will be no possibility of a Palestinian state. Today, with nationality-based distrust and division dominating the Israel-Palestine landscape, a solution can seem further away than ever. On a capitalist basis, it’s not just further away, but impossible. However, consciousness of workers and the poor in Israel and among Palestinians will not be disconnected from developments in other parts of the world, a world in which young people are increasingly questioning whether capitalist crisis is their only future. Further reading: The World Impact of Two Years of War on Gaza – and what lies ahead? https://www.socialistworld.net/2025/10/06/the-world-impact-of-two-years-of-war-on-gaza-and-what-lies-ahead/ Gaza Ceasefire – Struggle for the Complete End of the War of Extermination and the Overthrow of the Netanyahu Government https://www.socialistworld.net/2025/10/13/gaza-ceasefire-struggle-for-the-complete-end-of-the-war-of-extermination-and-the-overthrow-of-the-netanyahu-government/ More Info - Click here for all your Socialist Party links: https://linkin.bio/socialistparty/ We need your help campaigning! The establishment political parties have the backing of the capitalist elites. We need to build a mass movement of working class fighters to take them on. Find out more details about your local campaigns and how you can help by filling in this form: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/join The Socialist Party has no big-business backers, so we rely on your donations to fund all our campaigns. Donate at https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/socialism-2025/ Subscribe to our weekly paper, ‘The Socialist’, and our monthly magazine ‘Socialism Today': https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/subscribe-2/

Tony Saunois, CWI Secretary, discusses his review of Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s book, “Now the People – Revolution in the 21st Century”, with Sean Figg, from the CWI’s International Secretariat. Mélenchon and the movement he leads, La France Insoumise (Frace Unbowed), are well positioned to play a critical role in how the crisis of French capitalism develops in the next period. To advance the interests of the French working class in the crisis the issues of program, organisation and strategy are crucial. In this podcast Tony and Sean look at Mélenchon’s position on these crucial questions.

More analysis at https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/ The fact that steps are being taken to develop ‘Your Party’ will be very welcome news to the 800,000 who have already said they want to join. Against the background of brutal austerity from Starmer’s New Labour Mark II and electoral gains for Reform the need for a workers’ party with socialist policies could not be clearer. The Socialist Party will be joining ‘Your Party’ and fighting for it to become a mass anti-war and anti-cuts workers’ party. To be successful, Your Party must base itself on the power of the mass trade union movement, and its power in the workplaces, where workers come together and prepare to take collective action in defence of their interests. Your Party must also have a socialist programme, opposing the capitalist system and the war and poverty inherent in it. A new party that takes off will need to face up to the challenges of filling the vacuum with a concrete programme to oppose war and cuts, with candidates across the country in next May’s local elections. This will be an opportunity to harness the anger at Labour and the capitalist establishment, and cut across the growth of Reform UK. ‘Your Party’ could potentially win hundreds of councillors and even take control of councils. That in itself would be a huge boost to the confidence of millions. It would open up decisive battles to deliver real change via the significant powers local authorities have to deliver real change on jobs, housing, rent controls and restoring vital services. If you want to help and fight to transform the world then join us! Here are all your socialist party links: https://linkin.bio/socialistparty/ Further reading ‘Your Party’ membership launched – Socialist Party members join to argue for a workers’ party with a socialist programme:https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/143138/25-09-2025/your-party-membership-launched-socialist-party-members-join-to-argue-for-a-workers-party-with-a-socialist-programme/ Editorial: The case for a workers-led new party gets even stronger https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/143075/24-09-2025/editorial-the-case-for-a-workers-led-new-party-gets-even-stronger/

Today's podcast is a discussion with Socialist Students national Organiser Adam Gillman, about the Youth Walkout against Trump campaign. Go to www.socialiststudents.org.uk to get involved Socialist Students press release Buckingham Palace has booked in Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK for 17-19 September. Already hundreds of students have signed up to walk out of their schools, colleges and universities on Wednesday 17 September – the day that Trump arrives in the UK – as part of the Youth Walkout Against Trump campaign. The youth walkouts, initiated by Socialist Students, will be a protest against the chaos that Trump’s presidency represents for young people’s futures globally. Students will be walking out to instead demand a future to look forward to – for free education, a decent job, and the guarantee of a high-quality and affordable home for all; for an end to climate crisis; and for a world free from war, oppression and exploitation. With Trump’s visit taking place while Parliament is in recess, Keir Starmer and his Labour government will be hoping to escape the firing line of mass protests like those which Trump provoked during his first state visit to the UK in 2018. But the Youth Walkout Against Trump campaign will not let Labour off the hook. Adam Gillman, Socialist Students national organiser,said: “By building the youth walkouts, we can send a powerful message to young people and workers in America that we stand with them against Trump – not with Starmer, who issued the invite for this state visit.” TJ, a 19-year-old student in Leeds, said: “Labour has made cut after cut to young people’s futures while bosses make record profits. now they roll out the red carpet for oppressive leaders abroad. I am building for these walkouts to give young people a way to show Starmer’s Labour that this is not what the public voted for.” Lauren from Wrexham said: “Trump’s visit to the UK is an opportunity to fight back; not just against him but the capitalist system he upholds, which puts the interests of big business above the lives of working-class people. These walkouts are a chance to stand up to Trump, as well as our government who welcome him with open arms, and all other leaders who uphold this corrupt system! That’s why I’m building the youth walkouts against Trump.” Penelope, a college student from Preston, highlighted the common attacks facing students either side of the Atlantic: “Trump has cut funding to US universities, and has attacked students and staff standing up on issues like Palestine. Meanwhile Starmer’s government here raises universities tuition fees and continues the rampant underfunding of all levels of education. By walking out when Trump visits we are showing that young people everywhere have to fight for a decent education, in a capitalist world where none of our hard-won rights can be taken for granted”. While the university term has come to a close, and schools and sixth forms break up next week, Socialist Students will be continuing to build the walkout campaign over the summer – including calling public youth meetings in towns and cities throughout the UK to discuss how young people can build the walkouts and get organised to win a decent future under this Labour government.

Today’s podcast is a discussion with Socialist Party General Secretary Hannah Sell, around the announcement on the 3rd July 2025 that Zarah Sultana MP was resigning from the Labour Party to, together with Jeremy Corbyn, “co-lead the founding of a new party, with other campaigners and activists across the country.” The Socialist Party has been pushing for the trade unions to take a leading role in any new party, and supports the change.org petition launched by 25 current and former senior trade unionists titled: “Time for trade unions to take the lead in forming a new working class party”. Sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/time-for-trade-unions-to-take-the-lead-in-forming-a-new-working-class-party There will be a national Zoom meeting to discuss the next steps for this campaign on the 21st July at 6:30pm. Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Ma5abmf1SCCE1_aGMZL2JA#/registration Further reading: Zarah Sultana MP leaves Labour and announces ‘co-founding a new party’ https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/140532/04-07-2025/zarah-sultana-mp-leaves-labour-and-announces-co-founding-a-new-party/ More Info - Click here for all your Socialist Party links: https://linkin.bio/socialistparty/ We need your help campaigning! The establishment political parties have the backing of the capitalist elites. We need to build a mass movement of working class fighters to take them on. Find out more details about your local campaigns and how you can help by filling in this form: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/join The Socialist Party has no big-business backers, so we rely on your donations to fund all our campaigns. Donate at https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/donations/donatejune2025/ Subscribe to our weekly paper, ‘The Socialist’, and our monthly magazine ‘Socialism Today': https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/subscribe-2/

While it was never true that LGBTQ+ liberation was an inevitability within the system of profit-before-all-else capitalism, the basis for that hope has suffered major blows in the last year. The pace of attacks can feel overwhelming. Donald Trump’s second term has begun with cruel attacks on LGBTQ+ rights in the US on a much bigger scale than in his first term. In the UK, The recent Supreme Court ruling on the legal definition of a woman and the Cass review shows again how tenuous minority legal rights are in a system based on the exploitation of the majority by a small elite, who ultimately can only maintain their power through the methods of divide and rule. So how can we fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the teeth of these attacks? Youth walkout against Trump When Starmer went to the White House, he issued an invitation to Trump from the King. We don’t yet know the date of Trump’s visit, but we need to be ready to protest when he comes! Trump has attacked the rights of women, LGBTQ+ people and other minority groups, and supports the mass deportation of migrants. He has bragged about helping billionaires get even richer, all while millions of Americans live in poverty. Socialist Students is putting out the call for Trump to be met by a massive youth walkout on ‘Day X’ – the day he visits Parliament, which we will know closer to the time. We can start to prepare now, by organising meetings in our schools, colleges and universities on how we can protest and build the walkouts. Let’s get ready to show Trump that we reject him and his politics of exploitation and division! https://socialiststudents.org.uk/youth-walkout-against-trump/ Read more: Fighting for LGBTQ+ rights in 2025 An editorial in ‘The Socialist’ the weekly paper of the Socialist Party: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/140155/25-06-2025/fighting-for-lgbtq-rights-in-2025/ The Cass Review one year on An article in Socialism today, the monthly magazine of the Socialist party: https://socialismtoday.org/the-cass-review-one-year-on More Info - Click here for all your Socialist Party links: https://linkin.bio/socialistparty/ We need your help campaigning! The establishment political parties have the backing of the capitalist elites. We need to build a mass movement of working class fighters to take them on. Find out more details about your local campaigns and how you can help by filling in this form: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/join The Socialist Party has no big-business backers, so we rely on your donations to fund all our campaigns. Donate at https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/donations/donatejune2025/ Subscribe to our weekly paper, ‘The Socialist’, and our monthly magazine ‘Socialism Today': https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/subscribe-2/

Hannah Sell, the general Secretary of the Socialist Party, discusses the chaos unleashed on the world economy by Donald Trump's ‘liberation day’ tariffs. What is the logic of the massive tariffs introduced by Trump? Despite appearances, it is not simply a question of a crazy billionaire having got the keys to the White House. Trump reflects the decline of US imperialism, still the strongest power on the planet, but increasingly less able to set the framework for the world. During Trump’s first term and under Biden, tariffs and protectionist measures increased, in an attempt to protect US markets from its global rivals. ‘Liberation Day’, however, was on a qualitatively different scale. Trump and his co-thinkers had drawn the conclusion that it is necessary to launch an offensive ‘knock-‘em-down, drag-‘em-out’ economic fight to defend US capitalism against its competitors, above all China. When the theatrics and fantastical hyperbole now associated with the Trump presidency are set to one side, the tariff war launched on April 2 boils down fundamentally to an attempt to appropriate to US capitalism a larger share of value from the world economy at the expense of its ‘trading partners’, “friend and foe alike” as Trump himself puts it. Read more: Trade wars and the workers’ movement An Editorial of Socialism Today, the monthly magazine of the Socialist Party www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/138333/01-05-2025/socialism-today-editorial-trade-wars-and-the-workers-movement/ Trump’s tariff turmoil An editorial of the Socialist, the weekly paper of the Socialist Party www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/137831/14-04-2025/trumps-tariff-turmoil/ More Info - Click here for all your Socialist Party links: linkin.bio/socialistparty/ We need your help campaigning! The establishment political parties have the backing of the capitalist elites. We need to build a mass movement of working class fighters to take them on. Find out more details about your local campaigns and how you can help by filling in this form: www.socialistparty.org.uk/join The Socialist Party has no big-business backers, so we rely on your donations to fund all our campaigns. Donate at www.socialistparty.org.uk/donations/donatejune2025/ Subscribe to our weekly paper, ‘The Socialist’, and our monthly magazine ‘Socialism Today': www.socialistparty.org.uk/subscribe-2/

Dave Semple, Public and Commercial Service Union (PCS) national Vice president, speaking in a personal capacity, discusses the issues at stake in the upcoming union elections. From 16 April, ballot papers will go out to PCS members to vote for a new National Executive Committee (NEC) and president. PCS organises workers in the civil service, in government agencies and other public sector bodies, and on outsourced government contracts. Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden’s “radical reforms” and Rachel Reeves’s Spring Statement promise “the worst cuts since austerity” – a £2 billion axe to the civil service. This includes 15% cuts to departmental budgets, tens of thousands of jobs to go, the abolition of NHS England with the loss of half the workforce, below-inflation pay rises, unsafe pensions, office closures, increased workload, and attacks on the working environment, including hybrid working. And this catalogue was all promised before the onset of economic chaos and potential downturn following Trump’s tariffs. Elections are taking place this spring in a number of unions – the first time under Starmer’s government. They are all an opportunity for members to elect a fighting leadership that will stand up to Starmer and lead a serious campaign to defend members. Read more: PCS must fight Starmer’s cuts https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/137687/09-04-2025/pcs-must-fight-starmers-cuts/ The battle for the PCS https://socialismtoday.org/the-battle-for-the-pcs More Info - Click here for all your Socialist Party links: https://linkin.bio/socialistparty/ We need your help campaigning! The establishment political parties have the backing of the capitalist elites. We need to build a mass movement of working class fighters to take them on. Find out more details about your local campaigns and how you can help by filling in this form: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/join The Socialist Party has no big-business backers, so we rely on your donations to fund all our campaigns. Donate at https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/donations/donatejune2025/ Subscribe to our weekly paper, ‘the Socialist’, and our monthly magazine ‘Socialism Today': https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/subscribe-2/

Sascha Stanicic discusses the recent German elections in February 2025, which saw a drop in votes for the ‘establishment’ parties, and an increase in support for both the leftwing Die Linke and the right wing Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). Sascha is the federal spokesperson for– Sozialistische Organisation Solidarität (SOL) – the section of the Committee for a Workers International in Germany. The CWI is the international organization the Socialist Party is a member of, check out their website at https://www.socialistworld.net/ Read more: Germany: Election disaster for establishment parties https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/articles/136297/05-03-2025/germany-election-disaster-for-establishment-parties/ The Left Party, Trump, Ukraine and the ‘Debt Brake’ https://www.socialistworld.net/2025/03/10/germany-the-left-party-trump-ukraine-and-the-debt-brake/ More Info - Click here for all your Socialist Party links: https://linkin.bio/socialistparty/ We need your help campaigning! The establishment political parties have the backing of the capitalist elites. We need to build a mass movement of working class fighters to take them on. Find out more details about your local campaigns and how you can help by filling in this form: https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/join The Socialist Party has no big-business backers, so we rely on your donations to fund all our campaigns. Donate at https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/donations/donatejune2025/ Subscribe to our weekly paper, ‘the Socialist’, and our monthly magazine ‘Socialism Today': https://www.socialistparty.org.uk/subscribe-2/