Capitalism, Slavery and the New World
It is impossible to understand the history of capitalism – or the development of its hegemon, the United States – without acknowledging the role of slavery in its construction.
4352 Articles by:
Raven Hart
Raven Hart is co-founder of the Bristol Cooperative Alliance, an organisation that aims to promote a decentralised economy that empowers local communities and facilitates democratic self-determination.
What Starmer Should Have Said About the Colston Statue
This morning, Keir Starmer argued that Colston’s statue was removed in the wrong way. But tearing it down and dumping it in the harbour which facilitated his slave fortune was not just right – it was poetic justice.
The Rise of David Icke
David Icke was once a laughing stock. The growing popularity of his reactionary conspiracism is a symptom of a society in decay.
Tony Benn on the Legacy of Slavery
In 2007, Tony Benn – who was an MP for Bristol for 20 years – gave a speech discussing the legacy of slavery, the fight which brought it down and the ideal of common humanity which powers progressive struggles.
Smart Cities, Surveilled Citizens
‘Smart cities’ technologies have grown in popularity during the coronavirus crisis, and are now being touted as tools of economic recovery – but they will also deepen the power of surveillance over our lives.
Lessons from the Illiberal Democracies
Today’s Tories are closer to the right-wing populist governments of Eastern Europe than the neoliberal mainstream. To defeat them, Labour has to avoid the mistakes that empowered those projects.
The Era of State-Monopoly Capitalism
The Covid-19 crash will concentrate economic power in the hands of the state and major multinational corporations — the task for the Left is to fight for democratic alternatives.
There’s a Problem with Zuleikha
A new primetime TV drama about Russia’s Tatars under Stalinism, ‘Zuleikha Opens her Eyes,’ has divided audiences and the Tatar community itself.
The Glottal Stop
In many parts of British society hearing a working-class accent is a shock – but in professional circles, it is often interpreted as a transgression that needs to be policed.
Blair’s Trade Union Reform at 20
Twenty years ago today Tony Blair introduced a reform which promised to lead to widespread union recognition. Two decades on, it’s clear that he led unions up the garden path.
Scottish Labour’s Groundhog Day
The only path to recovery for Scottish Labour lies in respecting the right of the people to decide their constitutional future – but the party is determined to make the next ten years look the same as the last.
Only Change Can Keep Sheffield Red
As an unpopular Labour establishment looks set to lose control of Sheffield City Council – the former ‘People’s Republic of South Yorkshire’ – it’s clear that real change is needed to reverse the party’s decline.
Why Labour Needs to Be Radical on Housing
Britain is in the midst of its worst housing crisis since the Second World War and, with the temporary ban on evictions almost over, Labour needs to be at the forefront of defending tenants, argues Momentum NCG candidate Laura McAlpine.
America’s Police Riot
The behaviour of police across the United States in the past week has made clear that they are not trying to restore order – instead, they are punishing protestors for questioning their authority.
Saint Monday
The balance between work and leisure time has been contested for centuries including, famously, in ‘Saint Monday’ – where workers declared their own day off when a one-day weekend was not enough.
Making up for Lost Time
A new report looks at recent campaigns where workers and their unions have won shorter working hours – and asks whether they can offer a progressive solution to impending economic crises.
Bertolt Brecht in Dark Times
A new set of translations of the socialist poet and playwright Bertolt Brecht reminds us that the greatest of writers often lived through the darkest of times.
The Limits of Tory Spending
The new Tory government is increasing public spending to shore up its cross-class coalition – how Labour responds to their bigger state will define the next few years.
Are Britain’s Unions Making a Comeback?
Recent membership figures contain some positive news for Britain’s trade unions, but they are a long way from reversing decades of decline – there remains a monumental fight ahead to save the movement.
Bertolt Brecht in Dark Times
A new set of translations of the socialist poet and playwright Bertolt Brecht reminds us that the greatest of writers often lived through the darkest of times.