IV486 - July 2015

Putin’s Russia is an imperialist state dominated by a capitalist oligarchy that controls the state and that has developed a bellicose attitude toward its neighbors, whom the oligarchy reproaches for having taken advantage of the collapse of the Soviet Union in order to escape its century-long tutelage. Embracing an ultra-nationalist ideology that gives a good deal of space to racism, anti-Semitism, and homophobia, its authoritarian neoconservatism has become a veritable standard for the European extreme right. For those of us dedicated to fighting Western imperialism, be it American or European, an understanding of the Russian state’s imperial nature, of its expansionist tendencies, and of the real nature of its contest with the West is essential. [1]

The debate has opened up in Podemos around the need for a candidacy of popular unity and for a break with neoliberalism, in the perspective of the coming general election – which will perhaps be earlier than planned [2]. This election will take place against the background of the Greek crisis and a European scene that is marked by extreme tension. Without a doubt, its outcome, one way or another, also depends on whether the expectations of "change", not only in Greece but also in the Spanish state and the eurozone, increase or diminish. To raise the conflict to a higher level - at least in regard to the Southern countries - is fundamental in order to have a guarantee of a successful outcome, even if it is only partial and temporary.

Radical Socialist has consistently opposed death penalty as a form of punishment. This stems from a number of considerations. In the first place, long before the emergence of modern socialism, during the Enlightenment, it was pointed out, by Cesare Beccaria above all, that if the aim of punishment is to go beyond taking revenge, then the death penalty is unacceptable.
According to liberal theory, the state represents everyone. It is to ensure peace. But if the state is a rational entity, then revenge cannot be a principal motivating factor. During the hanging of Afzal Guru, it was argued that the collective conscience of society will only be satisfied if capital punishment is awarded to the offender. In other words, what motivated the Court was at least as much a perceived desire to pacify the alleged collective conscience of society, as any desire for justice. This shows the gap between Liberal claims and Liberal reality.

IVP 486 July 2015

This is the resolution of the national board of the Portuguese Left Bloc agreed on July 26 2015.

This is the speech given by the speaker of the Greek parliament Zoe Konstantopoulou in the debate in the Greek Parliament on July 22 explaining why she would not vote for the so-called agreement.

The ultra-reactionary movement Daech (known as the so-called Islamic State) has targeted Monday, July 20, 2015, the cultural centre of Amara in the city of Suruc in Turkey, which hosted a meeting of 300 young of Kurdish leftists, members of the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF, by its initials in Turkish), who were preparing to go to the town of Kobani, predominantly inhabited by Kurds but also of Arabs, in Syria in order to participate in its reconstruction.

Radical Socialist condemns the unlawful detention of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) students and those in solidarity, assembled outside Shastri Bhavan in New Delhi on 3 July. We extend solidarity to the struggle of FTII students against the Modi government’s attempt at interfering with the institute.

Very quickly after the Greek government and parliament capitulated to the creditors (European Commission, ECB and IMF) changes were made to the government.

The agreement of July 13, reached after negotiations lasting several months, conducted by the Syriza-ANEL government, is undoubtedly a huge defeat of the forces of the radical Left in Greece. The unprecedented coup d’état carried out by the creditors was only the latest episode in a series of acts of outright blackmail that led the government into a suffocating political impasse.