Topic: Imperialism

Australian imperialism and the rise of China

Tom Bramble looks at the rise of China and considers the conflicts for Australian imperialism: pulled between making the most of China’s booming growth and remaining loyal to the US, which sees China as a potential threat to their imperialist domination.

The Arab Spring: revolution and counter-revolution

The Arab revolutions continue. Sandra Bloodworth looks at the danger of counter-revolution and discusses the political questions and challenges for the left posed by these momentous events.

Australian imperialism in the Cold War

Tom O'Lincoln argues that Australia's interventions in Asia after World War II were the hallmark of a developing imperialist country determined to dominate the surrounding region.

Understanding imperialism: a reply to Sam King

Patrick Weiniger replies to Sam King’s article on imperialism in Marxist Left Review 8.

The origins of the criminal Assad dynasty

Omar Hassan confronts the myth that the Assad dynasty in Syria was ever socialist or anti-imperialist.

US vs Free Syrian Army vs Jabhat al-Nusra (and ISIS): History of a hidden three-way conflict

Michael Karadjis answer the “comic-book view widely expressed in tabloid journals of the mainstream, left and right", that alleges the Syrian rebellion against the dictatorship of Bashar Assad is a conspiracy of incompatible forces.

The siege and resistance in Gaza: Interview with Toufic Haddad

Palestinian intellectual and author Toufic Haddad speaks about the state of Palestinian politics in the context of an inspiring new round of popular resistance.

The Trump presidency, US imperialism and the future of the neoliberal order

Tom Bramble analyses the changing dynamics of the Trump presidency.

The social construction of sectarianism in the Middle East

Omar Hassan outlines a materialist explanation of sectarian conflict in the Middle East, arguing that true social liberation is bound up with the abolition of capitalism in the region.

Gilbert Achcar on the undying revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa

In this wide-ranging interview, Gilbert Achcar explores the issues raised by the inspirational return of revolution to the Middle East and North Africa.

Review: Workers’ anti-war resistance in Japan

Shomi Yoon reviews a new work on the rich history of working class anti-war activism in Japan during World War 2.

Croatian nationalism

Robert Bollard looks at the history of the crisis in former Yugoslavia.

Dinky-di domination: Australian imperialism and the South Pacific

David Glanz documents the sordid history of Australian imperialism in the South Pacific.

Mariátegui: A South American revolutionary

Tom O'Lincoln examines the politics of an influential Latin American revolutionary, Jose Mariátegui.

Iran: Rebellion and revolt at the heart of the republic

In this fascinating survey of politics in Iran, Shiva Tabari and Darren Roso put forward a revolutionary perspective for class struggle and socialist organising in a highly charged and challenging situation.

Imperialism in the nineties

Diane Fields analyses the new contours of imperialism after the fall of the USSR.

The new Australian militarism

Tom O'Lincoln surveys the history of Australian imperialism, arguing that Australia has independent reasons for maintaining the US alliance, which it uses to dominate and exploit peoples across our region.

The Gulf War, Israel and the Palestinians

In this fascinating piece, Janey Stone surveys the response of Israelis and Palestinians to the first Gulf war, and how it set the scene for the coming Oslo accords.

Nationalism and revolution in the Arab world

Sandra Bloodworth critiques the failures of Arab nationalism, putting a case for a socialist strategy for working class self-emancipation in the region.

Australia 1917: From world war to class war

Mick Armstrong looks at the impact of World War I on the class struggle in Australia.

Vietnam: How we won last time

Anne Picot provides a history of the Australian anti-war movement of the 1960s.

Review: The real history of WWI

Ryan Stanton reviews Alan Wood's recent book, a Marxist analysis of World War I.

Biden's plan for the US empire

Tom Bramble analyses the approach the Biden administration is taking to the new cold war between the US and China.

AUKUS and the US alliance: Australian imperialism in the Indo-Pacific

Tom Bramble examines Australia's aggressive role in the growing imperialist competition in the Indo-Pacific and argues that the left must oppose Australia’s involvement in the US-led war drive.

Editorial: Toil and trouble

Omar Hassan explores the social and political ramifications of inflation and rising interest rates, growing geopolitical instability and the prospects for working-class resistance.

East Germany 1953: Workers’ forgotten rebellion against Stalinism

Tess Lee Ack looks back at the workers’ uprising in June 1953, the first challenge to the Stalinist monolith in Eastern Europe.

From Marx to Lenin: Debates that forged the socialist approach to war

Mick Armstrong traces the development of debates on war and militarism in the socialist movement in the lead-up to World War I.

The Palestinian national liberation struggle: A socialist analysis

This 2002 article by Mostafa Omar provides important background for understanding Israel's genocidal war on Palestine, and the political limitations of the organisations that claimed to stand for Palestinian liberation.

Nuclear war – “I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds”

Liz Ross examines the horrifying impact and ongoing legacy of nuclear weapons, and argues that their unceasing proliferation, supported by Australia’s Labor government, increases the likelihood of nuclear war.

Palestine and the classless politics of settler colonial theory

Jordan Humphreys builds on his earlier work in critiquing settler colonial theory, this time as applied to arguably its strongest possible case.

Hamas: A Marxist appraisal

Omar Hassan critically assesses the Palestinian organisation Hamas, arguing that its politics and strategy offer no possibility of achieving Palestinian liberation.