Neville Spencer reviews a new book by Canadian socialist and political economist Michael Lebowitz.
Economic, political and social revolution
Despite the failure of previous efforts to create socialist systems, ecosocialism remains a visionary alternative, writes Hans Baer.
Economist and author of Capital in the 21st Century Thomas Piketty gave a lecture entitled 鈥淚s Increasing Inequality Inevitable?鈥 to a full house at the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall on October 23.
Piketty presented detailed research on growing income inequality compiled by a number of scholars and sourced directly from national taxation and income statistics from primarily advanced capitalist countries, as well as some statistics from a number of the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
During the early days of his campaign to be US president, Democratic hopeful Bernie Sanders wondered if the crowds that he saw on the street were headed to a baseball game, only to be told: 鈥淎ctually they are on the way to hear you鈥.
This story illustrates how the Sanders message of free education, affordable health care, a $15 minimum wage, taxing the mega-rich and support for renewable energy has taken off.
Young Americans 鈥 the millennials 鈥 facing unpayable student debts, unaffordable health care, low wages and climate change inaction, are flocking to his campaign.
For young people today, the international situation can seem hopeless. The world seems increasingly filled with chaos and crisis, as austerity and war impoverish and immiserate increasing numbers of people around the globe.
The situation facing young people today, in Australia and around the world, is difficult to say the least, and it is important to confront such a situation seriously and with determination.
To win socialism 鈥 a society democratically owned and run by and for the majority of people 鈥 we have to get rid of the capitalist system that stands in our way.
But who is going to do this? The capitalists aren鈥檛 going to give up their privileges.
It's those who are exploited and oppressed by the system that have an interest in changing it.
Capitalism can't permanently satisfy the needs of the majority 鈥 the working class, farmers, women, ethnic and racial minorities and so on.