Left-of-centre democratic ideologies and movements Books

1683 products


  • Terms of Disorder – Keywords for an Interregnum

    Seagull Books London Ltd Terms of Disorder – Keywords for an Interregnum

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisA timely book addressing the burning concerns of our times, from the excesses of capitalism to the global crisis of leadership. There is widespread agreement, across a voluble political spectrum and around the planet, that we live in times of intensifying insecurity and turmoil. If ours is an age of transition, its direction is anything but certain. Momentous transformations in ecology, geopolitics, and everyday life are shadowed by a suffocating sense of stasis. The limits to capital and the limits of nature are entangled in frightful ways, while the profoundly obsolete form of leadership, domination, and conflict exacerbate an already baleful situation. And yet struggles for liberation have not been quelled. Terms of Disorder confronts this moment by probing some of the defining terms in the modern vocabulary of emancipation, with the aim of testing their capacity to name and orient collective action set on abolishing the present state of things. Ranging from communism to leadership, the eleven keywords addressed in this book provide a set of interlocking points of entry into the common task of forging a political language capable of navigating our disorientation. If, as Gramsci famously noted, the interregnum is a time when the new struggles to be born while the old order is moribund, we may wish to heed Cedric Robinson’s call to “choose wisely among the dying.” Table of ContentsPreface1. Communism2. Radicalism3. Reformism4. Prometheanism5. The People 6. Resistance7. Dual Power 8. Transition9. LeadershipAcknowledgments and Sources

    2 in stock

    £18.99

  • Owning the Future: Power and Property in an Age

    Verso Books Owning the Future: Power and Property in an Age

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe question of ownership is the critical fault line of our times. During the pandemic this issue has only become more divisive. Since March 2020 we have witnessed the extraordinary growth of asset manager capitalism and the explosive concentration of wealth within the hands of the already super-rich. This new oligarchy controls every part of our social and economics lives.In the face of crisis, the authors warn that mere redistribution within current forms of ownership is not enough; our goal must be to go beyond the limits of the current system, dominated by private enclosure and unequal ownership. Only by reimagining how our economy is owned and by whom can we address the crises of our time - from the fallout of the pandemic to ecological collapse - at their roots.Building from this insight, the authors argue the systemic change we need hinges on a new era of democratic ownership: a reinvention of the firm as a vehicle for collective endeavour and meeting social needs. Against the new oligarchy of the platform giants, a digital commons that uses our data for collective good, not private profit. In place of environmental devastation, a new agenda of decommodification - of both nature and needs - with a Green New Deal and collective stewardship of the planet's natural wealth. Together, these proposals offer a road map to owning the future, and building a better world.Trade ReviewHowever queasily anxious it makes the political class, the question of who should own what in our economy still hangs in the air, unanswered. This pacy and accessible book unpacks the issues and offers solutions with a welcome dash of imagination and optimism. -- Aditya Chakrabortty, Senior Economics Commentator, The GuardianOwning the Future offers a vision for a future beyond capitalism. It will require nothing less than a radical democratization of ownership. An ambitious book that should inspire many to help workout the details of a much needed transition. -- Katharina Pistor, author of The Code of Capital: How the Law Creates Wealth and InequalityAmid a growing divide between those who own assets and those who don't, Owning the Future offers an essential guide to the shifting landscape of property, politics, and power today, from the enclosure of knowledge in vaccine IP to the outsized power of massive asset managers. Seamlessly blending social theory and case studies, Adrienne Buller and Mathew Lawrence lucidly diagnose the pathologies of private ownership across a range of sectors - housing, data, ecosystems - and make a powerful case for the necessity of public and democratic alternatives. -- Alyssa Battistoni, co-author of A Planet to WinA must-have guide for anyone interested in reimagining ownership in our age of compounding crises. Lawrence and Buller map out how we can escape from a world of escalating competition over dwindling assets towards a future where the inherent value of every person is recognised. Read this if you want to maintain any hope in a different vision of the twenty-first century. -- Kojo Koram, author of Uncommon WealthBuller and Lawrence imagine a world where corporates are democratized, the stock market loses its power, and the state invests in a common fund for citizens and makes real and substantial investments in decarbonization. This is no fever dream. It is a well-reasoned plan of action and far more possible than we think. -- Mark Blyth, author of Austerity: The History of a Dangerous IdeaYou will finish this gripping book equipped with the tools to rethink what property means, ready to reimagine and transform ownership so that we can effectively redistribute power, decommodify the provision of essential goods and services, and expand the meaning of the commons. A powerful exposé of how, together, we can own the future on an habitable planet. -- Isabelle Ferreras, author of Firms as Political EntitiesPraise for Planet on Fire * : *This clear and incisive book starts from the immensely important insight that we cannot understand climate breakdown outside of the capitalist social relations that produced it. Planet on Fire reminds us that climate breakdown is intimately linked to all the overlapping crises humanity faces - from the rise of the far right, to growing socioeconomic inequality, to the COVID-19 pandemic - and that ecosocialism is the only route to an equal and sustainable world. -- Grace BlakeleyEloquent, clear-sighted and erudite... an important analysis of the interlocking political and economic forces driving us towards ecological catastrophe, and a credible route-map towards an alternative -- Will DaviesOffers blueprints, rally-points for energies, and chronicles of useful pasts for a decarbonized future. In the end, the climate crisis, they remind us, is not about individual morality or scientific authority but power and politics. This is a handbook for the fights to come. -- Quinn SlobodianThe authors' vision of the path to climate justice is an antidote to disaster politics in so many ways, not least because it is both fair and unexpectedly luxurious. Each page is absolutely brimming with ideas as they meticulously take us through every important sector of the economy and reveal carefully thought through recommendations for reform. By focusing on power and who wields it they correctly identify the levers for change and who must now be empowered to push them. -- Michelle Meagher

    2 in stock

    £11.39

  • Liberty and Equality

    Princeton University Press Liberty and Equality

    Book SynopsisTrade Review"An important philosophical contribution highlighting the thoughts of one of the more important postwar advocates of liberalism in the 20th century." * Library Journal *

    £15.29

  • Angel in the Forest: A Fairy Tale of Two Utopias

    Dalkey Archive Press Angel in the Forest: A Fairy Tale of Two Utopias

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisAngel in the Forest is Marguerite Young's fascinating chronicle of two attempts to establish utopian communities in nineteenth-century America.In it, she recounts the strange tale of New Harmony, Indiana, a community originally founded in 1814 by the German mystic Father George Rapp, who wanted to apply Scriptural communism to daily life in order to bring about the New Jerusalem. It was sold in 1825 to Robert Owen, the father of British socialism who, with a group of English immigrants, implemented his own theories for a perfect community, this time based on rationalism.Both experiments failed, but Young finds in both a distinctively American yearning for utopia, which continues to characterize the American spirit to this day: a tradition of faith and folly can be traced from Owen's New Moral World to George Bush's New World Order.Written with the same elegance, wit, and lyric beauty that distinguishes her fiction, Angel in the Forest was widely praised upon its first publication in 1945. This edition includes Mark Van Doren's introduction to Scribner's 1966 reprint.Trade Review“When a poet chooses to write history facts gain in power and in dimension. Young is a meticulous scholar, but she illumines every description and every character with her laser light of significance. Her facts radiate wit and irony and are incarnated in human beings.” —Anaïs Nin, Los Angeles Times”One of my very treasured books . . . the best book I know on the subject of the early primitive religious cults. I hope it will get the attention it deserves.” —Katherine Anne PorterTable of ContentsContentsNew Harmony Today—A Glimpse in Summer, 1940Backward into Old Harmony—A Dissolving VistaThe Children of the Ozarks, 1940The Children of IsraelA Journey to the WabashA Machine Like ClockworkA City Whose Ten Gates Are of GoldFrederick Rapp, the Lord TemporalThe Exodus of the Rappites from HarmonyThe Coming of OneThe Fading of the Golden RoseAnother Coming, Another DispensationA Pilgrim's ProgressDearest CarolineAn Eden of ChildrenParadise Was LostJehovah and RousseauInterviews with Emperors and KingsNew Harmony, the Goal of ManAmerica, the Promised LandThe Pears FamilyThe Fool of NatureNoah's Ark, the Maid of Mist, the Boatload of KnowledgeNew Harmony, the Golden RoseAn Adult ViewSerpents in the GardenThe Declaration of Mental IndependenceExodus from New HarmonyGlaucas, 1940The Third Age of New HarmonyRobert Owen's Ideal Made Real to Dwell Among UsBuilder of Old HarmonyUtopia in BedlamFarewell to New Harmony

    1 in stock

    £14.24

  • The End of the Party

    Penguin Books Ltd The End of the Party

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisAndrew Rawnsley''s bestselling The End of the Party lifts the lid on the second half of New Labour''s spell in office.Through riveting inside accounts of all the key events from 9/11 and the Iraq War to the financial crisis and the parliamentary expenses scandal, Rawnsley takes us through the triumphs and tribulations of New Labour. With entertaining portraits of the main playershe exposes the astonishing feuds and reconciliations between Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Peter Mandelson.''Rawnsley has talked to everyone who has counted over the past ten years ... A brilliant account...a sheer delight for the political connoisseur. Almost every page provides a fresh insight or piece of information not previously in the public domain'' Peter Oborne, Daily Mail ''The book''s authority rests on an impressive breadth of research ... This lively Shakespearian account ... the most thorough, the most enjoyable and the most original book yet written about Ne

    2 in stock

    £16.14

  • Is Socialism Inseparable from Common Ownership

    Spokesman Books Is Socialism Inseparable from Common Ownership

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £5.85

  • Womens Rights and Global Socialism Volume 30 Part

    Cambridge University Press Womens Rights and Global Socialism Volume 30 Part

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWomen's emancipation was a central but contested pillar of socialist and communist internationalism during the twentieth century. The collapse of state socialism has led to renewed interest in the history and legacies of women's movements across the former socialist world during the era of decolonisation, and their significance for global feminisms in the present day. Responding to these debates, this collection of essays explores the history of transnational socialist feminisms during the global Cold War from the perspective of mid-ranking activists, officials and functionaries in international communist and left-revolutionary movements in Eastern Europe and the postcolonial world. Drawing on new sources, including private correspondence, interviews, memoirs and institutional archives, the essays ask how these activists defined women's rights from the era of the Popular Fronts in the 1930s until the United Nations Decade of Women (1976â1985).Table of Contents1. Introduction – Women's Rights and Global Socialism: Gendering Socialist Internationalism during the Cold War Celia Donert; 2. “Warphans” and “Quiet” Heroines: Depictions of Chinese Women and Children in the Comité mondial des femmes contre la guerre et le fascisme's Campaigns during the Second Sino-Japanese War Jasmine Calver; 3. Between National and International: Women's Transnational Activism in Twentieth-Century Chile María Fernanda Lanfranco González; 4. Radicalizing Feminism: The Mexican and Cuban Associations within the Women's International Democratic Federation in the Early Cold War Manuel Ramírez Chicharro; 5. International Solidarity as the Cornerstone of the Hungarian Post-War Socialist Women's Rights Agenda in the Magazine Asszonyok Zsófia Lóránd; 6. Women Labour Models and Socialist Transformation in early 1950s China Nicola Spakowski; 7. The WIDF's Work for Women's Rights in the (Post)colonial Countries and the “Soviet Agenda” Yulia Gradskova; 8. A Gendered Approach to the Yu Chi Chan Club and National Liberation Front during South Africa's Transition to Armed Struggle Allison Drew; 9. Women's Transnational Activism against Portugal's Colonial Wars Giulia Strippoli; 10. “The Call of the World”: Women's Memories of Global Socialist Feminism in India Mallarika Sinha Roy.

    1 in stock

    £18.99

  • Age of Hope

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Age of Hope

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe clue to our future lies in our past and Toye has winkled it out with elegant and devastating precision. Chris Bryant, MP for RhonddaWAS THE ATTLEE GOVERNMENT OF 1945 REALLY THE GOLDEN PERIOD OF LABOUR POWER?2024 marks the centenary of the first Labour government under Ramsay MacDonald. What legacy of the past have they left behind? How far has each Labour administration influenced succeeding administrations? Above all, was the Attlee government of 1945 really the golden period of Labour power?Professor Richard Toye explores Labour's exercise of power as a continuum, setting Attlee's administration in long-term historical context between the first Labour Government of 1924 and the current party under Keir Starmer. Within this context he shows why the Attlee administration matters so much and how successive Labour governments have fashioned it in their own image.Into this story are woven the foundation of the Labour Party in 1900, the First World War, the General StrikTrade ReviewThe clue to our future lies in our past and Toye has winkled it out with elegant and devastating precision. Anyone who wants to find the nuggets of hope in today's Britain as we approach a watershed election needs to read this book and see what pragmatic idealism achieved between 1945 and 1951. -- Chris Bryant, MP for RhonddaThis is a stunningly original revision of the Attlee government and its impact on British society. It's the best book I've read this year. -- Frank Field, former MP for BirkenheadA hundred years since the first Labour Government, Richard Toye’s readable and persuasive study argues that while arguments over the party’s past have often shaped its future, Labour does best when it forgets old battles and finds a way to combine hope with pragmatism. The history of the era is highly contested, but the book does a masterly job of picking through the bitterness to understand what has worked in the past and has a reasonable chance of working in the future. -- Anne Perkins, author of 'A Very British Strike' and 'Red Queen: The Authorized Biography of Barbara Castle'This book illustrates how the key players in the Attlee Government combined their radical idealism and pragmatism to seize their moment and create such a sense of purpose and hope that was truly transformative and set the standard for all subsequent Labour administrations to live up to. -- John McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington

    2 in stock

    £22.50

  • Keeping the Red Flag Flying

    Polity Press Keeping the Red Flag Flying

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisLabour leader Harold Wilson was once asked how difficult he found being prime minister of the United Kingdom. Not half as difficult as being Leader of the Opposition', he replied. Sadly for the Labour Party, much of the last century has been spent in shadow government. But were these wasted years in the Party's history?Or did they offer vital opportunities for creation and improvement? InKeeping the Red Flag Flyingpolitical historians Mark Garnett, Gavin Hyman and Richard Johnson offer the first in-depth account of Labour's periods out of office since becoming the Official Opposition in 1922. They argue that, far from being barren periods in the Party's history, Labour's opposition years from MacDonald to Starmer have been undervalued and misunderstood. Across the book's eight chapters they scrutinise Labour's approach to reforming the party machinery, its development of policy proposals, its success in appealing to the wider electorate and its skill in opposing the go

    2 in stock

    £16.19

  • It's Not You, It's Capitalism: Why It's Time to

    Workman Publishing It's Not You, It's Capitalism: Why It's Time to

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisRenowned journalist Malaika Jabali debunks myths, centres forgotten socialists of colour who have shaped our world, and shows us socialism is not all Marx and Bernie Bros-it can be pretty sexy.We've all dated someone who took control of the relationship-you know, someone who makes you feel like you're unhappy because you're just not putting in the work, or it's all in your head. But when you think about trying to meet new people, it feels terrifying. Like, have you looked at Tinder recently? It's rough out there! Your tough-love new best friend, award-winning journalist, policy attorney, and life-long socialist Malaika Jabali is here to say: we are all in a generations-long toxic relationship with Capitalism, and it is time to get the h*ll out of there and move ALONG. She gives you everything you need to know about what a healthy relationship could actually look like, issue by issue-from healthcare and housing to the whole concept of American democracy-with our new boo: Socialism. And no, Socialism isn't the boring, grey, authoritarian, Cold-War-era monster that you've heard about. With accessible explanations and illustrations, often surprising graphs and stats, and some Drake memes, this book will show you that we NEED to build a world that's safer, kinder, cleaner, healthier, and more equal. And that this isn't a utopian dream - it's within our grasp, if we collectively decide to call out Capitalism for what it really is and wake up to a better future. Fun, smart, and inspiring, It's Not You It's Capitalism is the hottest new relationship in your life!

    2 in stock

    £18.00

  • Revolutionaries in the Halls of Power

    1 in stock

    £18.04

  • Hegemony Now: How Big Tech and Wall Street Won

    Verso Books Hegemony Now: How Big Tech and Wall Street Won

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisToday power is in the hands of Wall Street and Silicon Valley. How do we understand this transformation in power? And what can we do about it?We cannot change anything until we have a better understanding of how power works, who holds it, and why that matters. Through upgrading the concept of hegemony-understanding the importance of passive consent; the complexity of political interests; and the structural force of technology-Jeremy Gilbert and Alex Williams offer us an updated theory of power for the twenty-first century.Hegemony Now explores how these forces came to control our world. The authors show how they have shaped the direction of politics and government as well as the neoliberal economy to benefit their own interests. However, this dominance is under threat. Following the 2008 financial crisis, a new order emerged in which the digital platform is the central new technology of both production and power. This offers new opportunities for counter hegemonic strategies to win back power. Hegemony Now outlines a dynamic socialist strategy for the twenty-first century.Trade ReviewA landmark piece of work combining theoretical rigour and innovation with a magisterial mapping of the landscape of contemporary power. Gilbert and Williams have produced an essential guide to socialist strategy today. -- Nick SrnicekGilbert and Williams offer practical and hopeful strategies for changing the "directions of travel" of the contemporary conjuncture - especially in the U.S. and U.K. But what makes Hegemony Now uniquely impressive is how seamlessly their politics emerges from their sophisticated analysis of the conditions and actualities of the present. Grounded in rich theorizing and a strong commitment to historical specificity, they pull post-Marxism back from the brink by taking up the under-theorized concept of material interests. Mapping the relations among economics, politics, and culture, they refuse to give in to the seductions of simplicity, choosing instead to make visible some of the complexities and contradictions that have produced a distinct set of interconnected crises. This is a book that crosses the divide between political economy and cultural studies, but it is a must-read for anyone trying to make sense of the apparent chaos of contemporary life and the possibilities for a better future. -- Lawrence GrossbergIn engaging and accessible prose, Gilbert and Williams provide an astute political analysis of our current conjuncture...an important provocation for the left. -- Michael HardtIn the process of clarifying and updating the often misunderstood (and occasionally maligned) concept of hegemony, Gilbert and Williams also provide us with a valuable analysis of the "long 1990s": an account of its constitution, a diagnosis of its crisis and a map for its overcoming. Anyone committed to the latter must engage with this book. -- Rodrigo Nunes, author of Neither Vertical Nor Horizontal: A Theory of Political OrganisationThe task for socialists is to live without illusions without becoming disillusioned. Gilbert and Williams have written a timely contribution in how the left acts strategically - learning from the successes and failures of the last decade. -- Aaron Bastani[Gilbert and Williams] have done a brilliant job stripping away much of the complexity that makes post and neo-Marxist language so difficult to engage with for ordinary mortals ... this book repays close attention. -- Gavin O'Toole * Morning Star *

    1 in stock

    £16.14

  • Disobey!: A Philosophy of Resistance

    Verso Books Disobey!: A Philosophy of Resistance

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe world is out of joint, so much so that disobeying should be an urgent act for everyone. In this provocative essay, Frédéric Gros explores the roots of political obedience, social conformity, economic subjection, respect for authorities, constitutional consensus. Examining the various styles of obedience provides tools to study, invent and induce new forms of civic disobedience and lyrical protest. Nothing can be taken for granted: neither supposed certainties nor social conventions, economic injustice or moral conviction. Thinking philosophically requires us to never accept truths and generalities that seem obvious-it restores a sense of political responsibility. At a time when the decisions of experts are presented as the result of icy statistics and anonymous calculations, disobeying becomes an assertion of humanity. To philosophise is to disobey. This book is a call for critical democracy and ethical resistance.Trade ReviewIn this personal reflection of remarkable clarity and intelligence, the author shows above all how the decision between obedience and disobedience ultimately remains a personal matter. * Le Monde *The philosopher Frédéric Gros analyses the wellsprings of our passivity. Citizens submit out of fear, social conformity, or pleasure, but also to escape their own responsibility. Yet disobedience is not incompatible with democracy. * Libération *This specialist in political philosophy dissects the mechanisms of obedience. * Télérama *Inspiring! * Elle *A masterly political and ethical reflection. This essay examines the inner condition of the political and social subject, asking why it is hard to disobey even when the world imposes desperate conditions of life. * Les Inrockuptibles *A call to resist conformity and tyranny. -- Alain Finkielkraut * Philosophie magazine *

    2 in stock

    £14.24

  • Prophets of Deceit: A Study of the Techniques of

    Verso Books Prophets of Deceit: A Study of the Techniques of

    4 in stock

    Book SynopsisA classic book that analyzes and defines media appeals specific to American pro-fascist and anti-Semite agitators of the 1940s, such as the application of psychosocial manipulation for political ends. The book details psychological deceits that idealogues or authoritarians commonly used. The techniques are grouped under the headings "Discontent", "The Opponent", "The Movement" and "The Leader". The authors demonstrate repetitive patterns commonly utilized, such as turning unfocused social discontent towards a targeted enemy. The agitator positions himself as a unifying presence: he is the ideal, the only leader capable of freeing his audience from the perceived enemy. Yet, as the authors demonstrate, he is a shallow person who creates social or racial disharmony, thereby reinforcing that his leadership is needed. The authors believed fascist tendencies in America were at an early stage in the 1940s, but warned a time might come when Americans could and would be "susceptible to ... [the] psychological manipulation" of a rabble rouser. A book once again relevant in the Trump era, as made clear by Corey Robin's new introduction.Trade ReviewBeyond all doubt the most illuminating study of the techniques and the propaganda of the native American Fascist which has yet appeared. -- Cary McWilliams * New York Times *To judge from this first volume, the Studies in Prejudice Series is likely to make many significant contributions to our knowledge of the dynamics of intergroup relations, social movements, and societal change as well as of prejudice as such. Löwenthal and Guterman especially deserve praise for a wise and significant volume. -- ALFRED MCCLUNG LEE * PUBLIC OPINION QUARTERLY *

    4 in stock

    £16.14

  • Capitalism: A Conversation in Critical Theory

    Verso Books Capitalism: A Conversation in Critical Theory

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisCapitalism, by the twenty-first century, has brought us an era of escalating, overlapping crisis - ecological, political, social - which we may not survive. In this brilliant, wide-ranging conversation, political philosophers Nancy Fraser and Rahel Jaeggi identify capitalism as the source of the devastation and examine its in-built tendency to crisis. In an exchange that ranges across history, critical theory, ecology, feminism and political theory, Fraser and Jaeggi find that capitalism's tendency to separate what is connected - human from non-human nature, commodity production and social reproduction - is at the heart of its crisis tendency. These "boundary struggles," Fraser and Jaeggi conclude, constitute capitalism's most destructive power but are also the sites where a fighting left movement might be able to halt the destruction and build the non-capitalist future we so desperately need.A crucial text for students of political theory, economic theory, and social change, Capitalism offers an invigorated critique of twenty-first century capitalism and an incisive study of our current conjuncture.Trade ReviewAs the world is caught up in a whirlwind of multiple crises - social, ecological, political, civilizational - we desperately need to get our hands on and shut down the source. In this book, two of the most acute minds in critical theory point their fingers towards capitalism. This is the sort of sober and passionate thinking we need in a world careening out of control. -- Andreas MalmAn eloquent, well-reasoned, and thorough account of the key institution of our time - capitalism. For them, capitalism is not only a mode of production but also an institutional order or form of life. Those who have followed Fraser's discussion of recognition or justice, or read Jaeggi on the actuality of alienation, will cherish this brilliant contribution to understanding the world in which we live. -- Robin BlackburnIn their search for a more expansive definition of capitalism, Fraser and Jaeggi maneuver through different prisms: historically, morally, ethically and functionally. In doing this, they point out the weakness of each and the necessity of combining the views each of these prisms in order to come up with an expansive, inclusive and more honest understanding. -- Ron Jacobs * Counterpunch *Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroduction1. Conceptualizing Capitalism2. Historicizing Capitalism3. Criticizing Capitalism4. Contesting Capitalism

    2 in stock

    £14.24

  • Is Socialism Possible in Britain?: Reflections on

    Verso Books Is Socialism Possible in Britain?: Reflections on

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisSelected as one of the 15 best political and current affairs books of 2022 by The TimesIs Socialism Possible in Britain? analyses Jeremy Corbyn's tenure as Labour leader and the prospects for parliamentary socialism in a post-Corbyn Britain. Lively and insightful, it is informed by an insider's view of the most radical period in Labour's history. A veteran of the Stop the War Coalition, Andrew Murray was seconded to Corbyn's office from the Unite trade union and witnessed an extraordinary daily bombardment from sections of the Parliamentary Labour Party and the media. He candidly assesses the leadership's response to the antisemitism controversy and the dilemmas of Brexit, as well as Keir Starmer's restoration of a turgid neo-Blairism. The problems that beset Corbyn are likely to confront any similar political project. Is Socialism Possible in Britain? explores how they can be more effectively addressed in the future - a future which we must hope is not so far away.Trade ReviewThe most fluent and authoritative account to have emerged from the left...humorous and candid -- Gabriel Pogrund * Times, Best Books 2022 *A vital corrective to establishment efforts to erase Corbynism and deny how close it came to power. -- Ronan Burtenshaw, Editor of TribuneEngaging and very readable, with profound insights and a coruscating wit. * Morning Star *Insightful, indeed inspiring. -- Kevin Maguire * Daily Mirror *The best of the Corbyn camp's books. Murray powerfully points at rotten pillars of the global order that the Labour right sometimes defends. -- Tom Clark * Times Literary Supplement *

    2 in stock

    £14.24

  • Communism and Strategy: Rethinking Political

    Verso Books Communism and Strategy: Rethinking Political

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisIf the question of communism is making a comeback today, this renewed interest is often accompanied by an abandonment of any concrete political perspective. Critical philosophies are flourishing and proliferating, but, folded into the academic terrain, they often remain disconnected from the global issues associated with the present crisis of capitalism, contributing, in turn, to the fragmentation of the resistances that are opposed to it.Instead of locking the perspective of emancipation into the registers of utopia, or relegating it to the side of an empty populism, Isabelle Garo studies in this book the conditions of a contemporary revival of the alternative as a collective construction, anchored in real aspirations and struggles and inseparable from a rethinking of the theoretical work. By addressing the impasses faced by many of the most fashionable radical theorists - Badiou, Laclau, the theorists of the commons, and revisiting them in relation to Marx and Gramsci also allows us to re-read the latter from the point of view of contemporary questions of the state and the party, of work and property, of conflict and hegemony. Thus, to rethink strategy is above all to re-explore the question of mediations, whether they be forms of organisation or existing mobilisations, as sites par excellence of political invention.Trade ReviewOverall, Isabelle Garo's Communisme et stratégie is a book that gives hope for the possibility of radical change. Rejecting the pessimism of the Frankfurt School and denouncing theory's fetishism for doomsday narratives, her work stands out in capturing a crucial moment that is demanding a better future. Grounding her positive outlook in a thorough analysis of Marx's political thought, she does not seek to affirm that we simply need to take his word as law, but that his political vision is valuable exactly because it takes into account the historical conjuncture it is inscribed in. -- Solange Manche * Marx and Philosophy Review of Books *Isabelle Garo's book deserves to be read for its polemical originality and the force of its proposals. -- Michael Löwy * Le Monde Diplomatique *Garo's theoretical work combines philological rigour with a reflection on the challenges facing Marxism and an emphasis on the need to re-fuse Marxism with the activity of the working class, social movements and the people. -- Juan Dal Maso * Révolution Permanente *Isabelle Garo's book does not propose ready-made solutions, but it does open up a major project that should be tackled by all those who intend to make the convergence of different struggles into something more than simply an abstract watchword. -- Jean Quétier * Cause Commune *In this brilliant essay, Isabelle Garo restores critical and political power to the communist proposal. Rereading Marx, she understands communism as being, above all, a strategy, a vigorous counter-offensive against capitalism, thanks to the emancipatory convergence of the struggles led by the oppressed. This book is an outstanding contribution to critical and political radicalism in our times. -- Michael LöwyThis book offers a new perspective in the debate on communism relaunched in the 2000s. Garo turns the problem upside down and revisits key contemporary interventions in the light of a scrupulous and contextualized study of Marx's theory. Communism appears thus not as an abstract idea but as the strategic question that can open up new perspectives for the revolutionary struggles of our time. -- Stathis Kouvelakis, author of Philosophy and Revolution. From Kant to Marx

    2 in stock

    £17.99

  • No Ordinary Women: Irish Female Activists in the

    O'Brien Press Ltd No Ordinary Women: Irish Female Activists in the

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisUpdated edition with many more biographies and a new introduction by the author. Spies, snipers, couriers, gun-runners, medics, women played a major role in the fight for Ireland's freedom, risking loss of life and family for a cause to which they were totally committed. This book highlights a time when vast numbers of Irish women were politicised and imprisoned for their beliefs, with a special emphasis on one prison, Kilmainham Gaol. They came from every class in society and all walks of life: titled ladies and shop assistants, doctors, housewives, laundry workers, artists and teachers. Some were married with children, others widowed and some mere schoolchildren. These are hidden stories that vividly recreate the characters, personalities and courage of Ireland's revolutionary women.Trade Reviewabsolutely riveting -- South East Radio’s Morning Miximpressive contribution to the decade of centenaries … a fine book and a very worthwhile counterweight to the overwhelmingly male view of the Rising and War of Independence that still prevails -- The Tuam HeraldAn outstanding book, painstakingly researched, accessibly structured and beautifully presented ... This is a book about who we are, peopled by familiar faces. Its pages are friends. Yes, it is a monument of sorts; certainly a tribute and a rich resource. More than anything, it is a great story waiting too long to be told. -- Irish Independent * Irish Independent *This book is important to the study of the period and to the hidden history of women in Ireland -- Dermot Bolger - The Sunday Tribune * The Sunday Tribune *a remarkable book -- Irish Examiner'What amazed me was the extraordinary bravery of the women, which would never have been recorded had it not been for this book' -- Irish ExaminerTable of ContentsIntroduction by Dr Margaret Ward 11 Foreword: Finding Women 12 Chapter 1: Women Activists (1900–1916) 20 Chapter 2: The Women of the Rising 34 Chapter 3: Women and the Road to Independence (1917–1921) 59 Chapter 4: The Civil War (1922–1923) 88 Biographies 139 Appendix 1: Prisoner List – 1916 242 Appendix 2: Prisoner List – Civil War 244 Notes 266 Bibliography 286 Picture Credits 312 Index 313

    2 in stock

    £20.69

  • Making sense of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

    Resistance Books Making sense of Russia's invasion of Ukraine

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £8.99

  • Utopia

    Double 9 Booksllp Utopia

    2 in stock

    Book Synopsis

    2 in stock

    £9.49

  • The Cost of Living Crisis: (and how to get out of

    Verso Books The Cost of Living Crisis: (and how to get out of

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisWe are living through a cost of living crisis, with interest rate hikes and the prices of everyday consumables and energy bills sky-rocketing. Why is this happening? Sometimes we are told that wages are too high, or that the government has "printed" too much money or that events far away, such as the war in Ukraine, are solely to blame. The plain argument that high prices go together with high profits, falling wages, and weak production is often distorted and hidden by mainstream commentary in the media and elsewhere. This plain-speaking pamphlet tells it straight: the big businesses dominating production and distribution make huge profits out of high inflation, while working people lose out. It sets out factual evidence to illustrate that the source of record profits is the fall in real wages as inflation rises. A large part of the income of working people is being transferred directly into the profits of big business. The pamphlet shows that the deeper roots of the "cost of living crisis" lie in the very low investment and poor productivity growth for many years. The basic steps to resolving the crisis are simple: prices, especially of essentials, must be brought down, and wages, salaries, benefits, and pensions must be increased.Trade Review[An] excellent little book -- Will Podmore * The Morning Star *A small book with a mighty big punch ... Closely argued in clear, accessible language, [The Cost of Living Crisis] demolishes the decades-old lie that wage rises are the source of inflation, and backs that case with hard facts. * Scottish Socialist Voice *

    2 in stock

    £7.99

  • The Black Book of Communism

    Harvard University Press The Black Book of Communism

    Book SynopsisThis international bestseller plumbs archives in the former Soviet bloc to reveal the actual, practical accomplishments of Communism around the world: terror, torture, famine, mass deportations, and massacres. The authors show how and why, wherever the ideology of Communism was established, it quickly led to crime, terror, and repression.Trade ReviewAn 800-page compendium of the crimes of Communist regimes worldwide, recorded and analyzed in ghastly detail by a team of scholars. The facts and figures, some of them well known, others newly confirmed in hitherto inaccessible archives, are irrefutable. The myth of the well-intentioned founders--the good czar Lenin betrayed by his evil heirs--has been laid to rest for good. No one will any longer be able to claim ignorance or uncertainty about the criminal nature of Communism, and those who had begun to forget will be forced to remember anew. -- Tony Judt * New York Times *When The Black Book of Communism appeared in Europe in 1997 detailing communism's crimes, it created a furor. Scrupulously documented and soberly written by several historians, it is a masterful work. It is, in fact, a reckoning. With this translation by Jonathan Murphy and Mark Kramer, English-language readers may now see for themselves what all the commotion was about. -- Jacob Heilbrunn * Wall Street Journal *The Black Book of Communism, which is finally appearing in English, is an extraordinary and almost unspeakably chilling book. It is a major study that deepens our understanding of communism and poses a philosophical and political challenge that cannot be ignored. The book's central argument, copiously documented and repeated in upwards of a dozen different essays, is that the history of communism should be read above all as the history of an all-out assault on society by a series of conspiratorial cliques led by cruel dictators (Lenin, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Kim II Sung, Pol Pot, and dozens of imitators) who were murderously drunk on their own ideology and power...Courtois and his collaborators have performed a signal service by gathering in one volume a global history of communism's crimes from the Soviet Union to China, from the satellite countries of Eastern-Europe to Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and North Korea, and to a lesser degree in Latin America and Africa...The Black Book is enormously impressive and utterly convincing. -- Michael Scammell * New Republic *To the extent that the book has a literary style, it is that of the recording angel; this is the body count of a colossal, wholly failed social, economic, political and psychological experiment. It is a criminal indictment, and it rightly reads like one. -- Alan Ryan * New York Times Book Review *Most sensible adults are aware of communism's human toll in the Soviet Union and elsewhere--the forced starvations in the Ukraine, the Great Purge of the 1930s, the Gulag, the insanity of China's Great Cultural Revolution, Pol Pot's murder of one in every seven Cambodians, Fidel Castro's firing squads and prisons. All these horrors are now brought together in what the French scholar Martin Mali, in his foreword, calls a 'balance sheet of our current knowledge of communism's human costs, archivally based where possible and elsewhere drawing on the best available secondary evidence'...The book is all the more damning because each of the contributing scholars is either a former communist or close fellow traveler...That The Black Book infuriated the French left is a sure mark of its intrinsic worth. -- Joseph C. Goulden * Washington Times *The Black Book is a groundbreaking effort by a group of French scholars to document the human costs of Communism in the 20th century. Its publication caused a sensation in France when it was first released in 1997, but Americans were not able to see for themselves what the furor was all about until October 1999, when Harvard University Press finally released an English translation. It was worth the wait. Taking advantage of many newly available archives in former Communist states, the authors (many of them former Communists themselves) have meticulously recorded the crimes, terror and repression inflicted by Communist regimes across the world. It is a powerful work. -- Mark A. Thiessen * National Review *The authors of The Black Book of Communism are part of a welcome change in the moral-philosophical landscape in Paris, and one hopes elsewhere, as a result of which liberal and left-of-center intellectuals, scholars and politicians judge the crimes of communist regimes with the same severity they've applied to those of Nazism and fascism. -- Jeffrey Herf * Washington Post Book World *Arguing with the passion of former believers, [the contributors] charge that communism was a criminal system. They all make the case well. * Foreign Affairs *Now The Black Book of Communism is available in English, thanks to a stellar edition from Harvard University Press that appeared late last year, with an excellent introduction by Martin Malia, professor of history at the University of California, Berkeley. -- Stephen Goode * Insight *This black book has been a best seller across Europe. It details all the misery inflicted by Communism throughout the world: 25 million dead in the Soviet Union, 65 million in China, 1.7 million in Cambodia...Not a pleasant book, a necessary one. -- David Sexton * Evening Standard *A sober and balanced piece of work. [The Black Book of Communism] is particularly good on the origins of the Soviet police state under Lenin and on Stalin's Great Terror. It should be read by anyone who still has illusions that the Bolshevik revolution was a good thing--and anyone who believes that something worthwhile was lost when the Berliners destroyed the Wall 10 years ago. -- Paul Anderson * The Tribune *A serious, scholarly history of Communist crimes in the Soviet Union, Eastern and Western Europe, China, North Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam, Africa, and Latin America...The Black Book does indeed surpass many of its predecessors in conveying the grand scale of the Communist tragedy, thanks to its authors' extensive use of the newly opened archives of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. -- Anne Applebaum * Weekly Standard *A generally even-toned and informative book, and one that will serve as a healthy dose of medication for those still afflicted by a wish to treat the Bolshevik revolution as a mistake, however monumental, or something that 'had to happen'...The Black Book's guiding purpose is to cut through the dense tissue of apologetics that has been deployed in the communist interest, both those devised in the thick of repression and those added after the collapse. -- Ben Webb * New Times *The Black Book of Communism] consists of scholarly yet readable (and superbly translated) essays, some based on recently opened Soviet archives, and covers the communist revolutions in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America, including Cuba...The Black Book [is] a most important volume of contemporary history produced by a group of French Sovietologists...On finishing this magnificent volume, it is impossible not to see that in three-quarters of a century Soviet communism had left nothing behind except death and destruction. -- Arnold Beichman * Weekend Post *The heart of the Black Book is a compilation and description--in mesmerizing objective prose-- of the slaughters visited upon populations around the world by communist dictators in the 20th century...The Black Book is an elegantly simple and valuable record of a time many would like to forget--but will have to deal with. -- John Omicinski * Scottsdale Tribune *I can't think of any book that would be more important for Americans to read. If you are going to read only one book this year, make it The Black Book of Communism. This is an 800-page history of the terror, repression and killings of communism stretching from the Bolshevik Revolution to the present. Written by scholars who are ex-communists or former fellow travelers, the book establishes beyond doubt that communism is the greatest crime against humanity in the 20th century. -- Charley Reese * The Sentine *An important scholarly achievement of exhaustive breadth based on new archival material from the Stalin era...This impressive and important book is well worth the price. -- Zachary T. Irwin * Library Journal *A unique attempt by French historians--as important in its way as the works of Solzhenitsyn--to chronicle the crimes of communism wherever it has attained power in the world. Not the least remarkable thing about this book is that this is the first time such a study has been made. For the cumulative toll of victims of communist rule, estimated by the authors at between 85 and 100 million, dwarfs even the crimes of the Nazis...A devastating and important book, already hailed in Europe, and the more harrowing for its sobriety. * Kirkus Reviews *In France, this damning reckoning of communism's worldwide legacy was a bestseller that sparked passionate arguments among intellectuals of the Left. Courtois, along with the other distinguished French and European contributors, delivers a fact-based, mostly Russia-centered wallop that will be hard to refute: town burnings, mass deportations, property seizures, family separations, mass murders, planned famines--all chillingly documented from conception to implementation. * Publishers Weekly *In the end, the Black Book's body counts--necessary as they are--are less important than the soul-destroying connections between Marxist idealism and the violence committed in its name. -- Lawrence Osborne * salon.com *The publishing sensation in France this winter (1999) has been an austere academic tome, Le Livre Noir du Communisme, detailing Communism's crimes from Russia in 1917 to Afghanistan in 1989...[The Black Book of Communism] gives a balance sheet of our present knowledge of Communism's human costs, archivally based where possible, and otherwise drawing on the best secondary works, and with due allowance for the difficulties of quantification. Yet austere though this inventory is, its cumulative impact is overwhelming. At the same time, the book advances a number of important analytical points. -- Martin Malia * Times Literary Supplement *Table of Contents* Foreword: The Uses of Atrocity Martin Malia * Introduction: The Crimes of Communism Stephane Courtois I. A State against Its People: Violence, Repression, and Terror in the Soviet Union Nicolas Werth * Paradoxes and Misunderstandings Surrounding the October Revolution * The Iron Fist of the Dictatorship of the Proletariat * The Red Terror * The Dirty War * From Tambov to the Great Famine * From the Truce to the Great Turning Point * Forced Collectivization and Dekulakization * The Great Famine * Socially Foreign Elements and the Cycles of Repression * The Great Terror (1936 -1938) * The Empire of the Camps * The Other Side of Victory * Apogee and Crisis in the Gulag System * The Last Conspiracy * The Exit from Stalinism Conclusion II. Word Revolution, Civil War, and Terror Stephane Courtois, Jean-Louis Panne, and Remi Kauffer * The Comintern in Action Stephane Courtois and Jean-Louis Panne * The Shadow of the NKVD in Spain Stephane Courtois and Jean-Louis Panne * Communism and Terrorism Remi Kauffer III. The Other Europe: Victim of Communism Andrzej Paczkowski and Karel Bartoek * Poland, the "Enemy Nation" Andrzej Paczkowski * Central and Southeastern Europe Karel Bartoek IV. Communism in Asia: Between Reeducation and Massacre Jean-Louis Margolin and Pierre Rigoulot Introduction * China: A Long March into Night Jean-Louis Margolin * Crimes, Terror, and Secrecy in North Korea Pierre Rigoulot * Vietnam and Laos: The Impasse of War Communism Jean-Louis Margolin * Cambodia: The Country of Disconcerting Crimes Jean-Louis Margolin Conclusion Select Bibliography for Asia V. The Third World Pascal Fontaine, Yves Santamaria, and Sylvain Boulouque * Communism in Latin America Pascal Fontaine * Afrocommunism: Ethiopia, Angola, and Mozambique Yves Santamaria * Communism in Afghanistan Sylvain Boulouque Conclusion: Why? Stephane Courtois * Notes * Index * About the Authors

    £50.96

  • University of Hawaii Press Chasing Traces

    4 in stock

    a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

    4 in stock

    £19.94

  • Why Not Socialism

    Princeton University Press Why Not Socialism

    Book SynopsisIs socialism desirable? Is it even possible? This book presents a moral case for socialism and argues that the obstacles in its way are exaggerated.Trade Review"Characteristically lucid, engaging and gently humorous... Cohen says things that need to be said, often better than anyone else; and his last book is especially effective as an argument against the obstacles to socialism typically ascribed to human selfishness. His style of argument is very accessible, and it is certainly a more attractive mode of persuasion than dreary analyses of how capitalism actually works."--Ellen Meiksins Wood, London Review of Books "Is socialism really such an alien way of organizing human society? In this stimulating essay titled Why Not Socialism? (just 92 pages long), the late Oxford philosopher G. A. Cohen invites us to think seriously about what socialism has to offer in comparison with capitalism."--Sanford G. Thatcher, Centre Daily Times "Beautifully written... In sublimely lucid fashion, Cohen draws up taxonomies of equality, offers ethical objection to capitalism ... and distinguishes between two questions: is socialism desirable?; and, if desirable, is it feasible? ... Tiny books are all the rage in publishing nowadays; this is one of the few that punches well above its weight."--Steven Poole, The Guardian "[A] stimulating and thoughtfully argued advocacy of the better world that we need to fight for."--Andrew Stone, Socialist Review "A quietly urgent book."--Owen Hatherley, Philosophers' Magazine "Cohen brings his characteristic clarity to his final defence of socialism."--Tim Soutphommasane, The Australian "No doubt the best forms of socialist organization will emerge, like everything else, after much trial and error. But a vast quantity of preliminary spadework is necessary to excavate the assumptions that keep us from even trying. With Why Not Socialism?, Cohen has turned over a few shovelfuls, bringing us a little nearer the end of the immemorial--but surely not everlasting--epoch of greed and fear."--George Scialabba, Commonweal "[Here] we have a renowned scholar producing an accessible, concise work addressing a vital topic from a committed, progressive standpoint: would that more of today's academic star scholars would follow this example."--Frank Cunningham, Socialist Studies "Why Not Socialism? is a lucid and accessible statement of some of Cohen's deepest preoccupations."--Alex Callinicos, Radical Philosophy "However small the package ... the problems that Cohen addresses in this slim volume are of enormous importance, and can be taken seriously by readers ranging from those with only a tangential interest in the field, to serious scholars of egalitarian and socialist thought."--Robert C. Robinson, Political Studies ReviewTable of ContentsCHAPTER I: The Camping Trip CHAPTER II: The Principles Realized on the Camping Trip CHAPTER III: Is the Ideal Desirable? CHAPTER IV: Is the Ideal Feasible? Are the Obstacles to It Human Selfishness, or Poor Social Technology? CHAPTER V: Coda Acknowledgment

    £11.59

  • Confronting Capitalism: How the World Works and

    Verso Books Confronting Capitalism: How the World Works and

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWhy is our society so unequal? Why, despite their small numbers, do the rich dominate policy and politics even in democratic countries? Why is it often difficult for working people to organize around common interests? How do we begin building a more equal and democratic society? These are the questions that are answered in Confronting Capitalism.Even though political organizing can be very hard, political education does not have to be. This will be the book that a generation of socialists turn to for strategy and understanding. Combining elements of Marxism and modern social science with clear language, Chibber is able to outline the core dynamics of our economy and politics. This book provides an indispensable map of how our world works and a proposal for how socialists might overcome the odds and build a democratic and egalitarian future.Trade ReviewThis is an extraordinary book on the dynamics and politics of capitalism. I cannot think of anyone other than Chibber who could achieve such clarity and such depth. -- Anwar Shaikh, Professor of Economics at the New School for Social Research and author of Capitalism: Competition, Conflict, Crises.Arriving just as we're all tempted by despair, Confronting Capitalism brilliantly illuminates our current predicament and guides us towards the only way out. Chibber reminds us that there is no way to fight injustice without confronting capital. And there is no effective confrontation of capital without a mass working-class movement. This book is both a clear primer for new leftists as well as a clarifying call to arms for seasoned veterans. -- Krystal Ball, host of Breaking Points and Krystal Kyle & FriendsA lucid and compelling account of the essential nature of capitalism, and how its shackles can be removed by a revived labor movement animated by a commitment to solidarity and the common good. -- Noam ChomskyIn this slim but mighty account, a social theorist tackles the issues of global inequality, extreme wealth, and rampant corruption in democratic countries, while explaining the structures of international capitalism and how the world can move toward a more equitable future. -- Miguel Salazar * New York Times *

    1 in stock

    £9.49

  • The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism

    Taylor & Francis The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisMcManus presents a comprehensive guide to the liberal socialist tradition, stretching from Mary Wollstonecraft and Thomas Paine through John Stuart Mill to Irving Howe, John Rawls, and Charles Mills.Providing a comprehensive critical genealogy of liberal socialism from a sympathetic but critical standpoint, McManus traces its core to the Revolutionary period that catalyzed major divisions in liberal political theory to the French Revolution that saw the emergence of writers like Mary Wollstonecraft and Thomas Paine who argued that liberal principles could only be inadequately instantiated in a society with high levels of material and social inequality to John Stuart Mill, the first major thinker who declared himself a liberal and a socialist and who made major contributions to both traditions through his efforts to synthesize and conciliate them. McManus argues for liberal socialism as a political theory which could truly secure equality and liberty for all.An essentia

    1 in stock

    £35.14

  • The Revolutionary City

    Princeton University Press The Revolutionary City

    Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the Luebbert Best Book Award, Comparative Politics Section of the American Political Science Association""The most important new book on revolutions to appear in decades."---Jack A. Goldstone, Mobilization

    £27.00

  • Marx Selected Writings

    Hackett Publishing Co, Inc Marx Selected Writings

    15 in stock

    Book SynopsisFeaturing the works from Marx's enormous corpus, this title covers Marx's development from the Hegelian idealism of his youth to the mature socialism of his later works. It includes writings from Marx's early philosophical works, and the central writings on historical materialism.Trade ReviewThe Introductions are solid, accurate, readable, authoritative. The editor is well informed, and the selections provide a balanced introduction to Marx's central thoughts. --Daniel Little, Colgate University

    15 in stock

    £21.84

  • Fools Frauds and Firebrands

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Fools Frauds and Firebrands

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisA devastating critique of modern left-wing thinking from a leading political philosopher.In Fools, Frauds and Firebrands, philosopher Roger Scruton, one of the leading critics of leftist orientations in modern Western civilization, examines the thinkers who have been most influential on the attitudes of the New Left. What does the Left look like today, he asks, and how has it evolved? Is there any foundation for resistance to its agenda without religious faith?Scruton begins with a ruthless analysis of New Leftism and concludes with a critique of the key strands in its thinking. He conducts a reappraisal of such major left-wing thinkers as: E. P. Thompson, Ronald Dworkin, R. D. Laing, Jurgen Habermas, Gyorgy Lukacs, Jean-Paul Sartre, Jacques Derrida, Slavoj Zizek, Ralph Milliband and Eric Hobsbawm. Scruton''s exploration of these important issues is written with skill, perception and at all times with pellucid clarity. In addition to asseTrade ReviewEminent British philosopher and polymath Scruton gives a sharp-edged, provocative critique of leading leftist thinkers since the mid-twentieth century ... complex and erudite. * Publisher's Weekly US *Caustic, highly recherché, and simply great fun to read for the questing intellectual soul. * Kirkus Reviews *From the standpoint of a serious conservatism, it honestly assesses the political and philosophical contributions of the Left. The book also addresses what is likely our most pressing question: ‘Can there be any foundation for resistance to the leftist agenda without religious faith?' * Catholic World Report *Since he no longer has a university career to protect, Scruton can now tweak the nose of academic leftism to his heart’s content… Scruton is at his best, (and funniest) when trying to make sense of [Alain] Badiou’s weird confection historical materialism and Platonic mathematical theory. -- Jonathan Derbyshire * Prospect *The book is a masterpiece ... In crisp, sometimes brilliant prose, Mr. Scruton considers scores of works in three languages, giving the reader an understanding of each thinker’s overarching aim and his place within the multifaceted movement known as the New Left. He neither ridicules nor abuses the writers he considers; he patiently deconstructs them, first explaining their work in terms they themselves would recognize and then laying bare their warped assumptions and empty pretensions. -- Barton Swaim * Wall Street Journal *I enjoyed this immensely, both for Scruton's dry, British wit as well as for the sheer breadth of intellectuals covered in his survey. * Against the Grain Blog *Highly recommended * Powerline US Blog *Here Scruton thoroughly and fairly debunks the ostentation, obfuscation, and terrible writing and downright deceitfulness of much of postwar Marxist-inspired philosophy. For Scruton the culprits are mainly from France and Germany—beginning with Sartre and carrying through to Foucault, Habermas, Althusser, Lacan, Deleuze, Gramsci, and Said—and he carries the attack forward to Badiou and Žižek. Even Galbraith and Dworkin take a few hits. Scruton writes from the perspective of an old-school conservative. His sympathies are with the virtues of the countryside and historically rooted associations of every sort, from churches and the US Constitution to volunteer fire departments, brass bands, and the local Grange. His personal point of view could be called sentimental … but his arguments against his foes are substantial and deep. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. * CHOICE *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 What is Left? 2 Resentment in Britain: Hobsbawm and Thompson 3 Disdain in America: Galbraith and Dworkin 4 Liberation in France: Sartre and Foucault 5 Tedium in Germany: Downhill to Habermas 6 Nonsense in Paris: Althusser, Lacan and Deleuze 7 Culture Wars Worldwide: The New Left from Gramsci to Said 8 The Kraken Wakes: Badiou and Žižek 9 What is Right? Index of names Index of subjects

    1 in stock

    £13.49

  • The Socialist Challenge Today Syriza Corbyn

    The Merlin Press Ltd The Socialist Challenge Today Syriza Corbyn

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis book addresses the challenges facing socialists and the recent shift from protest to politics. It examines the limits and possibilities for class, party and state transformation and the democratic and socialist insurgencies inside the Labour Party in Britain, and the Democratic Party in the USA.Table of ContentsCONTENTS: Introduction: The revival of democratic socialism; class, party, state: the twentieth century socialist experience; From protest to party to state: lessons from Syriza; Corbyn's challenge: from party insurgency to state transformation?; Sanders challenge: economic democracy beyond `responsible capitalism'?; Planning for democratic socialism.

    1 in stock

    £10.63

  • One Hundred Years of Socialism: The West European

    Bloomsbury Publishing PLC One Hundred Years of Socialism: The West European

    5 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis new edition of Donald Sassoon's magisterial history of the Left in the twentieth century includes a substantial new introduction by the author. With unique authority and unparalleled scholarship, Sassoon traces the fortunes of the political parties of the left in Western Europe across 14 countries, covering the fortunes of socialism from the rise of the Bolsheviks through two World Wars to the revival of feminism and the arrival of "green" politics.Trade Review'A genuinely major contribution to political understanding.' New York Times 'A remarkable new work of historical analysis, which will soon establish itself as a classic, Donald Sassoon's lucid and erudite One Hundred Years of Socialism, demonstrates that...the effective parties of the left, whether social democratic or (in a few cases such as France and Italy) communist...have served to regulate and socialise the wealth-creating and directionless economic dynamism of capitalism, not replace it.' Eric Hobsbawm, Guardian 'A majestic work. Nothing like this great survey exists in any language...stylishly written, with an ironic wit and vivid gift of metaphor, the book is an unfailing pleasure to read.' The Economist 'Epic...and encyclopedic comparative work drawing freely on the histories of countries as diverse as Britain, Germany, Greece, Denmark and Finland...its greatest strength lies in his placing of the left-right ideological batle within the context of the change and development of a capitalist system. Thus, [Sassoon] says, there has been no defeat of socialism by capitalism; the crisis of socialism was precipitated by the expansion of and changes in capitalism.' Alan Thompson, Times Higher Education Supplement 'Brilliant...Sassoon's view is based on quite phenomenally extensive reading and knowledge. Yet we never feel ourselves to be drowning in a morass of unconnected or undigested detail. Nor does learning here preclude liveliness and wit...an astonishing achievement, whish deserves to become a classic of socialist history.' Anthony Arblaster, Tribune 'Sassoon's book is remarkable. A massive and original synthesis which deserves to become a classic, there is nothing comparable to it in the English language.' David Marquand '[An] extraordinary achievement...Sassoon constantly stresses, with and amazing and enviable width of scholarship, how the pre-existent cultures of different countries made the socialist project so different in each...this book is a small masterpiece. It is vastly informative...and wise in its conclusions...I have not felt so sure that a work would be a standard book in a long time'. Sir Bernard Crick 'An astonishing achievement. One Hundred Years of Socialism is so learned and wide-ranging, so densely packed and yet so readable, so subtle and refined in its judgements and scholarship, it is a constant source of inspiration.' Hugo Young 'I read it with unflagging interest and appetite never wishing it a page shorter. After reading Sassoon's enthralling account, glib capitalist triumphalism seems as historically misconceived as the naive socialist millenarianism of an earlier generation.' Peter Clarke 'Donald Sassoon tells his kaleidoscopic story with ease and urbanity as he guides his readers, with great skill, through the complex issues of ideology and industrial development, diplomacy and war, which have shaped one hundred years of European socialism.' Paul Preston 'Admirable...based on vast reading (the sixty-page bibliography is no exercise in vanity, but is copiously exploited in ninety pages of helpful notes), the book is an authoritative guide to the recent history of Social Democratic parties and governments not only in the major Western European states but also in the many smaller countries.' Tony Judt, Time Literary Supplement 'The panoptic history of the European left, from Oslo to Athens, and 1900 to 1995, is uninterruptedly interesting...the author has scaled a mountain of scholarship and returned with an indispensable work of reference and reflection.' Norman Birnbaum, Political Quarterly 'A compelling account.' Malcolm Rutherford, Financial Times 'This history of the western European Left, recounted by Donald Sassoon with style and sympathy, is the history not of revolution but of reform'. Stephen Tindale, Prospect 'Compelling...an antidote to the fin de siecle gloom and modish talk of the end of ideology.' Fabian Review 'The major political book of the year...Sassoon offers an extraordinary, wide-angle focus on socialist parties over a century and across the industrialized world.' Patricia Hewitt, New Statesman Books of the Year 'A brilliant and scholarly work.' Tony BennTable of ContentsList of Tables List of Figures Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations New Introduction Introduction to the First Edition Book One: Expansion Part One: The Hard Road to Political Power 1. The Establishment of Socialism Before 1914 2. From War to War (1914-40) 3. Thwarted Alternatives 4. The War, Resistance and Its Aftermath: The Rise and Fall of West European Communism 1939-48 Book Two: Consolidation Part Two: The Construction of Western Socialism 1945-50 5. The Socialists After 1945 6. Building Social Capitalism 1945-50 7. External Constraints: A Socialist Foreign Policy? Part Three: Toward Revisionism 1950-69 8. The Golden Age of Capitalism 9. Between Neutralism and Atlanticism 10. The Foundations of Revisionism Part Four: The Perplexing Sixties: 'Something in the Air' 11. The Return of the Left 12. The Establishment of a Foreign Policy Consensus Part Five: The Great Contestation 13. The Revival of Working Class Militancy 1960-73 14. The Revival of Ideology and the Student Contestation 15. The Revival of Feminism Book Three: Crisis Part Six: The End of the Great Capitalist Boom 1973-89 16. The Crisis and the Left: An Overview 17. Social Democracy in Small Countries: Austria, Sweden, Holland and Belgium 18. Germany and Britain: SPD and Labour in Power 19. The French Experiment 20. The Failure of Italian Communism 21. The End of Authoritarian Regimes in Western Europe: Portugal, Spain and Greece Part Seven: The Great Crisis of Socialism 22. Workers, Women and Greens 23. The 1980s: Radicalism in its Last Redoubt 24. The New Revisionism Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index

    5 in stock

    £24.69

  • Arabella

    Encounter Books Arabella

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisExposes Arabella Advisors as a major "dark money" operation that channels billions into progressive causes through opaque networks and deceptive grassroots groups, revealing its significant influence on U.S. politics and its far-reaching impact on issues from Supreme Court nominations to election manipulation."Ever heard of Arabella Advisors? Probably not. And that’s strange, since they’ve done a lot to destroy the world you grew up in. You should know, so read this book."—Tucker Carlson While billionaires like George Soros, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett are well known as left-wing megadonors transforming the country’s politics, few Americans know about Arabella Advisors, a “dark money” operation that channels much of this money into particular causes via pop-up groups designed to look like grassroots outfits. Citizens across the spectrum will be shocked to learn how Arabella

    1 in stock

    £20.89

  • Socialism . . . Seriously: A Brief Guide to

    Haymarket Books Socialism . . . Seriously: A Brief Guide to

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisA sharp, funny, and engaging introduction to socialist ideas, movements, and solutions for a world in crisis.Now with 50% more socialism!Socialism…Seriously is a warm and witty introduction to the radical traditions of protest and politics that stretch from Karl Marx through today’s movements for democracy, equality, and a livable planet. In this thoroughly revised and expanded edition, Danny Katch uses humor and imagination to take an unflinching look at the rising threats posed by climate change, billionaire oligarchs, and the far right—and makes a compelling case that a socialist world is both necessary and possible.Katch separates the lies spun by capitalism’s defenders from the system’s brutal realities, and is candid about debates and challenges facing the socialist movement today. This book is for people who want to take a deeper look at what socialism is… but maybe not that deep.Sincere, irreverent, informative, and playful, Socialism… Seriously is a unique and timely contribution to our movements for justice.Trade Review"[W]ith his humorous dissecting of the inanities of capitalism and his ability to make socialist ideas accessible and attractive, Katch makes a compelling case throughout his book for why we should still do everything we can to bring such a world into existence." —The Indypendent“Socialism… Seriously is a refreshing embrace of socialism as an alternative to the greed, inequality, racism and xenophobia of the capitalist world we are living in.”—Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, author of From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation“Give this book to your grandma, your mailman, to everyone except your boss—it’s the most fun and accessible introduction to socialist ideas I’ve ever read.”—Anand Gopal, author of No Good Men Among the Living“Read Socialism… Seriously, then pass it on to a friend. It's the perfect gateway drug to becoming the full-throttled socialist organizer that you've been waiting for.”—Hadas Thier, author of A People’s Guide to Capitalism“Capitalism was a system built to be skewered. But to do it right, you need the political chops and you need to know how to make the jokes. Danny Katch checks every box and his Socialism….Seriously is a necessary book.”—Dave Zirin, author of The Kaepernick Effect“Everyone* will love this book.”*Billionaires, multi-million dollar corporations, and yacht-owning CEOs not included.—Judah Friedlander, World Champion“I've been waiting for someone to write this book—a lighthearted, easy read that packs an intro course on socialism into a short volume. With jokes that made me laugh out loud, and a lot of heart. Socialism is for lovers. Indeed.”—Sarah Jaffe, author of Work Won't Love You Back“The promise of a more lovely world is worth our best energies and our sustained commitment—Danny Katch shows us that socialism is for lovers, not losers.”—Bill Ayers, author of Demand the Impossible!“Danny Katch brings the socialist vision to life.”—Bhaskar Sunkara, editor of JacobinTable of ContentsIntroduction2040: A Cold Day in PhiladelphiaPart I: The End?1 All is Not Lost2 Ghost StoriesPart II: Capitalism3 Welcome to the Jungle4 Freedom and the Fine Print5 The Deep StatePart III: Socialism6 Workers Power7 Land Back 8 Revolution?9 Wait, is this Communism?Part IV: The Beginning2040: A Hot Day in Queens10 Will Socialism be Boring? 11 Is Socialism a Religion? Should it Be?Conclusion: Here’s Exactly What To Do When You Finish this Book

    1 in stock

    £14.24

  • Give Them an Argument: Logic for the Left

    Collective Ink Give Them an Argument: Logic for the Left

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisMany serious leftists have learned to distrust talk of logic and logical fallacies, associated with right-wing "logicbros". This is a serious mistake. Unlike the neoliberal technocrats, who can point to social problems and tell people "trust us", the serious Left must learn how to argue and persuade. In Give Them an Argument, Ben Burgis arms his reader with the essential knowledge of formal logic and informal fallacies.

    1 in stock

    £10.44

  • The Unfinished Revolution

    Little, Brown Book Group The Unfinished Revolution

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Unfinished Revolution is the definitive story of New Labour from its genesis to its election defeat 2010 - covering over 25 years and six general elections of strategy, rebuilding and reinvention. In this extraordinary book, Philip Gould, one of the world''s leading political strategists and a key adviser to Tony Blair during the period, brilliantly describes how New Labour came to dominate, falter and fall, assessing how successful it was in government, and where it should go from here. Drawing on his years of experience at the heart of New Labour he gives us his unique perspective on how best to understand the electorate, how to communicate policy and how to adapt in a rapidly changing world.Trade Review'Sincere and enthusiastic ... one of New Labour's defining texts ... this is an important political book' -- Will Hutton Observer 'The definitive account of the making of New Labour ... Fascinating' The Times 'Lively and revealing ... the best insider's account' -- Peter Kellner Evening Standard 'A fascinating piece of political history' -- Philip Stevens Financial Times

    2 in stock

    £15.29

  • The Portable Karl Marx cxii Portable Library

    Penguin Books Ltd The Portable Karl Marx cxii Portable Library

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisIncludes the complete Communist Manifesto and substantial extracts from On the Jewish Question, the German Ideology, Grundrisse, and Capital, a broad representation of his letters, and lesser-known works, especially his long-unavailable, early works.Table of ContentsIntroductionBibliographical Note and AcknowledgmentsChronology: Marx's LifeChronology: Marx's Chief WorksI. Marx the Man: Documents, Letters, and Reminiscences[Birth Certificate]Certificate of Matriculation of a Pupil at the High School at Trier[Marx's Record of Studies Issued by the University of Bonn][From Marx's Sister Sophie][Heinrich Marx to His Son][Karl Marx to His Father][Heinrich Marx to His Son][Bruno Bruno Bauer to Marx][Marx's Record of Studies in the University of Berlin][Letter of Professor C. F. Bachmann, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy in the University of Jena, Presenting Marx's Doctoral Thesis to the Faculty for Consideration][Moses Hess on Karl Marx][Marx to Arnold Ruge][Marx to Arnold Ruge][Jenny von Westphalen to Marx][Arnold Ruge to Ludwig Feuerbach on Marx][Bakunin's Reminiscence][P. Annenkov: Karl Marx in 1846][Marx to Engels in Paris][Carl Schurz on Marx in Cologne Summer 1848][Marx to Engels in Brussels][Marx to Engels in Lausanne][Marx to Engels in Lausanne][Jenny Marx to Joseph Weydemeyer][Gustave Techow to a Friend][Marx to Engels][Marx to Engels][A Prussian Police Agent's Report][Marx to Engels][Marx to Engels][Marx to Engels][Karl Marx to His Wife][Marx to Engels][Marx to Engels][Eleanor Marx on Her Father][Marx to Engels in Manchester][Confessions of Marx][Karl Marx to Laura Marx][Karl Marx to François Lafargue][Karl Marx to Paul Lafargue][From R. Landor's Interview with Marx][Report on Karl Marx in Karlsbad][From the Chicago Tribune's Interview with Marx][Sir Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant-Duff to Empress Frederick][Karl Marx to Laura Lafargue][Engels's Speech at the Graveside of Karl Marx]II. Karl Marx's Writings1. The Formation of a Young Radical: Early Writings, 1841-1844From Doctoral Dissertation, The Difference between the Democritean and the Epicurean Philosophy of Nature"The Draft Divorce Law"From the Kreuznach Manuscripts: Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of RightFrom a Correspondence of 1843From "On the Jewish Questions"From "Contribution to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right: Introduction"2. Beyond Philosophy to Communism, Political Economy, and the Materialist Conception of History: Transitional Writings, 1844-1847From Economico-Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844From the First Manuscript: "Alienated Labor"From the Third Manuscript: "Private Property and Communism"From "Critical Notes on the Article 'The King of Prussia and Social Reform. By a Prussian"""Theses on Feuerbach"From A Contribution to the Critique of Political EconomyFrom The German Ideology, Volume One:Preface[The Materialist Conception of History][On History][Consciousness and the Division of Labour][Law and the Materialist Conception of History][The Role of Violence in History][Communism as the End of History]3. Revolution and Counter-Revolution: Political Writings, 1848-1852Manifesto of the Communist PartyThe Demands of the Communist Party in GermanyAddress of the Central Committee to the Communist LeagueFrom The Class Struggles in France: 1848 to 1850From The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte4. Journalism and Politics: 1853-1864The British Rule in IndiaFrom "The Future Results of British Rule in India"Revolution in China and in EuropeThe Indian RevoltInaugural Address and Provisional Rules of the International Working Men's Association5. "Wading Through Economic Filth": Economic Writings, 1857-1867From Grundrisse, IntroductionFrom Value, Price and ProfitFrom Capital, Volume I:From the Preface to the First German EditionChapter 1: "Commodities"Chapter 26: "The Secret of Primitive Accumulation"From Chapter 27: "The Expropriation of the Agricultural Population from the Land"Chapter 31: "The Genesis of the Industrial Capitalist"Chapter 32: "The Historical Tendency of Capitalist Accumulation"Chapter 33: "The Modern Theory of Colonisation"6. The Paris Commune and the Future of Socialism: 1870-1882From The Civil War in France:Address of the General Council of the International Working Men's AssociationFrom the First Draft: "The Character of the Commune"Marginal Notes to the Programme of the German Workers' Party [Critique of the Gotha Programme]Preface to the Russian Edition of the Communist ManifestoReader's GuideIndex

    1 in stock

    £11.69

  • Bread for All

    Penguin Books Ltd Bread for All

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE LONGMAN-HISTORY TODAY PRIZE 2018LONGLISTED FOR THE ORWELL PRIZE 2018 ''Makes a gripping human story out of the wisest and most progressive policy achievement of any government in the history of the world ... the welfare state deserves books this good'' Stuart Maconie, New Statesman, Books of the Year''A brilliant book, full of little revelations'' Jon Cruddas, Prospect''Carefully argued, deftly balanced and wittily written, with countless lovely details'' Dominic Sandbrook, Sunday TimesA landmark book from a remarkable new historian, on a subject that has never been more important - or imperilledToday, everybody seems to agree that something has gone badly wrong with the British welfare state. In the midst of economic crisis, politicians and commentators talk about benefits as a lifestyle choice, and of ''skivers'' living off hard-working ''strivers'' as they debate what a welfaTrade ReviewA brilliant book, full of little revelations -- Jon Cruddas * Prospect *Carefully argued, deftly balanced and wittily written, with countless lovely details -- Dominic Sandbrook * Sunday Times *

    1 in stock

    £10.44

  • This Land

    Penguin Books Ltd This Land

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisA GUARDIAN, NEW STATESMAN AND SPECTATOR BOOK OF THE YEAR ''A whodunnit political page-turner'' Melissa Benn, New Statesman ''The best political book I have read for a long while'' Rod Liddle, The Spectator From the No.1 bestselling author of The Establishment, an urgent analysis of where the Left - and Britain - goes nextWe live in an age of upheaval. The global crisis of Covid-19 has laid bare the deep social and economic inequalities which were the toxic legacy of austerity. These revolutionary times are an opportunity for a radical rethink of Britain as we know it, as the politically impossible suddenly becomes imaginable. And yet, the Left''s last attempt to upend the established order and transform millions of lives came to a crashing halt on 12th December 2019, when Jeremy Corbyn led the Labour party to its worst electoral defeat since 1935. In This Land, Owen Jones provides an insider''s honest and unflinching appraisal of a movement: how it promised to change everything, why it went so badly wrong, where this failure leaves its values and ideas, and where the Left goes next in the new world we find ourselves in.He takes us on a compelling, page-turning journey through a tumultuous decade in British politics, gaining unprecedented access to key figures across the political spectrum. It is a tale of high hopes and hubris, dysfunction and disillusionment. There is, Jones urges, no future for any progressive project that does not face up to and learn from its errors. We have the opportunity to build a fairer country and a more equal world, but if our time is to come, then we must learn from our past.''An absorbing, nuanced account of the making of electoral disaster'' Gaby Hinsliff, Guardian Trade ReviewOwen Jones has managed to produce a whodunnit political page-turner and a surprisingly fair account (given that Jones was a player in the Corbyn project) of both an inspiring and tortuous period of Labour history. -- Melissa Benn * New Statesman *An absorbing, nuanced account of the making of electoral disaster. -- Gaby Hinsliff * Guardian *Very, very powerful ... you will not come away from reading This Land without your understanding of what happened to the Labour Party over the last five years massively enhanced. -- James O'BrienFor Owen Jones, the drama of these years is almost Shakespearean... Where Jones is strongest, and impressively so, is when he turns his analytical gaze on his own side. His dissection of the anti-Semitism issue is heartfelt and intelligent. His account of the infighting and weakness of the leader's team rings true... He correctly observes that Brexit left Labour on a hook. -- Robert Shrimsley * Financial Times *Jones has [a hard] task: to assess the failure of a project he championed, in which he was a significant player, and which depended on the work and was damaged by the flaws of people he is close to. It is a far more honest account of those difficulties than is ever given by journalists of the political centre, or the right ... Jones has made a serious attempt to understand the left's weaknesses as something other than the fault of the party's right ... Jones is making a brutal assessment, of the sort too often lacking in the past few years, of what is possible. -- James Butler * London Review of Books *Owen Jones is a phenomenon of our time * The Times Literary Supplement *The best political book I have read for a long while, all the better for Jones's unashamed participant observation. -- Rod Liddle * The Spectator *

    2 in stock

    £9.49

  • The 99 Percent Economy

    Oxford University Press Inc The 99 Percent Economy

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisWe live in a time of crises - economic turmoil, workplace disempowerment, unresponsive government, environmental degradation, social disintegration, and international rivalry. In The 99 Percent Economy, Paul S. Adler, a leading expert on business management, argues that these crises are destined to deepen unless we radically transform our economy. But despair is not an option, and Adler provides a compelling alternative: democratic socialism. He argues that to overcome these crises we need to assert democratic control over the management of both individual enterprises and the entire national economy. To show how that would work, he draws on a surprising source of inspiration: the strategic management processes of many of our largest corporations. In these companies, the strategy process promises to involve and empower workers and to ensure efficiency and innovation. In practice, this promise is rarely realized, but in principle, that process could be consolidated within enterprises andTrade ReviewThis is an important book on an issue crucial to organizational theorists of every stripe. Adler is dealing with fundamental issues about how best to structure and manage our organizations, and he has done so in a way that will provoke the kinds of conversations that our field and our world desperately need. * Mark S. Mizruchi, University of Michigan, Administrative Science Quarterly *What does "democratisation" mean in concrete terms? Some millennial socialists say everyone should be guaranteed a job; others want a universal basic income, a drastic reduction in the working week, or both. It also means promoting non-traditional forms of business organisation, including co-operatives, which give workers a decisive role in the day-to-day management of their company. Mr. Adler thinks through how such plans would function. Drawing on his expertise in management, he explains in detail how firms could be managed along socialist lines. * The Economist *From Bernie Sanders to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, candidates who call themselves socialists are winning more elections and wielding wider influence. Paul Adler's timely new book helps us imagine what a political economy, based on socialist ideas, might actually look like and how it might operate for the benefit of millions of Americans who are not well-served by our current system. The 99 Percent Economy is not just a compelling indictment of capitalism run amuck. Adler makes a clear and convincing case for economic planning, expanded public investment, and greater social ownership and democratic management of productive enterprises. His book will be an essential educational tool for activists in labor and on the left. * Steve Early, Former International Representative for the Communications Workers of America and author of Refinery Town: Big Oil, Big Money, and the Remaking of an American City *Lucidly written and powerfully argued. Rarely do we get insight into the opportunities a truly democratic socialist economy might offer from an expert who knows how decisions are really made in leading corporations and large institutions. A must read for anyone interested in the creation of a progressive future. * Gar Alperovitz, Author of America Beyond Capitalism and CoFounder of The Democracy Collaborative *Paul Adler asks whether society can be reorganized for the benefit of its majority, that is, help those regularly disempowered? His book, The 99 Percent Economy begins with a radical premise that the economy should serve the vast majority rather than the other way around. Adler asks us to engage in a discussion about a different future that can move humanity away from the abyss and in the direction of a socialism that is democratic, radical, and visionary. * Bill Fletcher, Jr., Former president of TransAfrica Forum; writer and labor activist *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. Five crises 2. The capitalist roots of these crises 3. A growing tension 4. The promise and limits of reform 5. Managing our economy, democratically and effectively 6. A democratic socialist America 7 . Getting there References

    1 in stock

    £75.60

  • Sara

    Pluto Press Sara

    Book SynopsisAn iconic memoir by one of the first female fighters of the PKKTrade Review'Sakine Cansiz was a true pioneer and one of the founders of a political movement whose story is far from over and whose latest chapters we witness unfolding in today's events in Turkey and Syria. This book is essential reading for anyone who wishes to understand the real motivates of this unique modern political movement' -- Estella Schmid, Peace in Kurdistan Campaign'A brilliant, passionate girl who discovers Kurdish politics in high school and flees her family, determined to become a revolutionary instead of a housewife - A riveting, inspiring book' -- Meredith Tax, feminist activist and author of A Road Unforeseen: Women Fight the Islamic State (2016)'Here is the story of a fearless Kurdish woman full of fight, who, with pain and resistance, resurrected and caused resurrection, who rebelled and caused rebellion, who became free and caused freedom. Her story is the story of Kurdistan, the story of Kurdish women, the story of Middle Eastern women. A story that renews itself with the consciousness of freedom' -- Çiğdem Doğu, coordination of Kurdistan Women's Communities KJKTable of ContentsTranslator’s note German translator’s note Author’s preface Translator’s introduction: The 1970s political context Sara Notes Index

    £18.99

  • John Maclean

    Pluto Press John Maclean

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisA literary biography of one of the early heroes of radical Scottish Independence.Trade Review'This is an extremely interesting and well-researched book – it provides a valuable insight into the life of one of Scotland’s most important, respected and influential political figures, whose legacy shines on today' -- Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party'A beautifully structured and brilliantly written biography... Henry Bell's moving, evocative portrait of the complex man and his times is compelling and timely. It tells not just the story of the radical hero from the red Clyde, but a story of Scotland' -- Jackie Kay, novelist and Makar, Scottish Poet Laureate'John Maclean's swing towards the project of socialist independence for Scotland contains detailed lessons for today. Bell's biography tells the story of how a potter's son from the outskirts of Glasgow ended up schooling Lenin on the dynamics of class and nation' -- Paul Mason, journalist and author'A fine introduction to Scotland's most famous revolutionary. It acknowledges the power of the John Maclean legend but gives the facts from which that legend grew... and it reminds us of the tragic price that he and his family paid for his dedication to the cause of Marxist revolution' -- James Robertson, novelist and poet'There have been other biographies of John Maclean, but this clearly written narrative by Henry Bell sets a new standard in its careful balance and judicious conclusions. Maclean emerges from the pages of the book as a more complex figure than that depicted hitherto' -- Sir Tom Devine, Professor Emeritus at The University of Edinburgh'It is always good to see something new published about John Maclean. Since the Glasgow Labour Party retreated from Socialism it has done it's best to forget him... Scotland does not deserve its greatest people' -- Alasdair Gray, writer and artistTable of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Abbreviations 1. Out for Life and All That Life Can Give Us 2. Dispeller of Ignorance 3. The Revolutionary Gospel 4. The Rapids of Revolution 5. Internationalists First, Last, and All the Time 6. The War Within a War 7. Convict 2652 8. We are Going to Live to See the Day 9. Scotland's Bolshevik 10. The Accuser of Capitalism 11. Let's Kill Capitalism this Year 12. One Big Union 13. An Open Letter to Lenin 14. All Hail the Scottish Workers' Republic 15. The John Maclean March Notes Bibliography Index

    1 in stock

    £16.14

  • A Party with Socialists in It

    Pluto Press A Party with Socialists in It

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisA smart and succinct history of the Labour leftTrade Review'A welcome corrective, This book astutely appraises British politics’ most frustrating but important dissident tradition' -- 'Guardian''Admirably clear-sighted' -- 'New Statesman''At a very crucial time in British politics, this book helps us to fill in important gaps in our knowledge' -- David Coates, author of 'Prolonged Labour: The Slow Birth of New Labour in Britain''A well-timed explanation of the class contradictions at the root of the Labour Party from its creation to the present day' -- 'Labour Briefing'Table of ContentsForeword to the Second Edition by Nadia Whittome MP Foreword to the First Edition by John McDonnell MP Preface to the Second Edition Introduction 1. Divided Beginnings 2. Second Time as Disaster 3. The Age of Consent 4. The Civil War 5. 'Though Cowards Flinch...' 6. The Broad Church Collapses 7. The Single Idea 8. The Corbyn Supremacy 9. From Ancient Grudge Break to New Mutiny… Conclusion: …Where Civil Blood Makes Civil Hands Unclean Notes Index

    1 in stock

    £14.24

  • The Frankfurt School

    John Wiley and Sons Ltd The Frankfurt School

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis widely acclaimed book is a comprehensive and authoritative account of the history and ideas of the Frankfurt School -- the most important and influential group of leftist intellectuals, philosophers and social theorists in Germany this century.Trade Review"This is the definitive work on the Frankfurt School, unequalled in its scope and its reliability both on historical details and on broader questions of interpretation." William Outhwaite, University of Sussex "This is not just the most comprehensive and illuminating book on the Frankfurt School, it is by far the most sensitive and sympathetic." Frankfurter Rundschau "Widely and justly acclaimed as the most thorough history of the movement ... the volume will unquestionably be essential for anyone concerned with the intellectual history of the period." Times Literary Supplement "Wiggershaus's monumental, extensively researched study ... will surely become a classic in this area." David Frisby, Professor of Sociology, University of Glasgow "This book is an absolute must for anyone interested in contemporary social theory and politics." Professor Douglas Kellner, The University of Texas at AustinTable of ContentsIntroduction. 1. Dawn. 2. Flight. 3. In the New World I: An Independent Institute of Critical Social Research. 4. In the New World II: Productive Decay. 5. Gradual Return. 6. Critical Ornament of a Restoration Society. 7. Critical Theory in Contention. 8. Critical Theory in a Period of Upheaval. Afterword. Notes. Bibliography. Index.

    1 in stock

    £23.74

  • Latin America Since the Left Turn

    University of Pennsylvania Press Latin America Since the Left Turn

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisIn the early twenty-first century, the citizens of many Latin American countries, such as Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Venezuela, elected left-wing governments, explicitly rejecting and attempting to reverse the policies of neoliberal structural economic adjustment that had prevailed in the region during the 1990s. However, in other countries such as Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru continuity and even extension of the neoliberal agenda have been the norm.What were the consequences of rejecting the neoliberal consensus in Latin America? Why did some countries stay on the neoliberal course? Contributors to Latin America Since the Left Turn address these questions and more as they frame the tensions and contradictions that currently characterize Latin American societies and politics. Divided into three sections, the book begins with an examination of the political economy, from models of development, to taxation and spending patterns, to regionalization of trTrade Review"Latin America Since the Left Turn is an excellent collection of essays. It provides a unique contribution to the understanding of post-neoliberalism and brings together a wide array of research approaches, epistemologies, and perspectives." * Maria Victoria Murillo, Columbia University *"A very interesting and well-timed book, Latin America Since the Left Turn features an impressive roster of accomplished Latin Americanists and corrects many widespread perceptions about the political and economic changes that have occurred over the last fifteen years." * Ernesto Calvo, University of Maryland-College Park *

    1 in stock

    £59.50

  • Bakunin

    The Merlin Press Ltd Bakunin

    Book SynopsisBakunin was a propagator of Anarchistic Socialism and an active promoter of the International Workers' Association (IWA). He argued for International workers' solidarity, change involving rural and industrial workers, and a Libertarian or Anarchist form of SocialismTable of ContentsIntroduction, Chronology, The Programme of the International Alliance for Socialist Democracy, Open Letter from the Central Bureau of the International Fraternity, Letter to James Guillaume, April 1869, Articles in L'Egalite, On Inheritance, speech at the Basel congress of the IWA, On Real Democracy, Prospects for Socialism, Letter to Nikolai Ogarev and the Red Poster, On Discipline, Second lecture to the workers of the Saint-Imier Valley, Socialism and the Paris Commune, On Leaders and politics, On the Alliance, Letter to the Jura comrades, Letter to Celso Ceretti March 1872, Letter to Tomas Gonzalez Morago May 1872, The Programme of the Slav section in Zurich, Writings against Marx, On Lassalle and Marx, Letter of resignation from the Jura Federation, Letter to Elisee Reclus, Notes, Glossary, Index.

    £19.00

  • Hope and Marxism

    Resistance Books Hope and Marxism

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisThis book collects essays exploring Marxist theory and history. Essays include historical examinations of Rosa Luxemburg''s place in the German workers movement, the development of the bourgeois state, and of the roots of Nazi violence. Other chapters discuss Marx''s notions of progress, alienation and emancipation, Luxemburg''s views on political economy and political strategy. Also included are engagements with Ernst Bloch, analytical Marxism and Althusser, as well as a pioneering essay on Marxism and ecology.

    2 in stock

    £15.00

  • The Evolution of Socialist Feminism from Eleanor

    Taylor & Francis The Evolution of Socialist Feminism from Eleanor

    1 in stock

    Book SynopsisThe Evolution of Socialist Feminism from Eleanor Marx to AOC traces the intersection of feminism and socialism as it has played out in the socialist movements arising in Europe and North America in the 19th through early 21st centuries.From well-known figures in the history of socialism such as Rosa Luxemburg, Sylvia Pankhurst, and Angela Davis, to lesser-known individuals including Claudia Jones, Sheila Rowbotham and Zillah Eisenstein, this book examines the socialist feminists who have been among the most powerful voices insisting on freedom of expression and participatory democracy within the socialist movement as well as within the larger society. It considers how these figures contributed to what has become a 21st century multi-racial grassroots socialist feminist movement led by young women of color, playing a major role in radical movements across the globe.The Evolution of Socialist Feminism from Eleanor Marx to AOC is an important text for underg

    1 in stock

    £35.14

  • The Arab Lefts

    Edinburgh University Press The Arab Lefts

    2 in stock

    Book SynopsisBased on an analysis of textual and audio-visual materials, the book surveys radical Left traditions in the Arab world that took shape between the 1950s and 1970s.

    2 in stock

    £24.69

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