Barry Winter examines how capitalism went from boom to bust and where it leaves us Introduction I begin this introduction with what may seem like a diversion. I want to take us briefly back to the horrors of the First World War in which often enthusiastic, armies of young men across Europe were sent...
Articles
Crunch Times
“There is a sense of uncertainty and flux, a feeling that we’re coming to the end of an era in politics. It’s one that we’ve never much liked, yet we know what’s coming could be so much worse.” With those unsettling words David Connolly, chair of Independent Labour Publications, opened the ILP’s weekend seminar...
The Seeds of Radicalism
Steve Thompson traces the history of the co-operative movement and argues that this is a decisive moment in its renaissance. There is an alternative to capitalism, it’s called the co-operative commonwealth. It’s a way of living and trading with business which is run democratically for the benefit of the members and communities who use...
The Cost of Expenses
It is right that there is anger over MPs’ expenses, says Will Brown, but let’s not damn all politics. The row over MPs’ expenses and the misuse of public funds have rightly been met with pubic anger and criticism. It is indeed indefensible that MPs should be making a fast buck from the public...
The Forgotten Story
More than 60 people filled the Working Class Movement Library in Salford on 30th May to see former POUM militia man Roma Marquez Santo unveil a plaque to the ILP’s Spanish Civil War volunteers. In a moving speech Roma declared it an honour for people, like himself, who fought fascism in the 1930s to...
ILP Weekend 2009
—- Crunch Times: Politics And The Crisis “You can only be flabbergasted … at how Labour kowtowed to wealth, glorified the City and put all the nation’s economic eggs into one dangerous basket.” Polly Toynbee, The Guardian ILP Round Table Seminar Esplanade Hotel, Scarborough 13th-14th June 2009 Saturday 13th June 2.00 pm start...
Not Just Orwell
Christopher Hall explains what drove him to discover the untold stories of ILP volunteers who fought in the Spanish Civil War In 2006 many new books were published and many events held to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War. As an historian and researcher on the Spanish Civil...
The ILP: Past and Present
A lively, frank and well-illustrated account of the ILP’s history from its grass-roots origins in the 1890s to the present day; it provides a commentary on the Labour party’s development, including the rise and fall of the Labour left. Price £3.50 This publication is now sold out....
A Socialism for Our Times: The ILP Perspective
In spite of the claims regularly made that capitalism is triumphant, that it is our fate, and that there is no alternative, we seek to demonstrate that we can build a credible socialism for our times. Published in 2003. Price £2.50...
Racism, Communities and the Far Right
Our response to racism and fascism has to be based on genuine forms of democracy and participation, and greater control of our economic life, so we can redistribute resources to those communities living on or near the edge. This is not something that can wait for some ideal future. Published in 2004. Price £2.50...
Co-operatives and Mutuals: The New Challenge
The ability of the British to form mutual associations has been a hallmark of the development of civil society over the last four centuries. Can co-operatives and mutuals herald a new phase of radical politics, or are they part of the re-commondification of welfare? Published in 2005. This publication is now sold out....
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Radical Politics Today New, free, online magazine ‘Radical Politics Today’: http://www.spaceofdemocracy.org/resources/publications/magazine/magazine.html Relates to a book coming out in October (with Palgrave), called ‘What IS radical politics today?’, including original contributions from Zygmunt Bauman, Will Hutton, Paul Kingsnorth, James Heartfield, Clare Short, David Chandler, Hilary Wainwright, Jason Toynbee, Doreen Massey, Gregor McLennan, Tariq Modood, Nick...