Category: Monthly Review Press /

The Socialist Imperative reviewed in CounterPunch

February 20, 2024

When the serious work of building a better world starts, we will have no choice but to use some of the bricks of the current world as we begin that construction.... When ideas become rooted in masses of people, they become a natural force, argues Michael Lebowitz in his latest book, The Socialist Imperative: From Gotha to Now. He uses the example of the “socialist triangle” to explicate a structure for a better, democratic system.

NEW! America’s Addiction to Terrorism

February 20, 2024

By Henry A. Giroux Foreword by Michael D. Yates In the United States today, the term “terrorism” conjures up images of dangerous, outside threats: religious extremists and suicide bombers in... READ MORE

Railroading Economics reviewed in naked capitalism

February 20, 2024

Continuing our series of book reviews in time for the holiday gift-giving season, here’s a quick look at Michael Perelman’s Railroading Economics, a title, and a subject, that intrigued me for two reasons. Trivially, as readers know, I’m by way of being a rail fan; more importantly, when I was a mere sprat, I read Matthew Josephson’s Robber Barons. Josephson’s tales of Jim Fisk watering the stock of the Erie Railroad — 'Gone where the woodbine twineth' was Fisk’s answer to where the money went — and his running buddy Jay Gould — 'I can hire one half of the working class to kill the other half' (attributed) — trying to corner the gold market would inoculate anyone from belief in the ideology of 'perfect competition.' They certainly did me.... This is a long and complicated story, and Perelman tells it well.

Laurence Shoup debunks the CFR on Redeye Radio, 100.5 FM

February 20, 2024

News stories and academic studies generally focus on the decisions made by presidents, prime ministers, and other world leaders. But where do those options decided upon come from in the first place? Why are some options never even considered? Behind the scenes, think tanks play a large part in what policies are considered by central governments. In the U.S., the most influential think tank of them all is the Council on Foreign Relations. From the 1920s right up until today, the CFR has been shaping policies, advising presidents, and helping ensure the U.S. remains the dominant superpower in the world.

Gerald Horne, author of Confronting Black Jacobins, interviewed by Utrice Leid on PRN

February 20, 2024

Dr. Gerald Horne, the John J. and Rebecca Moores chair of history and African American studies at the University of Houston and frequent analyst of world affairs on Leid Stories, discusses his latest book, "Confronting Black Jacobins: The United States, the Haitian Revolution, and the Origins of the Dominican Republic."

The Socialist Imperative Wins OUTSTANDING ACADEMIC TITLE

February 20, 2024

These outstanding works have been selected for excellence in scholarship and presentation, the significance of their contribution to the field, and their value as important—often the first—treatment of their subject.

David Swanson of Talk Nation Radio interviews Laurence Shoup, author of Wall Street’s Think Tank, on the Council on Foreign Relations

February 20, 2024

"Laurence H. Shoup has taught U.S. history at the university level and has been a historical consultant on California history for over 30 years, authoring or co-authoring over 200 reports for a variety of clients. His new book which we discuss is Wall Street's Think Tank: The Council on Foreign Relations and the Empire of Neoliberal Geopolitics, 1976-2014. Among his past books is Imperial Brain Trust: The Council on Foreign Relations and United States Foreign Policy...."

“Trump Entertains; Lebowitz Enlightens”—The Progressive Populist reviews The Socialist Imperative

February 20, 2024

According to Donald Trump, a former front-runner to be the GOP presidential nominee, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a democratic socialist running against Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination for the presidency, is giving everything away, a partial truth. For a fuller treatment of what a radical break with capitalism entails, read The Socialist Imperative: From Gotha to Now by Michael A. Lebowitz (Monthly Review Press, 2015).
A retired economics professor at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, his two-part book doesn’t end there. That is a positive thing, as the public is open to socialism, in no small measure due to the Great Recession

Silvertown reviewed by ResoluteReader

February 20, 2024

In 1889 nearly 3,000 workers at Silver's, an enormous factory in East London, in Silvertown went on strike. The men and women who walked out were inspired by the New Unionism that was sweeping the city. They'd seen mass strikes by dockers in the East End that had won major victories and they wanted improvements too.

Their twelve week strike has almost been forgotten today. Perhaps because it ended in defeat. But John Tully's important book rescues the struggle for readers today, and, perhaps surprisingly, the reader will find that we can learn much from those brave men and women.