Article Subjects and Geography: Marxism

Could Capitalism Have Thrived Without Colonialism?

Could Capitalism Have Thrived Without Colonialism?

by Vijay Prashad

March 1, 2026

Vijay Prashad critiques the argument that colonialism was, at most, ancillary to the transition between capitalism and feudalism in Western Europe. Instead, Prashad argues, "capitalism as it historically emerged—industrial, global, racialized, and imperial—was inseparable from colonial expropriation." This reality must fuel a Marxist conception of the global struggle for reparations for those who have been oppressed and exploited at the hands of empires past and present.
Global South Struggles for Socialism and the Workers’ Side of Marxism

Global South Struggles for Socialism and the Workers’ Side of Marxism

by Chris Gilbert

March 1, 2026

Karl Marx originally planned to complement Capital with an additional work exploring capitalism from the side of the workers, which he never completed. In this article, Chris Gilbert argues that this projected "workers' side of Marxism" has a special relevance to the processes of anti-imperialist struggle in the Global South, explaining why they often turn to socialism despite underdeveloped productive forces and the relative scarcity of a classical proletariat.
Repression in the Classroom

Repression in the Classroom

by Paul Buhle

March 1, 2026

In this dual review, Paul Buhle lends contemporary context to the histories of McCarthyism found in the recently published A Blacklist Education, by Jane S. Smith, and Operation Mind, by Natalie Zemon Davis and Elizabeth Donovan. In these two books, Buhle writes, readers can find parallels with the was that is today being waged against university professors and students for political activities—a stark reminder that political witch-hunts did not end with Joe McCarthy.
February 2026 (Volume 77, Number 9)

February 2026 (Volume 77, Number 9)

by The Editors

February 1, 2026

Frederick Engels's The Condition of the Working Class in England…has long been regarded by historians as the most systematic and thoroughgoing analysis of the deplorable conditions of the industrial working class in early Victorian England available from the times. Nevertheless, given the role that Engels's book played in the development of historical materialism, there have been continual attempts in the reigning ideology to prove his analysis wrong, all of which have failed dismally.
Western Marxism and the Myth of Capitalism’s Adamantine Chains

Western Marxism and the Myth of Capitalism’s Adamantine Chains

by John Bellamy Foster

February 1, 2026

In this talk from the inaugural conference of the Society for Peace, Internationalism, and Ecology, John Bellamy Foster relates the story of Prometheus, as presented in the plays of Aeschylus, to Western Marxism's "dialectic of defeat," in which capitalism is portrayed as an unbreakable bond for the working class. Instead, Foster says, we must recognize Prometheus as a subject who is freed from the seemingly inescapable fetters imposed upon him.
Mauritius at a Geopolitical Crossroads

Mauritius at a Geopolitical Crossroads

by Stefan Gua

February 1, 2026

Despite its relatively small size, Mauritius increasingly is looming large in the geopolitical jostling in the Indian Ocean region. Tracing the country's often overlooked role in global affairs from the sixteenth century up until the present day, Stefan Gua provides readers with an insightful account of how politics both inside and outside of Mauritius reflect broader debates about colonialism, militarism, and self-determination.

Eco-Marxism and the Reconstruction of Materialist Dialectics

by John Bellamy Foster

February 1, 2026

Speaking before at the Opening Ceremony of the Fourth World Conference on Marxism in Beijing, John Bellamy Foster discusses the development of eco-Marxism and its relation to Marxist theory. Here, Foster argues, "eco-Marxism as we know it today is not simply another branch of Marxism," but is a pathway to the projects of complete socialism and ecological civilization.
January 2026 (Volume 77, Number 8)

January 2026 (Volume 77, Number 8)

by The Editors

January 1, 2026

This month's "Notes from the Editors" celebrates the accomplishments of Michael Yates, who is retiring as editorial director of Monthly Review Press. Michael's books and articles have had a tremendous impact on the work of Monthly Review as a whole, and will be sorely missed. The editors also welcome the new editorial director of the Press, Arun Kundnani, an accomplished scholar who promises to carry on the MR tradition while bringing a fresh perspective to our collective efforts.

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