Whilst Sweden is often portrayed internationally as an egalitarian – even a ‘socialist’ country – the reality is that today it is one of the most unequal countries in the world, as demonstrated in the newly published book, ‘Sweden of the Greedy: how the welfare state became a paradise for the super-rich’. Moreover, as the recent sell-out of the Kurds reveals, the Swedish ruling class are vicious imperialists whose concern for ‘human rights’ is sheer hypocrisy.

The following article is based on a speech delivered by marxist.com editor, Alan Woods, at the recent, hugely successful, International Marxist University. The world situation is characterised by war, chaos and crisis at all levels, leading some to draw the most pessimistic conclusions. In reality, an old order is dying and a new one is struggling to be born. We see that with the revolutionary eruptions in Sri Lanka and elsewhere. What is missing is a clear, revolutionary leadership to lead the working class to victory and to the overthrow of this decaying capitalist system.