It’s been an amazing start to the new academic year for the MSF, with thousands signing up to Marxist societies across the country, participating in meetings and reading groups, and organising on campus. Join the Marxists! Join the revolution!
Excitement is building for this year’s Revolution Festival: a three-day festival of Marxist ideas: a three-day festival of Marxist ideas, hosted in London by Socialist Appeal, which begins next Friday.
Hundreds have already booked their tickets and will be making the journey to attend in person, in order to take part in an amazing array of discussions on philosophy, economics, history, and the most pressing issues facing workers and youth.
See below for the full list of incredible talks and topics on offer at this year’s festival.
The event will kick off with a bang on Friday evening, with an inspiring rally featuring Rob Sewell, editor of Socialist Appeal, who will be speaking on the important role that Marxism can – and will – play in the titanic class struggles lie ahead in Britain.
This is guaranteed to get the blood pumping for the rest of the weekend, and remind us of the vital task in front of us: to build the forces of Marxism.
The struggle for socialist revolution has never been so important. But, as Lenin said, without revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement.
For this reason, this year’s festival will coincide with the launch of a vital new addition to our arsenal of Marxist texts – The History of Philosophy: A Marxist Perspective, by Alan Woods.
In this talk at #RevFest2021, Alan Woods launches his new book 'History of Philosophy: A Marxist Perspective', outlining the development of philosophy from the ancient Greeks, all the way through to Marxism, which is the culmination of all previous advances in human thought. pic.twitter.com/ZHceJfDWxF
— Socialist Appeal (@socialist_app) October 21, 2021
Alan will discuss the importance of this new publication at a special plenary rally, highlighting how we can – and must – take these ideas into the movement and fight for the socialist transformation of society, in Britain and internationally.
Signed copies of The History of Philosophy will also be available at this talk – so come along to get your hands on this fascinating new release from Wellred Books.
All over the world, in recent years, we have seen movements erupt in response to austerity, repression, imperialism, racism, and violence against women. A growing number are pointing the finger directly at capitalism as the cause of all these ills.
At the same time, the international COP26 climate summit in Glasgow is rapidly approaching, offering nothing but hot air, with a fresh round of hollow promises and empty platitudes. Capitalism doesn’t just threaten the lives of millions across the world, but the planet itself.
Joe explains why you should come along to his talk 'COP26: Can capitalism save the planet?' at #RevFest2021.
— Socialist Appeal (@socialist_app) September 21, 2021
If we want to overcome the climate crisis, "we must base ourselves on the revolutionary politics of the working class."
🎫 Get your tickets: https://t.co/Z8z7r3jE3c pic.twitter.com/YiISRDZF9x
These issues, and many more, will be explored at Revolution 2021, with talks on fighting racism, combatting the climate catastrophe, and ending violence against women.
Other topical discussions taking place next weekend include Daniel Morley’s talk on Capitalism with Chinese Characteristics, examining the perspectives for revolution in China, with a financial crisis looming, and class tensions rising.
With all these amazing talks on offer, and more, Revolution Festival promises to be the biggest and most important event in the socialist calendar this year – and in recent decades.
For more information, check out the official festival website here, or take a look at the full list of talks below.
Don’t hesitate – buy your ticket today, and join the fight for international socialist revolution!
Itinerary
Friday 29th October
18:30 - 21:00
Marxism and the labour movement – Rob Sewell, editor of Socialist Appeal
Saturday 30th October
10:30 - 12:15
- The fall of Afghanistan: 20 years Of imperialist meddling – Fred Weston, editor of In Defence of Marxism
- COP26: Can capitalism save the planet? – Joe Russell, Socialist Appeal activist and writer
- Violence against women - how do we end it? – Sarah Vedrovitch, Marxist Student Federation organiser
- The pandemic and precarious work: New Unionism today – Natasha Sorrell, NEU activist
- Introduction to Marxist economics – Nelson Wan, Socialist Appeal activist and writer
13:15 - 15:00
- Will there be a boom? – Capitalism, crisis, and cycles – James Kilby, Socialist Appeal editorial board
- Dialectics: From Hegel to Marx – Hamid Alizadeh, editor of In Defence of Marxism
- The Cuban revolution: Where is it going? – Keelan Kellegher, Socialist Appeal activist and writer
- Introduction to historical materialism – Jack Halinski-Fitzpatrick, Wellred Books organiser
- Marxism and cinema – Steve Jones, Socialist Appeal editorial board
15:15 - 17:00
- How can Palestine be free? – Francesco Merli, writer for www.marxist.com
- Storming Heaven: The Paris Commune – Josh Holroyd, Socialist Appeal editorial board
- Marxism vs libertarianism: The economic calculation problem – Adam Booth, editor of www.socialist.net
- Introduction to Marxist philosophy – Nat Arkwright, Socialist Appeal activist and writer
- Marxism and ethics: Their morals and ours – Ellen Morton, Revolution Scotland editorial board
17:15 - 19:00
The History of Philosophy: A Marxist Perspective – book launch with Alan Woods, author of Reason in Revolt
Sunday 31st October
10:30 - 12:15
- Marxism vs postmodernism – Yola Kipcak, Der Funke editorial board
- The life and ideas of Lenin – Rob Sewell, editor of Socialist Appeal
- Revolution in Latin America – Jorge Martin, editor of America Socialista
- The monarchy: Tourist attraction or reactionary relic? – Andy Southwark, Socialist Appeal activist and writer
- The Union – Will the United Kingdom survive? – Shaun Morris, Revolution Scotland editorial board
13:15 - 15:00
- Culture wars and the fight against racism – Fiona Lali, Marxist Student Federation national organiser
- How to build a revolutionary party – Ben Gliniecki, Socialist Appeal editorial board
- The origins of class society – Laurie O’Connel, Socialist Appeal activist and writer
- Materialism of the Enlightenment – Ben Curry, editor of www.marxist.com
- The state, the police, and capitalism – Olivia Ruadh, Socialist Appeal activist and writer
15:15 - 17:00
- Capitalism vs science: Innovation, industry, and ignorance – Anthony Oakland, Socialist Appeal activist and writer
- Capitalism with Chinese characteristics – Daniel Morley, Socialist Appeal editorial board
- Marxism vs Anarchism – Andrea Patanè, Socialist Appeal activist and writer
- Joe Biden: Myths and reality – Joe Attard, editor of www.marxist.com
- The collapse Of the USSR and the rise of Putin – Niklas Albin Svensson, editor of In Defence of Marxism