Communists of America

80 years ago, on May 15, 1943, Stalin dissolved the Communist International. This anniversary is an opportunity to explore key theoretical and historical questions that led to the Comintern's degeneration. In this three-part series, John Peterson digs deeper into the differences between genuine Bolshevism and Leninism, and its bureaucratic opposites of Zinovievism and Stalinism.  Read the article on this topic: srev.org/comintern-degeneration.  Join the fight for socialism in our lifetime: srev.org/join. 

Our comrade Tom Trottier was interviewed by Joe Attard from our international headquarters in London about the exciting developments in the US labor movement. We are borrowing this content from the International Marxist Radio podcast—all their weekly episodes are available at podcast.marxist.com.  Read our interview of Chris Smalls: srev.org/chris-smalls.  Join the fight for socialism in our lifetime: srev.org/join. 

More fuel has been poured into the dumpster fire of US politics. For the first time in history, criminal charges have been filed against a former president of the United States. The fact that Trump is the current front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination sends the country even deeper into “unprecedented” and “uncharted” waters as the crisis of the regime intensifies.  Editorial for issue 39 of Socialist Revolution. Subscribe to the magazine: srev.org/subscribe.  Join the fight for socialism in our lifetime: srev.org/join.

In this episode, comrades Erica L and Josh Bennett talk about piracy, poverty, and why it's so difficult to make it as an artist under capitalism. Above all, they explore who is to blame for these problems, and how they can be addressed in a socialist society.  Read the article: srev.org/capitalism-artists.  Join the fight for socialism in our lifetime: srev.org/join.  Watch the video "IMT vs. TPUSA": srev.org/imt-vs-tpusa.  Booklet on "Art and the Class Struggle": marxistbooks.com/booklet-art.

The sad attempt at provoking a new Red Scare in Washington doesn’t have any serious traction. But the communists are, indeed, coming. They’re coming, not to reform capitalism, but to abolish it.  Editorial for issue 38 of Socialist Revolution. Subscribe to the magazine: srev.org/subscribe.  Join the fight for socialism in our lifetime: srev.org/join.

Marxists understand that mistakes in theory can lead to catastrophes in practice, and the Finnish Revolution is one of the most tragic examples. In this final episode, John Peterson explains how the White terror drowned the revolution in blood after the Social-Democratic leaders' vacillation prevented the working class from seizing power.  Intro music: Finnish revolutionary song "Punaorvon Vala" (youtu.be/VF3XqDQCPZA).  Read the article on this topic: srev.org/finnish-revolution.  Join the fight for socialism in our lifetime: srev.org/join.

The second episode of this podcast series explores how, inspired by the Russian Revolution, the Finnish workers rose up and gained the upper hand on the streets and in the factories. Even though the revolution had broad support among the population, the Social-Democratic party leaders derailed the mass workers' struggle into parliamentary and constitutional channels.  Intro music: Finnish revolutionary song "Punaorvon Vala" (youtu.be/VF3XqDQCPZA).  Read the article on this topic: srev.org/finnish-revolution.  Join the fight for socialism in our lifetime: srev.org/join.

Commonly referred to as the Finnish Civil War, the Finnish Revolution of 1917–18 is a proud chapter in the history of the international working class. Tragically, despite the tremendous energy expended by the masses, the forces of counterrevolution defeated the working class and drained the revolution in blood. What lessons can we draw from this experience? In this three-part series, Socialist Revolution editor John Peterson provides a Marxist overview and analysis of these events.  Intro music: Finnish revolutionary song "Punaorvon Vala" (youtu.be/VF3XqDQCPZA).  Read the article on this topic: srev.org/finnish-revolution.  Join the fight for socialism in our lifetime: srev.org/join.

Wherever you look, it's doom and gloom for the serious analysts of capitalism. Combustible material is piled high everywhere, and any number of potential sparks will eventually set it alight.  Editorial for issue 37 of Socialist Revolution. Subscribe to the magazine: srev.org/subscribe.  Join the fight for socialism in our lifetime: srev.org/join.

This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the founding of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the USSR. In this episode, John Peterson provides a brief history and background on the USSR, what it was, and what it achieved—and why it was hated by the capitalist world.  Join the fight for socialism in our lifetime: srev.org/join.  Reading list:  The Revolution Betrayed (Leon Trotsky).  Stalin (Leon Trotsky).  If America Should Go Communist (Leon Trotsky).  The History of the Russian Revolution (Leon Trotsky).  Russia: From Revolution to Counterrevolution (Ted Grant & Alan Woods).