History
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Yakov Sverdlov (1885–1919) was a key figure in the Russian Revolution, known for his organizational skills within the Bolshevik party. As the first head of the Soviet state, he played an essential role in consolidating power and developing the party-state structure. His early death curtailed a potentially significant political legacy.
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My Socialist Hall of Fame During this chaotic era of vile rhetoric and manipulative tactics from our so-called bourgeois leaders, I am invigorated by the opportunity to reflect on Socialists, Revolutionaries, Philosophers, Guerrilla Leaders, Partisans, and Critical Theory titans, champions, and martyrs who paved the way for us—my own audacious “Socialism’s Hall of Fame.” These
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Upton Sinclair (1878–1968) was a prominent American novelist and social activist known for his work, particularly The Jungle, which exposed industrial capitalism’s social injustices. His literary career, marked by nearly 100 books, demonstrated his commitment to socialism and social reform, profoundly influencing American public opinion on labor and class issues during the early 20th century.
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My Socialist Hall of Fame During this chaotic era of vile rhetoric and manipulative tactics from our so-called bourgeois leaders, I am invigorated by the opportunity to reflect on Socialists, Revolutionaries, Philosophers, Guerrilla Leaders, Partisans, and Critical Theory titans, champions, and martyrs who paved the way for us—my own audacious “Socialism’s Hall of Fame.” These
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Pierre-Joseph Proudhon, a foundational figure in radical thought, was the first self-identified anarchist, known for his critique of capitalism and advocacy of mutualism. His works challenged traditional notions of property and authority, influencing 19th-century socialism and inspiring later anarchists. Proudhon’s legacy continues to provoke discussion on liberty and justice.
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The essay analyzes the rise and fall of the Fourth International, founded by Trotsky in 1938. It argues that post-Trotsky leadership’s sectarianism and bureaucratic methods led to its degeneration. Ted Grant’s faction is highlighted as a true continuation of Trotskyism, advocating for adapting Marxist theory to current conditions and preserving revolutionary integrity.
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Dee Brown’s landmark work, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, details the dispossession and destruction of Native American nations during 19th-century U.S. expansion. Through Indigenous perspectives, it challenges traditional narratives of American history. Despite its limitations in addressing complex tribal dynamics, the book remains essential for understanding Indigenous resistance and U.S. colonial violence.
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Alfred Rosmer (1877–1964) was a key yet overlooked figure in early 20th-century socialist movements. A French trade unionist and anti-war activist, he evolved from anarcho-syndicalism to Bolshevism and Trotskyism. His legacy includes advocating for workers’ internationalism, historical scholarship, and principled opposition to Stalinism, reflecting essential revolutionary struggles.
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Book Review Enrigue, Álvaro. You Dream of Empires. Translated by Natasha Wimmer, Riverhead Books, 2024. Álvaro Enrigue’s You Dream of Empires ambitiously sets out to reconstruct the final days of the Aztec empire through a postmodern lens, merging surrealist humor with historical fiction. Yet for all its stylistic flair and intellectual posturing, the novel ultimately
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“The Civil War in the United States,” edited by Andrew Zimmerman, is a foundational Marxist analysis by Marx and Engels of the American Civil War, emphasizing class struggle. It offers insights into the war’s implications for international working-class movements and cautions against sectarianism, advocating for solidarity and concrete analysis amid bourgeois-democratic struggles.
Letters from Tomis 