What is the most effective way of combating racism? Fred Weston, of the marxist.com editorial board, spoke at the Marxist Day School held recently in London on the effects of positive discrimination and the lessons for the labour movement, touching on  the origins of racism, the Black question in the USA, South Africa and the struggle against apartheid and Brazil where today the Black Socialist movement is opposing racial legislation.

Jorge Martin talks on Lenin's The State and Revolution, which he completed just before the October revolution in order to arm the Bolsheviks ideologically for the tasks of state power.

Listen to Alan Woods speak at a recent meeting of the Socialist Appeal (UK). "...what capitalism shows us is the enormous potential that exists in our hands. In the first decade of the 21st century you can say for the first time in history all the fundamental problems that we face can be solved now, today.

The following is an audio recording of Alan Woods on World Perspectives which was recorded in April of this year at the National Conference of Socialist Appeal (UK). We have clearly entered a new stage of the world crisis of capitalism, which is characterised by colossal volatility at every level. Perspectives are a guide to action, and therefore this particular contribution is very important in orientating Marxists to the likely developments which can unfold on a world stage.

This year is the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Fourth International. The International was established by Leon Trotsky and his supporters in September 1938. As part of the commemoration of this event Rob Sewell draws out some of the key lessons and methods on which the Trotskyist movement was built during the 1930s.

Forty years ago the world was experiencing upheaval on a world scale that hadn't been seen for a generation. In the US opposition to the war in Vietnam gathered momentum, as it did in Britain. In Pakistan revolution was on the order of the day, and in Czechoslovakia we saw the Prague spring and Soviet Invasion. In May there was the glorious rising of the French working class, that saw 10 million workers down tools in a general strike.

This weekend Socialist Appeal held a day school in London on the events of 1968. In this first session Fred Weston of the marxist.com editorial board talks on the Hot Autumn in Italy.