The ANC held a policy conference in June, after being South Africa's ruling party for almost two decades. There are many ideas and policy perspectives up for discussion but the `big idea' framing the discussion is captured in a 47-page long document entitled: `The...
Democracy
Canada’s `maple spring’: student strikers against austerity | by Chris Webb
The student strike wave that swept through the Canadian province of Quebec the past several months, now beginning to spark in other Canadian provinces and campuses, is a watershed moment in the struggle against neoliberal austerity in Canada. What began as a revolt...
From a failed uprising in Mali: My diary from a coup d’état | by David Fig
In recent months, The landlocked West African state of Mali has been in an uproar. First there was the renewal of an uprising in the north by Tuareg ex-mercenaries returning from battle in Libya. As this conflict (the northern Mali uprising) unfolded, there were...
Crisis and Alternatives | by Achin Vanaik
Crisis for whom? Why after all this is it business more or less as usual? Because those who benefit think they can get away with it. Where there is greater ground level resistance – for example in Greece, significant political forces have put forward specific...
The Second Transition
The economists and big business say it is too radical, filled with Marxist rhetoric, and threatening state intervention and nationalisation. The trade unionists and communists say it is too conservative, promoting black business and labour market reform. Is The Second...
The ANC’s Second Transition: Another Dead-End? | by Vishwas Satgar
The ANC heads to its policy conference in June, after being South Africa’s ruling party for almost two decades. There are many ideas and policy perspectives up for discussion but the ‘big idea’ framing the discussion is the notion of a ‘second transition’. A whole...
The World Seen from the South | by Samir Amin and Irene León
Edited from an interview with Samir Amin conducted by Irene León Irene León: I would like to focus this interview on three distinct but related questions: your vision of the world and the possibilities of changing it; your conceptual and political proposal on the...
The Muslim Brothers in Egypt’s ‘orderly transition’ | by Gilbert Achcar
Egypt’s uprising, contrary to most predictions, was initiated and driven by coalitions – including political parties, associations and internet networks – which were dominated by secular and democratic forces. Islamic organisations or their individual members took...
Egypt’s election: to vote or not to vote – The Debate
In view of today’s announcement of a narrow victory for the Muslim Brotherhood’s candidate Mursi (or Morsi), this debate is of vital importance. Interestingly, the opening contribution from Alan Maass (below) argues for an abstention between Mursi and the candidate of...






