Archives
-
Egypt’s Uprising: Not Just a Question of ‘Transition’
The events of the last weeks are one of those historical moments where the lessons of many decades can be telescoped into a few brief moments and seemingly minor occurrences … Keep reading »
-
Dead Hope: The Capitalist West Cannot Afford a Free Middle East
On Feb 1, 2011 in a remark on the riots of the Egyptians Obama stated, “Now, it is not the role of any other country to determine Egypt’s leaders. Only … Keep reading »
-
Mubarak’s Folly: The Rising of Egypt’s Workers
Rarely do our rulers look more absurd than when faced with a popular upheaval. As fear and apathy are broken, ordinary people – housewives, students, sanitation workers, the unemployed – … Keep reading »
-
Whither Egypt? Gilbert Achcar interviewed by Farooq Sulehria
Farooq Sulehria (FS): Do you think that Mubarak’s pledge on February 1st not to contest the next election represented a victory for the movement, or was it just a trick … Keep reading »
-
The Great Recession and the Deficit
The Great Recession will take a long time to come to an end. Even the most optimistic forecasters expect the official unemployment rate in the U.S. to stay above 9 … Keep reading »
-
Tomorrow’s Tunis and Egypt: Reform or Revolution?
Arab uprisings are taking place with the historical speed of light. I began writing this piece following the downfall of Tunisian dictator Ben Ali and closed with the imminent downfall … Keep reading »
-
Interview with Hossam el-Hamalawy
Mark LeVine, professor of History at UC Irvine, managed to catch up with blogger Hossam el-Hamalawy via Skype to get a first-hand account of events unfolding in Egypt. Mark LeVine: … Keep reading »
-
Night in Tunisia: Riots, Strikes and a Spreading Insurgency
Popular upheavals always carry a distinct sonic resonance. The cascading chants that reverberate through the streets, the roar of the crowd as it drives back the riot police and seizes … Keep reading »
-
Like We Said, It’s a Global Slump
I have never accepted the postmodernist contention that contemporary capitalism is all about smoke and mirrors. The notion that ideology and illusion make the system go round strikes me as … Keep reading »
-
Will U.S. Labour Challenge Austerity?
Across the U.S., working-class people are struggling, scraping together meager sums in order to get by. In state and local governments throughout the country, workers are watching public services slashed … Keep reading »
-
A European Strategy for the Left
The global effects of the crisis have been made even worse by what is happening in Europe. For thirty years the contradictions of capitalism have been overcome with the help … Keep reading »
-
Halo Came Off Canadian Recovery as 2010 Drew to Close
Canada’s recovery from the 2008-09 recession ground to a painful halt during the second half of 2010. The economy created no net new jobs from the summer onward, economic growth … Keep reading »