The Left Reflects on the Global Pandemic

Left-wing scholars, intellectuals, politicians, activists speak with transform! europe on the social, political and economic implications of the current pandemic crisis. Watch video »

As humanity faces the catastrophic COVID-19 pandemic, unprecedented in recent times, the Left internationally must address this crisis with both short and long term action, analysis and planning. We are active day by day, driven by the needs of our communities – this is already reshaping the way we do politics. We are building solidarity networks and launching campaigns to protect and work alongside the people that are hardest hit by the crisis. At the same time, we must think strategically and present alternatives for the future. There can be no going back to the vicious circle of austerity and poverty: we cannot allow the global reimposition of a failed system on the people. The radical left will pose alternatives to reinvent socialist politics for the 21st century: to build a new society that empowers and liberates us all.

Kate Hudson interviews Leo Panitch, moderated by Angelina Giannopoulou. In the second half of the webinar questions from the audience were taken up. Due to technical difficulties in the beginning of the interview, the first 7 minutes Leo Panitch’s answers are audio only.

Leo Panitch is Emeritus Distinguished Research Professor of Political Science at York University in Toronto and co-editor of the Socialist Register whose annual volumes he has edited for past 35 years. His latest books are Searching for Socialism: The Project of the Labour New Left from Benn to Corbyn with Colin Leys (Verso); and the expanded and updated American edition of The Socialist Challenge Today: Syriza, Sanders, Corbyn with Sam Gindin and Steve Maher (Haymarket).

Kate Hudson is general secretary of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in the UK. A historian by profession, she was Head of Social and Policy Studies at London South Bank University from 2000 to 2010, and is the author of a number of books, including two on the development of the radical left in Europe. She is managing editor of Transform UK and is a national officer of Left Unity, a member party of the European Left.

Angelina Giannopoulou is a political scientist based in Athens and facilitator of the Working group on Strategic Perspectives of the Radical Left and European Integration.

Presented by transform! europe.