01 Jun

29 Comments

The Left and Tony Abbott’s ‘inevitable downfall’

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GUEST POST BY SIMON COPLAND Eight months in and the Abbott government seems to already be at the point of no return. After the disaster of the budget, the government has hit a new low in polling — one that, given the political “skills” displayed, seems very difficult reverse. As I’ve predicted in the past, […]

28 May

Comments Off on Podemos, anti-politics & the Spanish Left

Podemos, anti-politics & the Spanish Left

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Before delivering the third part of his series on “Whatever happened to the Indignados?” (See parts one and two), LUKE STOBART has analysed the amazing breakthrough result for Podemos, the new political party that emerged from the 15-M movement, for the UK edition of The Guardian. Just four months after its formation it has won […]

21 May

1 Comment

Imperialism & the anti-capitalist Left: Ukraine in context

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THANASIS KAMPAGIANNIS returns to the debate on imperialism, on the occasion of the controversies that have opened up inside the Left regarding the crisis in Ukraine. This is a translation of an article recently published in the theoretical magazine of the Greek Socialist Workers Party (SEK), Socialism From Below. The declaration of the end of […]

18 May

9 Comments

Dazed & confused: The Left, Palmer & Budget 2014

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We are very concerned about the risk that savings are falling too heavily on some families and young people trying to find work. —Jennifer Westacott, Chief Executive of the Business Council of Australia I don’t think even the colleagues realise the extent to which Tony has locked in a strategy from which he cannot turn […]

09 May

4 Comments

Abbott & Hockey’s ‘age of (political) incoherence’

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It was great fun speaking alongside ACOSS policy officer Emily Hamilton and radical economist Steve Keen at the Northside Forum in the heart of Joe Hockey’s electorate last Saturday. Close to 100 people packed into the function room at the Union Hotel to hear us speak and participate in a Q&A. Thanks to the organisers for inviting us — the […]

07 Apr

4 Comments

WA result: Normal (anti-political) programming resumes

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For most of the Left the re-election, on a big swing and record vote, of Greens Senator Scott Ludlam will be the most cheering news from the WA Senate special election. The Greens campaign was carried out with a large army of enthusiastic and youthful volunteers — door knocking and staffing phone banks (the latter […]

24 Mar

1 Comment

Whatever happened to the Indignados? 2: Regime crisis

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After the weekend’s million and a half strong “March for dignity” in Madrid, once again showing that the wave of radicalisation that has swept Spain since the 15-M protests of 2011 is far from over, LUKE STOBART returns to Left Flank with the second instalment of a special three-part analysis of the Indignados movement and […]

17 Mar

5 Comments

Whatever happened to the Indignados? 1: Radical struggle

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LUKE STOBART with the first instalment of a special three-part analysis of the radicalisation that has swept Spain since the 15-M protests of 2011.   *** Anti-politics and the 15-M movement On 15 May 2011 the new collectives Juventud Sin Futuro (Youth Without Future) and ¡Democracia Real Ya! (Real Democracy Now!), demonstrated in Madrid using […]

15 Mar

18 Comments

Some thoughts on the Biennale boycott and the state

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It would be churlish to thumb one’s nose at the successful artist boycott of the Sydney Biennale, which cut the Biennale’s partnership with Transfield over the latter’s participation in the federal government’s border protection regime. A new tactic within the mishmash of often mutually hostile campaigns in support of asylum seekers, its triumph certainly brightened […]