The victories that followed the American civil war and the 1960s civil rights era are once again under attack, echoing earlier efforts to roll back equality and redefine democracy, says JOE SIMS
CAN dialectics explain the world? The answer’s No. Dialectics, of itself can’t “explain” anything.
That’s the job of scientists, engineers, historians, investigative journalists, of people working on specific problems, researching or bringing knowledge together to provide an overview of how particular aspects of the universe function.
But forensic analysis — whether of the workings of the economy, of a particular problem in history, or the origins and spread of the Covid-19 virus — invariably reveals that dialectical principles are at work and a dialectical approach can be a vital aid in trying to understand ourselves and the universe around us.
The selection, analysis and interpretation of historical ‘facts’ always takes place within a paradigm, a model of how the world works. That’s why history is always a battleground, declares the Marx Memorial Library
From hunting rare pamphlets at book sales to online panels and courses on trade unionism and class politics, the MML continues connecting archive treasures with the movements fighting for a better world, writes director MEIRIAN JUMP
The creative imagination is a weapon against barbarism, writes KENNY COYLE, who is a keynote speaker at the Manifesto Press conference, Art in the Age of Degenerative Capitalism, tomorrow at the Marx Memorial Library & Workers School in London



