Robinson successfully defended his school from closure, fought for the unification of the teaching unions, mentored future trade union leaders and transformed teaching at the Marx Memorial Library, writes JOHN FOSTER

ACCORDING to Walt Rostow’s infamous 1960s work, A Non-Communist Manifesto, society passes through five stages of development with technology, entrepreneurialism, individualism and competition as the key drivers.
China would appear now to be transitioning through Stage 4: the drive to maturity — a long period of sustained growth and structural change with modern technology extending across the economy, poverty falling, and an increasingly urbanised workforce. “Infrastructure and communications, education and the media, professionalism, progress to high levels with more effective leadership of a population realising new opportunities as they strive to make the most of their lives.”
Stage 5: the age of mass consumption then reaches the wealth levels of the West — citizens, hardly remembering the subsistence struggles of previous stages, live in comfort, and spend their days enjoying the arts and music.

JENNY CLEGG reports from a Chinese peace conference bringing together defence ministers, US think tanks and global South leaders, where speakers warned that the erosion of multilateralism risks regional hotspots exploding into wider war


