Greig Charnock
 
Abstract
 
The sudden rise to power in Barcelona of the citizens’ municipal platform Barcelona en Comú (Barcelona in Common, or BeC) is quite remarkable.  In the fall of 2014, BeC formed the ‘citizen platform’ Guanyem Barcelona (Let’s Win Barcelona) as its electoral vehicle, and ‘crowd-sourced’ its code of ethics and allo......

 
Xiaoping Wang
 
Abstract
This paper aims to re-evaluate Mao’s ‘Yan’an Talks’ by reading it against the social-historical concreteness to examine its historical particularity as well as its political universality. It traces the historical origin of this speech, and then discusses Mao’s vision of the new historical subject of ‘the people’ t......

 
Paul Raekstad
 
Abstract
 
In recent years, we’ve seen more and more calls for ‘democracy’ – not only among familiar reformist and liberal groups, but from far more radical ones as well. Radical calls for democracy are seen in movements and organizations from the Arab Spring, Occupy, and the Movement of the Squares to the efforts at construct......

 
Sharryn Kasmir
 
Abstract
 
Cooperatives play an important role in the imagination of the left for their purported potential to democratize the workplace, nurture non-capitalist social relations in the interstices of capitalism, and anchor social or solidarity economies. They are seen, as well, as levers for a soft transition to socialism, ‘qui......

 
Slavoj Zizek
 
Abstract
 
Giorgio Agamben said in an interview that ‘thought is the courage of hopelessness’ – an insight which is especially pertinent for our historical moment, when even the most pessimistic diagnostics as a rule finish with an uplifting hint at some version of the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. The true courage......

 
Andreas Malm
 
Abstract
 
It doesn’t take much imagination to associate climate change with revolution. If the planetary order upon which all societies are built starts breaking down, how can they possibly remain stable? Various more or less horrifying scenarios of upheaval have long been extrapolated from soaring temperatures. In his novel The......

 
Leo Panitch, Gregory Albo
 
Abstract
 
This 53rd volume of the Socialist Register addresses the question of the meaning of revolution in the twenty-first century. Coming to terms with the legacy of 1917 is obviously one aspect of this. ‘October’ was a unique event that provided inspiration for millions of oppressed people, and also became an i......

 
Michelle Williams
 
Abstract
 
The twentieth century was marked by the emergence and growth of mass political parties that sought to control their respective states through either democratic or authoritarian means. For parties operating in democratic contexts, their relations to civil society tended to be more autonomous and revolved around supp......

 
Robert Cavooris
 
Abstract
 
Have the achievements of the various left-leaning states set stage for further revolutionary breaks with the current order, or have they reached a dead end? To answer this, we might look beyond the state, to movements, margins, and social practices offering alternatives to capitalism. Raquel Gutiérrez, participant a......

 
James Foley, Pete Ramand
 
Abstract
 
Referendums have grown sharply in Europe. While in the 1970s they ran at a rate of three per year, the annual figure is now eight, excluding countries like Switzerland where direct democracy is a regular part of government.  Several recent referendums have indeed been focuses for ‘anti-establishment’ backl......