Marxist Voice

Defying US imperialism: Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution 02.06.2026 49λ

The Cuban Revolution stands as one of the most revered revolutions in the history of capitalism. Fidel Castro and Che Guevara began as anti-imperialists and did not initially consider the revolution to be socialist.However, in the course of the struggle, they realised that the fight against imperialism, if it was to succeed, also had to be a fight against capitalism. With this understanding, they heroically ended capitalism on the island, leading to a long list of gains for Cuban workers.With the struggle against imperialism taking on renewed importance today, the lessons of the Cuban Revolution should be studied by all those who want to end the barbarism created by imperialism.In this talk, RCP Central Committee member Keelan Kellegher will draw out the lessons of the Cuban Revolution, explaining the most important conclusions we can take from this inspiring event.

Feuerbach, philosophy, and the birth of Marxism 26.05.2026 44λ

Dialectical materialism, the philosophy of Marxism, did not fall from the sky. Nor was it just a ‘good idea’ that Marx came up with one afternoon. As Marxists we owe an immense debt to the philosophers of the past, in particular the German idealist Hegel. Before Marx was a ‘Marxist’, he was a student of Hegel, and was amongst those who saw in Hegelian philosophy a revolutionary method of understanding the world: the Young Hegelians. This talk will explain the contributions of Hegel and the Young Hegelians in developing philosophy. In particular, the work of Ludwig Feuerbach, whose attempt to critique Hegel showed the way forward, even if it ultimately failed to go all the way. Of the Young Hegelians, it was Marx and Engels alone who fully grasped the revolutionary spirit of Hegel’s philosophy. This talk, given by leading RCP comrade Nye Shaw, will explain what set these two giants apart from the rest, and how, on this basis, the revolutionary philosophy of Marxism was born.

100 years of Malcolm X: From Nation to Revolution 19.05.2026 48λ

The name Malcolm X is synonymous with the black liberation movement internationally. His life was dedicated to this struggle, ultimately leading to his murder in 1965. His view that liberation should be fought for 'by any means necessary' was a battle cry to the oppressed masses globally, who could see the limits of peaceful protest and abiding by a law set up to oppress you. Beginning as black nationalist and member of the Muslim Brotherhood, in his life he experienced the development of the civil rights movement in the US and saw a series of revolutions against colonialism in Africa. These experiences moved him towards socialist and international and anti-capitalist ideas. Later in his life he proclaimed 'you cannot have capitalism without racism'. In this talk Fiona Lali, RCP Executive Committee member, will discuss the life and ideas of Malcolm X and how we can honour his legacy by overthrowing the oppression and exploitation which still plagues the world today.

World Perspectives 2026 12.05.2026 1ώ 9λ

In order to change the world, you must first understand it. This is why communists discuss politics, economics and the state of class consciousness. In a world defined by economic collapse, political turmoil and growing anger at the establishment, the 3rd Congress of the Revolutionary Communist Party met to discuss this. Here we share the introduction on World Perspectives given by Alan Woods.

Science, the crisis in cosmology and the Big Bang 28.04.2026 54λ

Men and women have looked up at the night sky and speculated about the nature of the universe since prehistoric times. Those speculations were the first gropings towards science. But science was bound up with myth; cosmology with cosmogeny; astronomy with astrology.Since the scientific revolution of the 16th century, however, myth has been squeezed in cosmology. But in the last century, a century of capitalist decline, it has made a comeback under the guise of a new Creation myth, the Big Bang.Since the 1990s, this has ossified into the so-called Standard Model. Today, advances in observational astronomy are fatally undermining that model. In this discussion, Ben Curry, leading member of the Revolutionary Communist International, will look at how the philosophical thought of an age impinges on this science where a clear philosophy is above all necessary if we are to relate the finite sphere of our observations to the infinite cosmos beyond, and the little sliver of time we are able to study its magnificent unfolding to the whole eternity that stretches behind us and ahead of us.

Mao Zedong: His life, legacy, and limits 21.04.2026 53λ

There is no doubt that the Chinese revolution is one of the greatest events in human history. It freed China from the shackles of imperialism after a heroic, decades-long struggle.This revolution was the fruit of the tremendous determination and spirit of sacrifice of the Chinese masses. And at the head of this movement was Mao Zedong.Since Mao’s death, capitalism in China has been gradually restored by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) bureaucracy.Mao is seen to have led a struggle against ‘capitalist roaders’ in the CCP in his final years. Thus many revolutionaries both inside and outside China have understandably looked towards the ideas of Mao as a guide to action in the struggle towards a new revolution.However, just as much as he achieved incredible things, there were not a few tragedies and horrors under his leadership that must be explained, such as the famines of the Great Leap Forward and China’s de facto alliance with the USA against the USSR.Is there a connection between these serious errors and crises, and the CCP’s eventual return to capitalism? And do communists need to make use of the best of Mao’s ideas to abolish once again capitalism in China? In this talk, Daniel Morley, from the RCP Central Committee, will answer these questions.

The Chartist Revolution 14.04.2026 52λ

“Let there be no blinking the question. These are not the times to be nice about mere words: the fact is that there is but one mode of obtaining the Charter, and that is by insurrection.” George Julian HarneyChartism was the first time ever that British workers fixed their eyes on the seizure of political power: in 1839, 1842 and again in 1848. In this struggle, they conducted a class war that at different times involved general strikes, battles with the state, mass demonstrations and even armed insurrection. They forged weapons, illegally drilled their forces, and armed themselves in preparation for seizing the reins of government. Such were the early revolutionary traditions of the British working class, deliberately buried beneath a mountain of falsehoods and distortions.In this talk given at the London Marxist School, Rob Sewell draws out the lessons of the Chartist movement. You can get your copy of Rob's book here https://wellredbooks.co.uk/product/chartist-revolution/

The Easter Rising of 1916 07.04.2026 42λ

The Easter Rising of 1916 is one of the most inspiring events in Irish revolutionary history. The rising saw Europe’s first Red Army, the Irish Citizen’s Army, fight the forces of British Imperialism on the streets of Dublin and sacrifice their lives for the cause of a free Ireland for the Irish workers and poor. When Lenin got news of the Rising, he criticised those who wrote it off as a ‘putsch’ saying ‘Whoever expects a ‘pure’ social revolution will never live to see it. Such a person pays lip-service to revolution without understanding what revolution is.’ These comments still ring true today with the history of the rising falling victim to all kinds of distortions. In this talk from Revolution Festival 2025, Orla Thomas from the RCP Central Committee will set the record straight on the history of the Rising, discuss its lessons , and explain the importance of the Irish national question for communists in Britain today.

The Reformation: religion, revolution and the rise of the bourgeoisie 31.03.2026 46λ

“The long fight of the bourgeoisie against feudalism culminated in three great, decisive battles. The first was what is called the Protestant Reformation…” EngelsWhen Martin Luther pinned his ninety-five thesis to the door of a church he set in motion a struggle on a scale that he did not foresee nor desire. Starting as a theological debate on doctrine, it became an ideological struggle against the Roman Catholic Church, and from there a series of revolutions, wars and civil wars. This explosive chapter of events shook Europe to the core, and changed history forever. It was a necessary first step in the struggle of the masses against feudalism by breaking the ideological dictatorship of the Catholic Church. This struggle opened the floodgates for new radical thought, such as the enlightenment, the development of science, and further revolutions. In this talk from Revolution Festival 2025, Joe Russell, RCP Executive Committee member will use this period of revolution as an important case study for historical materialism. How do changes in the economic base of society affect the realm of ideas, including religion? And how in turn, do such ideas become the most powerful weapon in the struggle to change the world?

For an independent revolutionary art: Marxism and Surrealism 24.03.2026 44λ

Surrealism was a revolutionary artistic movement founded in 1922 and led by writer and poet André Breton. The movement produced and influenced a galaxy of the 20th centuries finest artists. Surrealist artwork deals in the bizarre and the strange. On the surface, it can seem as if this is all it is - though, it stands for something much deeper. In this talk, Will Collins from the RCP Central Committee explains how surrealism grew out of the general feeling of malaise and anger that existed across Europe following the barbarism of the First World War and at the same time the inspiration from the revolutionary events that swept Europe.This revolutionary spirit reflected itself in the art produced by the surrealists. Surrealist art seeks to express a contradictory view of reality. It reveals the violence and savagery that lurks underneath the thin veneer of bourgeois civilization. The polite manners and “good taste” of bourgeois society is really just a façade that conceals the most terrible suffering, exploitation and repression.But really the essence of the surrealist movement, was to liberate the artist from the shackles of ‘official’ culture, the state, church and even of the mind itself. In its form, the surrealists developed techniques that aimed to tap into the creative well-spring of the subconscious mind - they experimented with automatic writing and painting, dream recitals and research into mental illness and recent studies in psychoanalysis.The surrealists were not at all armchair intellectuals, but committed revolutionaries. After being ex-communicated by the Stalinist Communist Party, Breton was drawn into the orbit of Leon Trotsky who in 1937 together published a manifesto called a ‘Manifesto for an Independent Revolutionary Art.’Here, they argue that art must remain true to itself and not degenerate into mere propaganda dictated to it by a revolutionary party yet should place itself at the service of the revolution. But to truly liberate the mind, a life and death struggle would have to be waged against the system that enslaves it, and commit to the building of a socialist society. The manifesto finishes with the slogan:"Our aims: The independence of art — for the revolution. The revolution — for the complete liberation of art!”

How to end women's oppression 10.03.2026 43λ

Sunday March 8th marked International Working Women's Day. This day was created by Socialists and Communists to highlight the role of working women under capitalism and in overthrowing it. Communists have always been at the forefront of the struggle against women's oppression. But what is it that we actually say on this topic? How can women's oppression be overthrown? In this talk from Revolution Festival 2025, Manon Powrie, leading RCP member, spoke on this topic.

How do Marxists view history? 03.03.2026 49λ

From the comfort of their cosy armchairs and university lecterns, the well-learned professors of bourgeois academia throw all manner of wild accusations at the Marxist view of history.Fatalistic, teleological, economically deterministic, class reductionist, Messianic... there’s no end to the high-sounding mutilations that Marx’s ideas receive at the hands of their adversaries.But these are all misunderstandings, distortions, and lies. The Marxist method of historical materialism is, in reality, the only way to understand the logic of history – which is driven by social relations, revolutionary upheavals, and class struggle.In this talk, communist.red editor Jack Tye Wilson uncovers the profound insights that Marx and Engels offer into the historical process, and combat the false and one-sided interpretations their ideas have suffered over the years.He coves questions like: Is there such a thing as progress? Does Marxism reduce everything to economics? What about the role of ideas and individuals? And is the victory of communism inevitable?

The British General Strike: A Communist History 24.02.2026 52λ

Hear the author of A Communist History of the British General Strike talk on the contents of his new book. And order your copy of the book. In May 1926 the working class of Britain moved in its millions. Whispers of a new world — one run by the workers, without the need for bosses, bankers or politicians — were in the air. Britain, an island supposedly lacking in revolutionary traditions, was on the brink of an almighty upheaval.For nine days, British workers defied the state and their employers to bring the country to a standstill. The General Strike had the potential to change the country forever, but it was betrayed by the very people who were supposed to lead it.Today, a century later, there are striking similarities with Britain of the 1920s. The economy is weak. Living standards are falling. Public services are collapsing. People are angry, and class battles are close at hand.In his book, Ben Gliniecki, General Secretary of the Revolutionary Communist Party, presents a sketch of the events of the strike and what led to it. Through it, we can study the hard-learned lessons of 1926 — about betrayal, state repression and failure of leadership. And we can be inspired by the power, initiative and unity of the working class in struggle. With this, we can turn the whispers of a new world into reality.

Does Britain have free speech? 17.02.2026 44λ

Questions of free speech and state repression have reared over the recent period. The right wing cynically uses the idea of free speech to pretend figures like Farage are being silenced. In reality, however, those defending the needs of capitalism and the status quo are given all the free speech they need. In the mean time, elderly protestors have been arrested for standing against genocide. Last week the High Court ruled that Palestine Action could no longer be brandished as terrorism, coming after the inability to find a jury which would sentence the activists. Both the harsh repression from the British state and the inability to put this repression into practise in a systematic way shows the mess the British ruling class is in. Here we share Nelson Wan, RCP executive committee member speaking on this topic at our 2025 Revolution Festival.

Year One of the Russian Revolution 10.02.2026 1ώ

The Russian Revolution was the greatest event in human history, where the workers took power into their hands and grasped the state. But revolution is never a one act drama, it is a transition from one mode of production into another. This means that the revolution does not create socialism or communism overnight. The was abundantly clear in Russia, with its underdeveloped economy. This was the topic of a discussion at the latest Central Committee meeting of the Revolutionary Communist Party. Listen to the talk, by executive committee member Daniel Morley, here. If you want to know more about this period of history we would recommend ⁠this article⁠ from the RCI on the same topic. For a longer read covering the topic, ⁠In Defence of Lenin⁠, ⁠Russia, from Revolution to Counter Revolution⁠, ⁠Trotsky's My Life⁠ and ⁠Victor Serge's Year One of the Russian Revolution⁠.

Sudan: From Revolution to Barbarism 03.02.2026 40λ

Friedrich Engels once said 'bourgeois society stands at the crossroads, either transition to socialism or regression into barbarism.' In many countries, this barbarism is already upon us. This is the topic of the latest In Defence of Marxism magazine. Here we share the author of the lead article, Thomas Soud, discussing his lead article on the Sudanese revolution and counter revolution of 2019. If you would like to get your own copy of this magazine, click here.

Imperialism in the Middle East 27.01.2026 38λ

The middle east has been the playground of western imperialism for decades. With tensions raising in Iran, and western imperialism attempting to use this for its own gains, it is the job of communists to understand the role of imperialism in this region. For this reason, we publish here Lubna Badi's talk from Revolution Festival 2025. Lubna is a Central Committee member of the RCP who regularly writes and speaks on the middle east. If you would like to learn more on this topic we reccomend reading Thawra hatta'l nasr! - Revolution until Victory! as well as Israel-Palestine A Revolutionary Way Forward.

Europe in crisis: How the working class can win 19.01.2026 50λ

In September and October 2025, 2 million workers came to the streets of Italy to fight against the genocide in Palestine. This is representative of the crisis in Europe which has plagued the European working class in 2025.It is clear that actions such as these in Italy are the way forward. We have uploaded this talk by Jorge Martin, RCI International Secretariat member, from our Revolution Festival last year, which covers the current crisis in Europe and how to fight it.Here we also link an article on the events being discussed in this episode.

Monopolies and imperialism 12.01.2026 42λ

2026 has started with an almighty imperialist bang. Given the current actions of US imperialism, kidnapping the president of Venezuela and threatening the rest of Latin America and Greenland, it is clear that imperialism is something communists must understand. Liberal media will tell you that this is the madness of Trump, but we know it is deeper than that. Imperialism does not start or end with the personality traits of its representatives. Rather, it is sewed into the fabric of capitalism. In order to help comrades understand this topic, we are publishing Adam Booth, from the RCP Executive Committee, talking on monopolies and imperialism at our 2025 Revolution Festival. If you want to know more about this topic, we would reccomend reading Lenin's Imperialism: The highest stage of capitalism, as well as Colossus: The rise and decline of US imperialism. If you would like to hear more from Adam, we suggest his other talk from this event on the inner workings of capitalism, as well as his readers' guide to Marx's Capital.

Hands Off Venezuela 08.01.2026 50λ

On Saturday January 3rd 2026, Nicolas Maduro was kidnapped from his home by the United States. This is a clear act of Western Imperialist aggression which all communists should be opposed to. But why is it happening? What does this mean for US imperialism, world capitalism and countries like Venezuela? Speaking at an open meeting of the RCP in London, Jorge Martin, Secretary of the Hands Off Venezuela campaign and leading member of the RCI, explains the method in this madness. If you would like to learn more about the history of Venezuela we would recommend pre-ording Alan Wood's new book on the topic. We would also recommend reading Colossus: The rise and decline of US imperialism to understand what is happening today.