School of Communism 2026
The World School of Communism is an online educational event organised by the Revolutionary Communist International. Across more than twenty presentations, speakers cover Marxist theory, history, art and the prospects for class struggle today. The podcast publishes these sessions as audio so listeners can follow the school's programme at their own pace. Further resources and video versions are available via marxist.com and the RCI's YouTube channel.
Episodes
Rojava: Why Was the Revolution Defeated?
In July 2012, the Kurds living in northeastern Syria, led by the Syrian section of the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), declared their autonomy in what became known as the Rojava Revolution. For the first time in their history the Syrian Kurds became masters over their own lives and destinies, and ruled their own homeland. The Rojava Revolution at its peak was celebrated by some as a living example o
How Marx Became a Marxist
Scientific socialism did not spring from the mind of the young Marx like Athena from the head of Zeus. The development of Marxism – its method and fundamental ideas – was the result of a process driven by a combination of factors.The major events of the first half of the nineteenth century in Europe; the feverish development of capitalism in Great Britain; the first independent mobilizations of th
Mao’s Anti-Imperialism: Lessons for Today
We are often criticised by Maoists, or those at least sympathetic to Mao, as being nitpickers subjecting real revolutions to unrealistic purity tests. They say that in doing so, we effectively side with western imperialism, and fail to recognise the heroic anti-imperialist work of Mao and the Chinese Communist Party.If Mao was such an exemplar of anti-imperialism, how do we explain the Sino-Soviet
1929 and the Great Depression
The 1929 Wall Street crash was a defining moment. It precipitated the slump of 1929-31, the deepest slump ever experienced by capitalism. Of course, the bourgeois economists attempt to cover up the real reasons for the slump. The aim of this talk is to explain not only what happened but its causes in the endemic crisis of capitalist overproduction.Rob Sewell in this talk will explore the consequen
Marxism & Art
Marxism is often caricatured as a dull, grey theory, narrowly focused on politics and economics.In fact the opposite is true.As revolutionaries we are not only fighting for bread, but to emancipate the enormous cultural treasures of human civilisation which, today, are in the hands of a small minority. As Leon Trotsky put it, “not by politics alone does man thrive”. Communists must take a keen int
Defend the Cuban Revolution!
The Cuban Revolution is facing its most dangerous period ever. Since the beginning of the year, US imperialism has massively ramped up its decades-long assault by enacting an oil blockade, bullying Latin American countries to expel Cuban doctors and implementing secondary sanctions (forcing hotel operators and mining companies from Spain, Canada, Australia and other countries out of the island), t
Lenin and Trotsky: What They Really Stood For
Decades of ideological struggle inside the revolutionary movement in Russia culminated in the successful revolution of 1917. In the heat of that revolution, Lenin and Trotsky found themselves in full agreement on the tasks facing the movement. Trotsky joined the Bolshevik Party and the two revolutionaries led the October Revolution, which transformed human history.After Lenin’s death, Trotsky’s pa
The Epstein Class Exposed: Their Morals and Ours
The Epstein scandal exposes the full moral decay of the capitalist class. For the rich and powerful, power comes with a sense of total impunity to exploit the most vulnerable and a rejection of common moral principles. In the face of the rottenness of the Epstein class, ordinary people are beginning to question the very morality of the system in which we live.This talk by Hélène Bissonnette – lead
Shostakovich: The Musical Voice of the Russian Revolution
Classical music may seem a world apart from revolutionary politics — but it isn’t.The legacy of Dmitri Shostakovich has been the subject of a veritable war of interpretations in the half-century since his death. As an opponent of Stalin’s regime, he is often portrayed as an anti-communist, opposed to everything the USSR stood for. Others, noting his decision to remain in the Soviet Union and compo
The Rise and Fall of Social Democracy
Social Democracy in its early days swore allegiance to Marxism. In many countries it became the main party of the working class. But due to the subjective weaknesses of its leaders – lacking theoretical clarity – and the pressures of the powerful economic boom of the 1890s through to the First World war, Social Democracy abandoned the ideas of revolution and moved towards reformism. They then went
The Origins of Marxist Economics
Marx and Engels did not develop their ideas – the ideas of scientific socialism – in a vacuum. Rather, their theoretical conclusions were a synthesis of the most advanced ideas of their time. This included the revolutionary kernel contained within Hegel’s dialectical philosophy; the bold visions of the French socialists; and the scientific approach of the ‘classical’ economists – including, first
Building the Revolutionary Communist International
“The most mature revolutionary situation without a revolutionary party of due stature and without correct leadership is the same as a knife without a blade.” These words of wisdom from Leon Trotsky apply a hundredfold in the current period of unprecedented capitalist crisis. We have an historic duty to lay the foundations of a world party of communist revolution, capable of navigating the stormy s
The Yugoslav Revolution
The victory of the Resistance against Nazi-fascism in Yugoslavia was undoubtedly one of the most important revolutionary outcomes of the Second World War. The partisans, led by Tito, were propelled into power by the heroic uprising of the Balkan masses against the joint occupation by Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. Capitalism in the Balkans, except for Greece, was overthrown.The establishment of t
Progress, Decline, and the Marxist View of History
Hunger, war, inequality – in politics, the press and in popular culture, talk of decline is everywhere. Is this just the latest chapter in a story as old as civilisation itself?For centuries, historians and philosophers have tried to explain the rise and fall of civilisations, and answer the question: ‘Can we speak of progress in history?’ It was Marx and Engels who finally gave a truly scientific
In Defence of the Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was a high point in human thought. Today we are in the midst of an ideological struggle against the irrationality of capitalism, and here we as Marxists stand as defenders of the very essence of the Enlightenment. But not only that. This exceptional chapter in human history is a treasure trove from which we can arm ourselves in the struggle for a communist society.To intro
Is The World Going Fascist?
he wave of racist attacks in Britain, the growing support for parties like the AfD in Germany or National Rally in France, the whirlwind of chaos following Trump coming back to office – all this has many asking: are we heading toward fascism? This talk will look at the rise of fascism to power in the 1920’s and 1930’s, to answer the questions: what is fascism? How do we fight the right wing? And w
Philosophy and Science: A New Era in Cosmology
A new era is opening in cosmology, brought to us by powerful instruments like the James Webb Space Telescope and the DESI instrument. These technological marvels are extending a piercing view deeper and with more precision than we have ever had access to before into our awesome, expansive, infinite universe.And as our horizons extend, the old cosmology – that of the Big Bang which has reigned as t
France 1936: Reform or Revolution?
In May of 1936, the Popular Front won the French general elections. A wave of strikes erupted in the weeks following the election. During what was at that time the most massive general strike of French history, French workers won huge concessions from the ruling class, including the 40 hour weeks and – for the first time – paid vacations !These events have become a myth amongst the French Left and
Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarian Revolution
The US imperialist attack on January 3 has brought Venezuela back to the limelight. For many years, the Bolivarian revolution was a source of inspiration for millions of workers, peasants, and youth across Latin America and beyond. Hugo Chavez was an outstanding revolutionary figure who wanted to use the country’s oil wealth to improve the living conditions of ordinary Venezuelans, and drew the co
250 Years Since America’s First Revolution
For 250 years, the American Revolution has inspired millions around the world. Nonetheless, some argue that it was little more than a power struggle between two groups of white property owners. Superficially, there is some truth to this. However, as historical materialists, our task is to delve beneath the surface. We must unravel the inner contradictions, fundamental processes, economic transform
Multi-Polarity and Marxism: How Communists Fight Imperialism
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, US imperialism was able to dominate uncontested for a period of time, lacking any major competitor on the world stage. However, as the US imperialists are finding out – nothing is eternal. Their relative decline has allowed the rise of other imperialist powers able to compete, including Russia and China.Some on the left have hailed the rise of a multi-polar
Britain’s ‘Almost-Revolution’: The 1926 General Strike
There is a hidden chapter in the history of the British working class. You won’t learn about it at school or see it in the media, but it smashes the stereotype of conservative British workers who are averse to class struggle. Leading member of the RCP in Britain, Ben Gliniecki, will be unearthing this inspirational history.A century ago, in 1926, the British working class waged a general strike th
Imperialist war and class struggle: perspectives discussion
A historic defeat and humiliation of US imperialism at the hands of Iran, Trump’s kidnapping of Nicolás Maduro, the potential restoration of capitalism in Cuba, the Epstein scandal, political general strikes, revolutions and counter-revolutions.It is no exaggeration to say that we are living through the most disturbed period of human history.In this talk Alan Woods, leading theoretician of the Rev
