Originally published in 1974, Harry Braverman's book Labour and Monopoly Capitalism is still relevant, interesting, and very readable today. In fact, I think I'll put it on my "to read" list and read it cover to cover again in the near future.

Matt Huber@matthuber.bsky.social · last mo.

“In reality, machinery embraces a host of possibilities, many of which are thwarted, rather than developed, by capital” (159).

I just looked through the 10 titles of the papers. This is excellent, interesting and important work.

Jason Hickel@jasonhickel.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Three years ago we started a new ERC-funded project called REAL, with three teams of brilliant researchers. Here are ten exciting papers involving my team that we've published so far, so you can see what we've been up to. And there's much more to come... stay tuned! 🧵

I very much enjoyed reading Matt McManus' book *The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism* , which I reviewed for Historical Materialism. My review is available to read online.

Historical Materialism Journal@histmat.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Now online: Matthew McManus, *The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism* reviewed by Peter Lamb.

My review of the very impressive book The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism by Matthew McManus @mattpolprof.bsky.social has just been published online in the book review section of the Historical Materialism website: www.historicalmaterialism.org/liberal-soci... It is open access.

Indeed, Deleuze is an important and interesting philosopher of the left.

Robert W. Luzecky, PhD 🇨🇦@robluzecky.bsky.social · 3mo ago

In this collection of essays, scholars analyze key aspects of Gilles Deleuze’s philosophy as it has been developed in his monographs, lectures, articles, and the works co-authored with Félix Guattari. It is difficult to overstate the importance of Deleuze’s thought.

An important new paper!

Malissa Alinor@malissa-a.bsky.social · 3mo ago

My new paper out in Social Forces shows how competency microaggressions—like “diversity hire” comments framed as jokes—shape Black workers’ collaboration in teams. academic.oup.com/sf/advance-a...

I wonder if in your first sentence we should replace 'substitute for" with "symptom of". By all means argue about the wealth and power of the oligarchic class; but if in the meantime we chip away at the symptoms then surely this is a useful thing to do.

George Monbiot@georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Almost everything we argue about is a substitute for the thing we should be arguing about: the immense wealth & power of an oligarchic class, which captures governments, ruins lives and wrecks the living planet. This class redirects our rage at scapegoats. To resist its lies is to resist its power.

This is a very interesting passage. The first three sentences look as though Horkheimer has an awareness of developments in quantum mechanics, and is weaving this into Marxism.

James Crane@jamescrane.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Just stumbled on Horkheimer’s notes for the Lenin essay ( 🔗 ⬇️), & there Horkheimer traces his own concept of “the Marxist method” back to: (1) Marx-Engels on the camera obscura in The German Ideology intro (2) Lenin’s 4-pt. def of dialectical logic in the ‘21 “Once Again, On the Trade Unions”!

This looks like an important article. It explores a crucial aspect of legitimation as a means of consolidating support or at least acceptance by significant sections of the populace.

Anna-Sophie Heinze@asheinze.bsky.social · 5mo ago

🎉 New publication 😍 The 4th wave of the #farright is marked by #mainstreaming & #normalisation - but how can we distinguish between them? In our new article, @gefjonoff.bsky.social and I map the existing literature, introduce a conceptual framework & outline research avenues. doi.org/10.1017/S147...

Its refreshing to read cases of justice in today's world: paydayreport.com/rio-police-c...

Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò@olufemiotaiwo.bsky.social · 5mo ago

"Today, the Brazilian Supreme Court announced that they had convicted the masterminds behind the assassination of socialist Rio de Janeiro City Councilwoman Marielle Franco guilty on all counts." massive news in Brazil today, writeup by @mikeelk.bsky.social paydayreport.com/rio-police-c...

This makes Gramsci on hegemony as important and significant as ever or, perhaps, more important and significant than ever.

David William@nrvscrcts.bsky.social · 5mo ago

A key concept about generative AI that I try to bring into every educational situation is 'be critical of what the tools generates.' Going forward, I'm rephrasing this concept as 'no cognitive retreat, no cognitive surrender'

This paper should be read not only by academics researching the far-right in contemporary politics, but also by mainstream politicians.

Teresa Völker@tevoelker.bsky.social · 6mo ago

NEW PUBLICATION “How the Media Cordon Sanitaire Crumbles: Lessons from Germany” now out in @prxjournal.bsky.social 🔓 doi.org/10.1080/2474736X.2026.2621808 I’m very happy that this paper is out – this project is particularly important to me.

Rubio's neglect of and disrespect for the indigenous peoples of North America in his speech was disgraceful.

Edward Luce@edwardluce.bsky.social · 6mo ago

“While Rubio’s tone was politer than the diatribe delivered by US vice-president JD Vance on the same stage the previous year….the substance of the US message was little changed.” So glad to see clear reporting from my colleagues. www.ft.com/content/9463...

This new book by George B. Radics looks very interesting, innovative and likely to generate much debate.

George B. Radics@georgeradics.bsky.social · 6mo ago

It's been a long time coming. After several years of revisions, my book Emotional Filipinos is coming out on April 15th. Please share and retweet! It would really mean a lot to me. Preorder sales available here: ugapress.org/978082037545...

Good focus on structure but without neglecting agency in this short, concise explanation that will be useful for teaching purposes.

Grace Blakeley@graceblakeley.substack.com · 8mo ago

Economists don’t understand capitalism

A problem is that before capitalism eats itself, its vested interests defend it. Sometimes capitalism will resort to authoritarianism to defend itself. So if democracy has to be diluted in order to save capitalism, that is considered a price worth paying. Capitalism avoids eating itself.

Andrew James@a-bluejay.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Capitalism eats itself! When nation states can no longer contain the greed of the oligarchs wealth becomes so concentrated it undermines the liquidity of the global economy and corrupts politicians further- vicious circle! www.theguardian.com/news/2025/de...

Good to see Matt McManus' concise revival of R.H. Tawney, whose work was so influential on both Christian and non-Christian socialists.

Matt McManus@mattpolprof.bsky.social · 8mo ago

My new piece for @smashmammon.bsky.social introducing R.H Tawney's Christian socialism christiansocialism.com/2025/12/08/h...

I keep half-expecting to see a horse in the US Senate.

We see the fascist manipulation of the concept of freedom very starkly If we go back to Italian fascism in the 1920s, where we find Mussolini and the fascist writers Rocco and Gentile arguing that the fascist state determines what freedom is at any particular time in any situation.

Jason Read@jasonread.bsky.social · 8mo ago

...The key pleasure they offer is a practice of freedom without accountability, responsibility, or any sense of dependence on the well-being of others. In short, freedom is a promise of impunity as the glimmering hope of a fascist utopia." Zahid R. Chaudhary, Paranoid Publics

Also listen to Paul Robeson's great rendition of "Joe Hill" www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8Kx...

Paul Robeson, "Joe Hill"

YouTube video by Backroom Window Press

youtube.com

Green and Red Podcast@podcastgreenred.bsky.social · 9mo ago

Remembering Joe Hill murdered by the state of Utah #TDIH in 1915. Labor agitator, songwriter & Wobbly. Amongst many others, he wrote the song, "There is Power in a Union." In a last letter to Big Bill Haywood, he said “I die like a true blue rebel. Don't waste any time in mourning. Organize!”

I'm always pleased to hear about new work published about the great socialist theorist and activist Harold Laski. Hence, I am delighted to announce the publication of a new monograph in Italian language by the brilliant scholar Pier Giuseppe Puggioni. See www.edizioniets.com/scheda.asp?n...

L’obbligazione inesistente - Pier Giuseppe Puggioni

9788846772787 | L’obbligazione inesistente - Pier Giuseppe Puggioni - Il volume propone una lettura filosofico-giuridica dell’opera dello storico britannico Harold J. Laski (1893-1950), cercando di ri...

edizioniets.com

"The fact is that any Bill of Rights depends for its efficacy on the determination of its people that it shall be maintained." This quote from Harold Laski, "LIBERTY IN THE MODERN STATE (1930: p.53) is very topical today.

This is a very good article, making a great point very clearly and concisely.

Mainstream@mainstreamlabour.bsky.social · 9mo ago

✍️NEW on the Mainstream blog: Cllr Cai Parry (@caiparry.bsky.social) on 'Why Rachel Reeves Should Implement a Land Value Tax'. Read it here: www.mainstreamlabour.org/blog/why-rac...

Sorry, I meant the Times rather than the Telegraph. So I meant: It was also only three months after Thatcher became leader of the Conservative Party and thus leader of the opposition. So wasn't this stuff in the Times in 1975 part of the campaign to unseat the Labour government at the next election?

Peter Lamb@peterlamb1.bsky.social · 9mo ago

It was also only three months after Thatcher became leader of the Conservative Party and thus leader of the opposition. So wasn't this stuff in the Telegraph part of the campaign to unseat the Labour government at the next election?

It was also only three months after Thatcher became leader of the Conservative Party and thus leader of the opposition. So wasn't this stuff in the Telegraph part of the campaign to unseat the Labour government at the next election?

Ben Wood@cosmichope.bsky.social · 9mo ago

This kind of nostalgia is perhaps a form of what the psychologists call "learned helpless". It's a response to a perceived or real lack of control. We prefer the scripts with which we are familiar rather than engaging with the moving present. The feeling of paralysis is perversely comforting.

For a good and very readable book on John Ball as a communist see William Morris, A Dream of John Ball www.marxists.org/archive/morr...

Loukas Christodoulou@loukas.bsky.social · 9mo ago

One of my favorite lines from The Once and Future King is a passing reference to "that preacher John Ball, who says he's a communist." It's a claim that the peasants' revolt of 1389 could be seen in those terms. John Ball said, "when Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman?"

Great photo of three great American socialists: www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/...

Zohran Mamdani says he's a democratic socialist. What does it mean?

President Donald Trump has attacked the New York City mayor-elect's political label and claims he is a communist.

bbc.co.uk

Yes, preset hierarchies. The old adage of computing, 'Garbage In Garbage Out', still applies in the world of AI.

Josh Shepperd@joshshepperd.bsky.social · 11mo ago

I see a lot of utility for AI, but I’ve stopped using it entirely. It gets things wrong. It’s glib. And AI sorts information and people into preset hierarchies. It’s this latter point that’s giving me the most pause. The current iteration of AI is also a social engineering project.

Those out there who are interested in the History of the British left will find the following piece on the Chartist Ben Rushton of interest, on the Web site of Friends of Lister Lane Cemetery @listerlanecem.bsky.social . Rushton's interesting grave stone is in the Cemetery.

The focus of this book on Marx's work on a wide range of parts of the world really makes very clear the worldwide scope of his revolutionary ideas.

Tim Howles@timhowles.bsky.social · 12mo ago

“The Late Marx’s Revolutionary Roads: Colonialism, Gender, and Indigenous Communism” Kevin B. Anderson www.versobooks.com/products/325...