The Need to Push Beyond Social Democratic or Social Reformist Limits

John Clarke, former major organizer of the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), posted the following recently on Facebook: John Clarke A strike wave of major proportions is developing in Canada. Tellingly, we are seeing workers reject deals and press for more in some instances. The present period is marked by an employer/state drive to ensure … Continue reading The Need to Push Beyond Social Democratic or Social Reformist Limits →

Is the Criticism of Social-reformist or Social-democratic Leaders a Tactical or Strategic Issue?

On a Marxist listserve, one Marxist stated: Actually I don't think you have a accurate understanding of critical support. Critical support is not about trying to maintain an ideological purity-- it's a tactic designed to expose the reformists as being incapable of defending the workers; of advancing the struggle for workers power. In response, a supposed … Continue reading Is the Criticism of Social-reformist or Social-democratic Leaders a Tactical or Strategic Issue? →

Does Being a Militant Union Leader Justify the Silence of the So-called Radical Left?

On a Marxist listserve, a writer posted with the subject reading "Workers know what it means to be in the working class." These are his short statements: This is Mick Lynch of the Railway Unionists (The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers - RTU) of the UK - who were in bitter strike … Continue reading Does Being a Militant Union Leader Justify the Silence of the So-called Radical Left? →

Left Libertarians Versus Socialists

John Clarke, former major organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), posted the following on Facebook recently: John Clarke 22h · The problem with ideas like this is that they fail to acknowledge the realities of a capitalist society or the balance of class forces within it. The contradictions and crises of this society and … Continue reading Left Libertarians Versus Socialists →

Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Twenty: The School as the Embodiment of Character Formation Versus the School as the Embodiment of the Three R’s

This is a continuation of a series of posts on summaries of articles, mainly on education. When I was a French teacher at Ashern Central School, in Ashern, Manitoba, Canada, I started to place critiques, mainly (although not entirely) of the current school system. At first, I merely printed off the articles, but then I … Continue reading Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Twenty: The School as the Embodiment of Character Formation Versus the School as the Embodiment of the Three R’s →

Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Nineteen: The Oaxaca, Mexico Teachers’ Strike and Subsequent Community Uprising of 2006

This is a continuation of a series of posts on summaries of articles, mainly on education. When I was a French teacher at Ashern Central School, in Ashern, Manitoba, Canada, I started to place critiques, mainly (although not entirely) of the current school system. At first, I merely printed off the articles, but then I … Continue reading Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Nineteen: The Oaxaca, Mexico Teachers’ Strike and Subsequent Community Uprising of 2006 →

Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Eighteen: The Hidden Curriculum of Learning to Develop a Positive Attitude Towards Being Exploited and Oppressed

This is a continuation of a series of posts on summaries of articles, mainly on education. When I was a French teacher at Ashern Central School, in Ashern, Manitoba, Canada, I started to place critiques, mainly (although not entirely) of the current school system. At first, I merely printed off the articles, but then I … Continue reading Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Eighteen: The Hidden Curriculum of Learning to Develop a Positive Attitude Towards Being Exploited and Oppressed →

Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Seventeen: The Failure of Micro School Reformism to Address Children’s Poverty

This is a continuation of a series of posts on summaries of articles, mainly on education. When I was a French teacher at Ashern Central School, in Ashern, Manitoba, Canada, I started to place critiques, mainly (although not entirely) of the current school system. At first, I merely printed off the articles, but then I … Continue reading Critical Education Articles Placed in the Teacher Staff Lounge While I Was a Teacher, Part Seventeen: The Failure of Micro School Reformism to Address Children’s Poverty →