The two books below are essential reading for the international left and should inform its strategic discussion. They deal with the present international political, military and economic situation. One book analyses the fundamental issues about the US drive to war against China and its proxy war with Russia; the other book the reasons for China’s economic success. It is highly recommended that progressive people read both books.
The United States is Waging a New Cold War: A Socialist Perspective
China’s Great Road: Lessons for Marxist Theory and Socialist Practices
The United States is Waging a New Cold War: A Socialist Perspective
This book has articles by Vijay Prashad, John Bellamy Foster, Deborah Veneziale and John Ross. It analyses the great dangers to the survival of humanity in the current situation. The US is steadily escalating its military aggression, which has now reached the point where it is engaged in a proxy war with Russia – a nuclear armed state. Even greater aggression is being considered, as the US attempts to achieve a first strike nuclear capability against both China and Russia.
The book sets out the economic forces – the US’s growing economic weakness within the world – which is compelling it to compensate by military means. This is driving the US towards hot war – a foreign policy perspective that the US capitalist class is consolidating around.
China’s Great Road: Lessons for Marxist Theory and Socialist Practices
This book, by John Ross, explains how China has achieved the greatest improvement in life of by far the largest proportion of humanity of any country in human history, since its revolution in 1949. From being almost the world’s poorest country in 1949, in only 74 years it has risen to the brink of a high-income economy by international classification. Since 1978 it has lifted 853 million people out of poverty by international classification.
Such gigantic steps forward for humanity have changed the world. If other developing countries could emulate such achievements a very large part of the problems facing humanity would be solved. Such gigantic improvements in living conditions are not just dreams but can become reality. China’s success was because it has followed a course in line with Marx and Marxism. Socialism, not capitalism, brought about these improvements. The international left has much it can learn from China.
The United States is Waging a New Cold War: A Socialist Perspective is published jointly by No Cold War, the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research, and Monthly Review. It is available for free download in electronic form here now in English, and also in Spanish and Portuguese. It will be available in printed form from Monthly Review.
The European digital edition of China’s Great Road: Lessons for Marxist Theory and Socialist Practices can currently be purchased for £11 from here.