Published below are reports delivered by leading members of the World Socialist Web Site International Editorial Board (IEB) to an expanded meeting of the WSWS IEB hosted by the Socialist Equality P arty (Australia) and held in Sydney from January 22 to 27, 2006.
David North: Opening report to meeting of WSWS International Editorial Board
By David North, 27 February 2006
In his opening report, World Socialist Web Site International Editorial Board (IEB) Chairman David North introduces the major theme of subsequent lectures by posing the question: "Is capitalism as a world economic system moving along an upward trajectory and still approaching its apogee, or is it in decline and even plunging toward an abyss?"
North explains, "The answer that we give to this question has, inevitably, the most far-reaching consequences, not only for our selection of practical tasks, but for the entire theoretical and programmatic orientation of our movement. It is not a subjective desire for social revolution that determines our analysis of the historical condition of the world capitalist system. Rather, the revolutionary perspective must be rooted in a scientifically-grounded assessment of the objective tendencies of socio-economic development. Detached from the necessary objective socio-economic prerequisites, a revolutionary perspective can be nothing more than a utopian construction."
Nick Beams: Report on the world economy in 2006
By Nick Beams, 28 February 2006
In this lecture, Nick Beams, a member of the WSWS IEB and National Secretary of the Socialist Equality Party (Australia), explains that, despite projections of global economic growth, the objective decline of American capitalism, the enormous expansion of debt, and the rise of Asian economies creates the conditions for unprecedented crisis in the world financial system.
The consequences of the US-led war against Iraq
By James Cogan, 3 March 2006
James Cogan, Socialist Equality Party (Australia) central committee member, expanded on the theme outlined by David North in his opening report: examining—and responding to—the prognosis that is advanced by the defenders of the existing economic and social order, and by the Bush administration in particular.
Report on US: The Bush administration and the global decline of American capitalism
By Barry Grey, 4 March 2006
Barry Grey, a member of the WSWS IEB and the Socialist Equality Party (US) central committee, stresses in this lecture that “The relative strength or weakness, health or morbidity of American capitalism, and its trajectory over an extended historical period, is in the most fundamental and objective sense a world question. The fate of world capitalism over the past century has been linked to that of the United States more than to any other national economy or national state.”
The social and political crisis in the United States and the 2006 SEP election campaign
By Patrick Martin, 7 March 2006
The enormous growth of social inequality is the most important fact of American social and political life over past quarter century, notes WSWS IEB and the Socialist Equality Party (US) central committee member Patrick Martin. Despite this, or rather, because of it, social inequality is the great unmentionable of American political life.
The implications of China for world socialism
By John Chan, 9 March 2006
World Socialist Web Site correspondent John Chan examines the implications of the rising economic power of China on the nation-state system and global finance.
The dead-end of European capitalism and the tasks of the working class
By Uli Rippert, 13 March 2006
In this lecture, Uli Rippert, World Socialist Web Site IEB member and national secretary of the Partei für Soziale Gleichheit (Socialist Equality Party) in Germany, explains the ways in which the disastrous polices of US imperialism in Iraq have also accelerated decline and crisis in Europe.
New Labour and the decay of democracy in Britain
By Julie Hyland, 16 March 2006
Tracing the rightward lurch of European radicals along with the old labour and national bureaucracies, World Socialist Web Site IEB member and Socialist Equality Party (UK) assistant national secretary Julie Hyland counterposes the internationalist socialist orientation of the Trotskyist movement.
Report on Latin American perspectives
By Bill Van Auken, 18 March 2006
Bill Van Auken, a member of the World Socialist Web Site IEB and the Socialist Equality Party (US) central committee, outlines some of the most important trends in Latin America from the standpoint of the development of the work of the International Committee of the Fourth International and the WSWS in the region.
Artistic and cultural problems in the current situation
By David Walsh, 21 March 2006
Noting the ways in which capitalism has failed the world’s population in terms of culture and education, along with the possibility of making a decent life for itself, World Socialist Web Site IEB and the WSWS Arts editor David Walsh poses the question: “has capitalism created, or is it capable of creating, a harmonious global culture?”
Democratic rights and the attack on constitutionalism
By Richard Hoffman, 23 March 2006
World Socialist Web Site correspondent Richard Hoffman contributed some general observations on the legal-historical aspects of the increasing attacks on democratic rights in this report to the WSWS International Editorial Board (IEB) expanded meeting.
South Asia and the political bankruptcy of bourgeois nationalism and Stalinism
By Wije Dias, 24 March 2006
Delivering a report on South Asia, WSWS IEB member and Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka) national s ecretary Wije Dias considers political developments in India within the context of the present world situation.
Africa and the perspective of international socialism
By Richard Tyler, 25 March 2006
Richard Tyler, a WSWS correspondent and a member of the Socialist Equality Party in the UK, sketches out some of the main political, historical, social issues that shape the crisis in Africa.
The economic, social and political disaster produced by the Zionist project
By Jean Shaoul, 28 March 2006
In her report on Israel and Palestine before the expanded meeting of the World Socialist Web Site IEB, WSWS correspondent and Socialist Equality Party (UK) member Jean Shaoul explained the current social crisis in Israel as the outcome of the project of Zionism, which the Fourth International stressed was a reactionary and utopian movement.