English

International lecture series extends to Australia and New Zealand

Imperialism and the World Wars of the Twentieth Century: Historical lessons and present dangers

The Socialist Equality Party in Australia is proud to announce that the lecture series currently being delivered across the United States by David North, chairman of the World Socialist Web Site and national chairman of the Socialist Equality Party in the US, will be extended to Australia and New Zealand in December. North will present the lecture “Imperialism and the World Wars of the Twentieth Century: Historical Lessons and Present Dangers” in Sydney on December 10, Melbourne on December 12, and in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand, on December 14.

In the first half of the twentieth century, geopolitical tensions and inter-imperialist conflicts erupted in two major wars, which between them killed close to 100 million people. One hundred years after the beginning of World War One, the entire world is once again a powder keg. Innumerable conflicts exist that could set off a global conflagration and plunge humanity into a new and even greater catastrophe.

The Obama administration is now engaged in a new war in the Middle East, using the crimes of ISIS as a pretext for targeting Syria and asserting control over the entire region. At the same time, the US and its allies in Europe have followed the coup in Ukraine with direct sanctions and threats against Russia, the second largest nuclear-armed power.

The government of Prime Minister Tony Abbott has fully committed Australia to US militarism and intrigues around the world, with the total support of the opposition Labor Party and the entire political and media establishment. Dependent on the US to assert its own imperialist interests, Canberra is serving as a key partner for Washington in the anti-China “pivot” to Asia, the Middle East intervention and the provocations against Russia.

Within Australia and New Zealand, an unprecedented promotion of patriotism and nationalism is underway through the celebrations of World War I, with the aim of diverting social tensions outward and creating a constituency for militarism and war.

North’s lectures will be a major intellectual event. In the fight against war, it is necessary to study the lessons of history and learn from the experiences of past struggles. We strongly urge all WSWS readers, SEP supporters, and workers, students and youth across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific who want to understand and fight for the socialist alternative to war, austerity and repression to makes plans to attend.

For all bookings, email sep@sep.org.au or call 02 8218 3222.

Sydney
Wednesday, December 10, 7.00 p.m.
Guthrie Theatre
Level 3, Building 6 (The Peter Johnson Building)
702-730 Harris Street
University of Technology Sydney (UTS) City Campus
Ultimo
Tickets: $5/$3 concession

Enter Building 6, the Peter Johnson Building, from Harris Street and go up the stairs to Level 3 and the foyer of the Guthrie Theatre.
Click here for a map of UTS City Campus. Building 6 is marked as CB06 on the map.

Melbourne
Friday, December 12, 7.00 p.m.
State Library Theatrette
Entry 3, 179 LaTrobe Street
Melbourne
Tickets: $5/$3 concession

Wellington, New Zealand
Sunday, December 14, 1.30 p.m.
Victoria University of Wellington
Law Faculty, Lecture Theatre GBLT3
Old Government Buildings,
Pipitea Campus, Wellington
Tickets: $5/$3 concession
Use the Bunny Street entrance to the Law Faculty, opposite Wellington Railway Station.