World Socialist Web Site

wsws.org

Published by the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI)

8 March 2010

Iraqi election for a new US puppet regime

By James Cogan, 8 March 2010

The candidates in yesterday’s election represent the venal Iraqi ruling elite that has been prepared to collaborate with an occupying power in the hope of gaining privileges, positions and wealth.

Britain: Brown defends Iraq war at Chilcot Inquiry

By Robert Stevens, 8 March 2010

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown appreared at the Chilcot Inquiry into the Iraq War on Friday and, as former Prime Minister Tony Blair had done a month before, defended to the hilt the US-led war against Iraq.

Earthquake exposes social chasm in Chile

By Rafael Azul, 8 March 2010

Anger is mounting in Chile over the inadequacy and indifference that have characterized the governmentÕs response to the earthquake of February 27.

In wake of Rhode Island firings
More teachers and “failing” schools targeted by Obama education policy

By John Marion and Kate Randall, 8 March 2010

In the wake of the mass firing of teachers at Central Falls High School in Rhode Island, Massachusetts has targeted 35 “failing schools” and teachers at six of them have been ordered to reapply for their jobs.

Netherlands: Racist Geert Wilders increases his vote in municipal elections

By Dietmar Henning, 8 March 2010

The ruling class is grooming Wilders and his PVV in order to fill the political vacuum that has developed in recent years and enforce violent attacks on the entire working class.

China: National People’s Congress reflects regime’s fears of social instability

By John Chan, 8 March 2010

While the Chinese economy expanded by 8.7 percent in 2009, the growth was dependent on a huge stimulus package that is unsustainable in the long term.

Gillard’s National Press Club speech
Australia: Labor’s war on public education

By Laura Tiernan, 8 March 2010

Speaking at the National Press Club on February 24, Education Minister Julia Gillard unveiled a further wave of attacks by the Rudd government on public education.

New in Turkish

Obama’nın göreve başlamasından buyana geçen bir yıl

Jerry White, 8 Mart 2010

Bir yıl önce bugün, 20 Ocak 2009’da, Barack Obama ABD’nin 44. başkanı olarak göreve başladı. Bu durum, ABD’de olduğu gibi, Avrupa’da, Ortadoğu’da ve diğer yerlerde de coşkuyla karşılandı. Milyonlarca insan, ABD’de yıllardır süren politik gericiliğin sonunda biteceğini düşündü. Bir yıl sonra, bu iyimser düşünce yerini hayal kırıklığına, öfkeye ve başkaldırıya bıraktı.

New in Spanish

Informe de Nick Beams al Congreso de Fundación del Partido Socialista por la Igualdad (Australia): Parte 2

Por Nick Beams, 8 Marzo 2010

A continuación publicamos la segunda y ultima parte del discurso de apertura pronunciado por Nick Beams, secretario nacional del Partido Socialista por la Igualdad (Australia), al congreso de fundación del PSI, celebrado en Sídney en enero 21-25 (ver: "Igualdad de Partido Socialista (Australia) celebra Congreso de Fundación"). La primera parte se publicó el 2 de marzo.

New in French

Les grèves en Europe et les syndicats

Par Ulrich Rippert, 8 mars 2010

La réponse des syndicats à la vague de grèves et aux mouvements de protestation ayant lieu dans toute l’Europe a été partout d’isoler et de réprimer la résistance des travailleurs aux mesures d’austérité, de bloquer le développement d’un mouvement à l’échelle européenne et de serrer les rangs avec leurs gouvernements respectifs et avec l’élite financière européenne.

Espagne : la Phalange fasciste autorisée à s'associer à la poursuite contre le juge Baltazar Garzón

Par Vicky Short, 8 mars 2010

La Cour suprême d’Espagne a autorisé un parti fasciste, la Phalange, à s’associer à des poursuites judiciaires privées contre le juge Baltazar Garzón qui avait voulu enquêter sur les crimes de la dictature franquiste.

Perspective

After the March 4 protests against education cuts

8 March 2010

The demonstrations against education cuts on March 4 are an important step forward in the fight to defend public education, and raise important questions of political perspective.

Earlier Perspectives »

International Students for Social Equality

Video: ISSE members speak at San Diego rallies

Members of the International Students for Social Equality spoke in opposition to the Democratic and Republican parties and called for a socialist movement to defend public education at the March 4 demonstrations in San Diego, California.

Dexter Avenue Fire Inquiry

Authorities, media launch witch-hunt against Sylvia Young
Who are the real criminals behind the Detroit house fires?

By Tom Eley, 8 March 2010

Detroit area media and city and state authorities have launched a witch-hunt against Sylvia Young, the mother of three young children who died in a March 2 house fire on Bangor Street in Detroit.

THAW, United Way: No help for utility shutoffs

By Nancy Hanover, 8 March 2010

In the aftermath of the deaths of 14 Detroiters as a result of utility shutoffs over the last two months, the media, the utility company and state and local officials have attempted to shift the blame onto the victims, claiming they failed to seek the help that is readily available.

State attempts to victimize mother of fire victims
Sylvia Young says she pled with Detroit utility to keep heat on

By Jerry White, 6 March 2010

Michigan state has filed a negligence case against Sylvia Young, the 30-year-old mother who lost three children in a Detroit house fire. Young told the World Socialist Web Site that she pled with an employee from DTE Energy not to shut off electricity and gas service hours before the fire.

Video: Neighbors of fire victims condemn utility shutoffs

6 March 2010

Two days after a fire that took the lives of three young children in Detroit, Michigan neighbors spoke to the WSWS about the tragedy.

The role of the government in Detroit’s deadly house fires

By Andrea Peters, 6 March 2010

The city of Detroit and the state of Michigan share responsibility for the house fire that took the lives of three children on Tuesday.

SEP (Australia) Founding Congress

Documents of the SEP Founding Congress
The Historical and International Foundations of the Socialist Equality Party (Australia)—Part 8

8 March 2010

The World Socialist Web Site continues publication of The Historical and International Foundations of the Socialist Equality Party (Australia). The document was adopted unanimously at the party’s founding congress in Sydney on January 21–25.

Sri Lankan SEP Election Campaign

Sri Lankan SEP launches election campaign

By our correspondents, 8 March 2010

The Sri Lankan SEP launched its campaign for the April 8 general elections with a public meeting in Colombo on March 5.

Sri Lanka: End the state of emergency!

By the Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka),
6 March 2010

The SEP warns that the emergency powers will be used to suppress the opposition of workers and the rural poor to the austerity measures the government will impose after the April 8 parliamentary election.

25 years
50 years
75 years
100 years

25 years ago: Gorbachev installed as Soviet leader

On March 11, 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev was installed as General Secretary of the Comumunist Party of the Soviet Union. He was selected by the ruling Politburo, three hours after the death of his predecessor, Konstantin Chernenko. Gorbachev was the youngest man to hold the position and the first born after 1917. A “reformer,” his appointment was a turning point in the ruling bureaucracy’s attack on the property relations established by the October Revolution.

More »

50 years ago: Pioneer V launched into space

The US space program NASA launched the probe Pioneer V on March 11, 1960, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with its primary mission to investigate interplanetary space between the orbits of Earth and Venus.

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75 years ago: Göring announces creation of Luftwaffe

General Hermann Göring, Germany’s Minister of Aviation, announced this week that the Nazis had begun the process of developing an air force. This action was in direct violation of the Treaty of Versailles, which prohibited the armed forces of Germany from including a “military or naval air force.”

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100 years ago: Hollywood star system is born

On March 12, 1910, Canadian actress Florence Lawrence became the first motion picture star widely known by her name, after an enterprising film entrepreneur, Carl Laemmle, won her away from legendary director D.W. Griffith and the film monopoly of Thomas Edison. Edison responded by blacklisting Lawrence.

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Mehring Books

Winter Recommended Reading Series
Patrick Martin: “A deeply rewarding intellectual journey”
The History of the Russian Revolution by Leon Trotsky

By Patrick Martin, 8 March 2010

Mehring Books is continuing its Winter Recommended Reading Series with a comment by Patrick Martin about Leon Trotsky’s The History of the Russian Revolution.

Workers Struggles

Britain: Civil servants strike for two days

By Richard Tyler, 8 March 2010

Civil servants are beginning a 48-hour walkout today against government attempts to seriously undermine their redundancy terms, the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS).

New England supermarket unions approve new contract

By Mike Ingram, 8 March 2010

Supermarket workers in three New England states voted Sunday to accept a new contract with Stop & Shop Supermarket Co., ending three months of talks and the threat of strike action.

Commentary

Finance capital and the Greek debt crisis

6 March 2010

In addition to destabilizing entire currencies and states, the speculative activities of the banks are creating new financial bubbles and future crises that threaten to explode and overshadow the breakdown of 2008.

Class and justice in America: The Supreme Court and Enron felon Jeffrey Skilling

By Barry Grey, 5 March 2010

On Monday, the Supreme Court heard arguments in Skilling’s appeal of his 2006 conviction for fraud and conspiracy in connection with the December 2001 collapse of the energy giant Enron.

The European strikes and the trade unions

5 March 2010

The response of the trade unions in all countries to the wave of strikes and protests across Europe has been to isolate and suppress the workers’ resistance to austerity measures, block the development of a European-wide movement, and close ranks with their respective governments and the European financial elite.

Arts Review

A further comment on Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer

By David Walsh, 5 March 2010

The Ghost Writer centers on a British writer who makes his living writing about other people’s lives in their name. He is hired by a major US publishing firm to work up the memoirs of a former British prime minister.

60th Berlin International Film Festival—Part 4
This year’s German films: In general, a more serious tone

By Bernd Reinhardt, 6 March 2010

A number of trends currently find expression in German cinema. On the whole, this year’s feature and documentary films on view at the Berlinale adopted a more serious tone.

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