Last week saw Burma's military junta struggling to put down a rebellion of monks and ordinary people flocking onto the streets to protest against political repression and demand democracy.
The mainstream media concentrates on the pronouncements of foreign governments and the supposed role of the United Nations in stopping the bloodshed perpetrated by the Burmese military junta.
Many people horrified by the brutality of the Burmese regime say that the "international community" should intervene in the country. But the history of Burma shows that meddling by imperial powers has always made things worse.
Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels suggested two reasons why revolution is necessary.
The world was divided into two competing imperialist blocs at the end of the Second World War – the capitalist West and the state capitalist Soviet Union along with its satellites and allies.
Leading health trade unionist and psychiatric nurse Yunus Bakhsh was suspended from work a year ago this week after anonymous accusations.
John Riddell, the pre-eminent historian of the Communist Third International, continues his series, by looking at the origins of the International. The series started with a prologue on the 1907 Stuttgart conference in Germany.
Regardless of the outcome of presidential elections planned for 6 October, massive changes of one sort or another seem inevitable in Pakistan.
The struggle for freedom from British colonial rule in India is usually presented as the result of the leadership of one man – Mahatma (meaning "great soul") Gandhi, whose non-violence strategy set him apart from those have fought colonial oppression since.
Before the recent launch of a summit on safety with the construction industry, Peter Hain, the work and pensions secretary, said, "I will not tolerate an increase in construction deaths. Booming house building, yes. Booming infrastructure, yes. But not with the blood of workers in the foundations."
Today the media portrayal of young people as a "problem" is widespread, but it is certainly not new. The demonisation of young people in Britain dates back at least to the 18th century, and tends to rise and fall in accord with broader changes and tensions in society.
You released a track called Upper Clapton Dance that talks about crime and violence. Could you explain why you think it is has become so popular?
