Portside

1. The Left and the Crisis of Hegemony
2. Intellectual Debate in China
3. Left Debate in Pakistan
4. How to Celebrate International Women’s Day
5. Can a Left Party Unite With Social Movements?
6. Ecuador: Comeback in Local Elections
7. A Nigerian Socialist on Upcoming Elections
8. Sandinismo Divided
9. Ukraine and Spain
10. Remembering Lateef Afridi

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The Left and the Crisis of Hegemony

Maksym Shumakov / Commons (Kyiv)

Today, we can observe an objective tendency towards the fragmentation of international relations and economy, and dividing the world into spheres of influence, which marks the end of globalization at the beginning of the 21st century. Responding will require global discussions among the international left, dialogue about short-term solutions, and analysis of different countries’ situations. 

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Intellectual Debate in China

David Ownby / Le Monde diplomatique (Paris)

China’s public intellectuals do not divide neatly into party faithful and dissidents. There’s a rich seam of debate on China’s place in the world that needs to be better known.

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Left Debate in Pakistan

Aasim Sajjad Akhtar, Ammar Ali Jan and Syed Azeem / Jamhoor

In tandem with global political economic shifts, the deepening of the political crisis within Pakistan is a sign that alliances within the ruling class are shifting. The emergence of a new political vacuum presents the Left with another set of challenges and opportunities. [This is Part 1. Read Part 2 here.]

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How to Celebrate International Women’s Day

Kamrin Baker / Good Good Good (Nashville)

Count the ways. (Portside note: The historic documentary She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry is no longer on Netflix. Find it on Prime and Kanopy.)

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Can a Left Party Unite With Social Movements?

Cédric Durand and Razmig Keucheyan / Verso Books (London)

An economist and a sociologist, members of the NUPES group in the French parliament, call for the creation of a body to liaise with social movements, in order to combine the parliamentary fight with mobilisations carried out on the ground.

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Ecuador: Comeback in Local Elections

Peoples Dispatch (New Delhi)

More than 10 million Ecuadorians participated in local elections, electing mayors, councilors, and prefectures, as well as the members of the Council for Citizen Participation and Social Control. According to preliminary results issued by the National Electoral Council of Ecuador, with over 98% of the votes counted, progressives emerged victorious in crucial regions of the country.

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A Nigerian Socialist on Upcoming Elections

Alex Batubo / Review of African Political Economy (London)

The organised left is small and is split over the elections. We need to be able to unite the left to argue and push for the Nigerian Labour Congress to lead an active and sustained campaign against poverty, inequality, and corruption, whoever turns out to be the next president. In the medium term, we need to patiently re-build the radical left and attempt to create a viable electoral platform.

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Sandinismo Divided

Jonathan Ng / Truthout (Sacramento)

Once a revolutionary icon, President Ortega has imprisoned former comrades and adopted many of the same tactics as the Somoza dictatorship he helped topple. While fiercely clinging to socialist symbols, Ortega has branded dissidents the “sons of bitches of imperialism,” in order to legitimate not only his dictatorship but capitalist exploitation.

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Ukraine and Spain

Alfons Bech / Links (Sydney)

Those of us who are now organising solidarity with Ukraine, along with other associations, are trying not to repeat the mistake of the first Barcelona demonstration in March last year, which the Ukrainian community was offended by and effectively expelled from because of a manifesto and slogans that talked about stopping wars in general but did not talk about Ukraine. 

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Remembering Lateef Afridi

Mohammad Taqi / The Wire (New Delhi)

His political journey spanning 60 years closely mirrors the trajectory of the leftist and Pashtun nationalist politics in Pakistan. What, however, was constant for Lateef Lala [older brother Lateef] was his unwavering commitment to Marxism and progressive political thought, from which he didn’t budge even an inch.