Capitalism and Racism: A Marxist Introduction

To mark the end of Black History Month, Socialist Appeal are proud to publish the pamphlet ‘Capitalism and Racism: a Marxist introduction’.

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd, the long and sordid history of racist repression and police brutality has been brought back into the limelight. We have seen police precincts burned down in de facto acts of insurrection. The BLM protests have spread like wildfire. Malcolm X’s famous saying – you can’t have capitalism without racism – has been emblazoned on banners all over the world. But the questions still remain: Why do racist attitudes still exist in 2020? And how do we channel this incredible energy and potential power into real, lasting change?

In this timely pamphlet we have articles ranging from the origins of slavery and black oppression, to the lessons from the Black power movement and how we must fight police terror today. In order to gain real material change for the BAME community, we must first understand where this oppression and exploitation comes from, and how it must be overcome.