Is Britain heading for a revolution?

The coronavirus crisis has hit Britain harder than most. The UK is a world leader in terms of ‘excess deaths’ from the pandemic, and is experiencing a deeper recession than almost any other developed capitalist country.

On top of this, Boris Johnson is presiding over the shambles that is Brexit, which will be a devastating blow to UK big business. And the breakup of the Union is increasingly likely, as support for Scottish independence rises.

All of these titanic events demonstrate the special crisis of British capitalism, which has been undergoing decline for over a century. Already the poodle of US imperialism on the international stage, ‘Great Britain’ will soon be reduced to ‘Little England’ – a humiliating fall for the former workshop of the world.

In this session, Ellen Morton of the Glasgow Marxists discusses how these crises are laying the basis for revolution in these islands. The task ahead is to build a Marxist leadership in Britain and beyond.

[jofhill]

What’s happening is beyond Labour Vs Conservative.

A change in party won’t achieve anything.

[gamble]

Time to rip off the bandages, get it over with. It will hurt, but it's better than the slow death they are foisting upon us right now.

[robred]

We are certainly seeing a real 'crisis' but in terms of a revolutionary response or a moment in which the potential for resistance within the working class, in which the proletariat can be radicalised to mount a challenge to the structure of capitalist power in the UK. The jury, is very much out.
However, the trajectory the UK is on, both politically and economically is pretty severe.
Brexit has and remains a shambles. Covid has been a disaster and its management (mis) will leave the Country with a massive scar.
Then we have Union-members of the UK pushing for either independence or stimulating national questions within the UK.
The crisis has been with us, since 2008.
The best socialists and the radical left can hope for, is to start cracking open books on 1848.
When turbulence comes - and it will...it is a 1848 type revolution (use this term at its loosest)..where constitutional change will be foisted on the system, as the pillars of power thenselves will ache and creak under the continuing absurdity of a system, that is being discarded or face the prospect of being discarded in the outer areas of the Union.
Its physics, not politics now.
A Country saturated in debt. A union fracturing and friction growing between the UK & EU...will foist change in the life of the UK.
The task for socialists, is to prepare...and prepare well.

[LordJasonKing]

It will never happen. Everyone watching, love island and x-factor. Thatcher divided the UK and now there is no sense of agency.

[kevinworrell]

To be honest with people who simply don’t have the mental architecture like this individual, , , it won’t happen. We really need people with more of a intellectual framework

[MrALISTAIRWINDSOR]

The art of DIVIDE AND CONQUER, is the oldest tactic in the history of the human race practiced by all political ideologies yet it still seems to work particularly well between people who think they are of a higher social and economic standing than the class who they perceive to be below them in these areas. In reality they are being appeased. and told what to think instead of thinking what the writing on the wall actually says. the torys have done this so much since they've been in power, Now its dividing the party, some now think they are conservatives and others now think they are tory. this tory practice of divide and conquer that they have bombarded the working class with for decades, is now going full circle and hitting there own ranks. goodvibes

[callumgreen]

I'm interested in the IMT, any advice on how to get involved?

[leehogg]

How can you say Britain is headed for a humiliating fall and say it was the workshop of the world ?
Britain was only the workshop of the world because of its military and occupational dominance.
You and others have demanded that we reduce these things ( which is a lovely idea)
But the price of this is that our workforce cannot compete with the rest of the world.
I do believe there is an answer but it is most definitely not what you're proposing.