“Wherever capitalism appears, in pursuit of its mission of exploitation, there will Socialism, fertilized by misery, watered by tears, and vitalized by agitation be also found, unfurling its class-struggle banner and proclaiming its mission of emancipation.” -Eugene V. Debs, The American Movement, 1898. ——————————————————- Politics in the United States today can be difficult to untangle….
“This crippling of individuals I consider the worst evil of capitalism. Our whole educational system suffers from this evil. An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student, who is trained to worship acquisitive success as a preparation for his future career. I am convinced there is only one way to eliminate these grave evils,…
Getting off the ground during these times has proved to be a challenge. Still, with such phenomenal support and solidarity from many members and non-members alike, it was only a matter of asking when, rather than if, we would have our Inaugural event. To that, we would like to extend an invitation to all to…
In 2011 a wave of revolution began in Tunisia and then spread across North Africa and the Middle East. In Southern Europe the “indignados” or “indigent ones” camped out in public squares in a round the clock protest against economic inequality. This mode of protest spread to the centre of financial capitalism with Occupy Wall…
“The day we can’t get our hands on the ballot boxes before the vote is counted we’re done for,’ Trueba argued. ‘The Marxists haven’t won by popular vote anywhere in the world,’ his confreres replied. ‘At the very least it takes a revolution, and that kind of thing doesn’t happen in this country.’ ‘Until it…
For our 2021 August event the Canterbury Socialist Society is pleased to host a guest lecture from Josephine Varghese. Josephine is originally from Kerala, and recently completed a PhD in Anthropology at the University of Canterbury studying urban migration of young women in India. This talk will discuss the historical background of the Hindu right-wing…
“A country of inveterate, backwoods, thick-headed, egotistical philistines, who have brought their “civilisation” with them from England and keep it to themselves like a dog in a manger.” – Lenin’s assessment on New Zealand having read one book of its short history in the early 1900s. For our June 2021 event David Colyer will present…
“Let us not, however, flatter ourselves overmuch on account of our human victories over nature. For each such victory nature takes its revenge on us. Each victory, it is true, in the first place brings about the results we expected, but in the second and third places it has quite different, unforeseen effects which only…
Please note: we are working on a new schedule where “doors open” from 7pm, and ours events will start right on 7.30pm. This is to avoid going too late in the evening. “In short, it has become an article of the creed of modern morality that all labour is good in itself – a convenient…
“Labor is prior to, and independent of, capital. Capital is only the fruit of labor, and could never have existed if Labor had not first existed. Labor is superior to capital, and deserves much the higher consideration.” -Abraham Lincoln Welcome back to the first Canterbury Socialist Society event of 2021! Employment law in New Zealand…