Update: Sept. 7, 2021
The launch for ‘Through Pluripolarity to Socialism: A Manifesto‘ took place September 5, 2021 over Zoom and YouTube live.
The Manifesto is an important political initiative which, in view of the multiple crises facing us and the urgency of political action, has been taken following several months of discussion by the International Manifesto Group, a world-wide group of concerned activists and scholars.
You can read the Manifesto here. We are translating into multiple languages.
At this time, we are writing to ask you to be a signatory of the Manifesto and to ask likeminded colleagues and comrades to sign it. Signature indicates that you agree with the broad thrust of the Manifesto and consider that progressive forces should discuss and engage with it.
We plan further events and conferences to discuss, debate and develop its themes.
In that spirit, we urge you to:
2. Ask like-minded friends and comrades to do the same by forwarding this email to them or adapting it to your tastes.
3. Share this video.
Here are videos of individual presentations. The video of the entire event (above) contains the questions and answers.
Dr. Radhika Desai is Professor at the Department of Political Studies, and Director, Geopolitical Economy Research Group, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada. She is the author of Geopolitical Economy: After US Hegemony, Globalization and Empire (2013), Slouching Towards Ayodhya: From Congress to Hindutva in Indian Politics (2nd rev ed, 2004) and Intellectuals and Socialism: ‘Social Democrats’ and the Labour Party (1994), a New Statesman and Society Book of the Month, and editor or co-editor of Russia, Ukraine and Contemporary Imperialism, a special issue of International Critical Thought (2016), Theoretical Engagements in Geopolitical Economy (2015), Analytical Gains from Geopolitical Economy (2015), Revitalizing Marxist Theory for Today’s Capitalism (2010) and Developmental and Cultural Nationalisms (2009).
Atilio Borón received a PhD from Harvard University.
He has worked as a Professor of Political Science at the Latin American Social Sciences Institute and at the University of Buenos Aires, Secretary General of CLACSO, an academic umbrella body for Latin America.
At the Transnational Institute, he serves as Director of the Latin American Programme of Distance Education for Buenos Aires, Argentina, and a collaborator of the New Politics project. He also serves as director of the Center for European and Latin American Research in Buenos Aires. In 2009 he received the International José Martí Prize from UNESCO for his contribution to integration of Latin American and Caribbean countries
Charles Hoareau is France’s representative at the World Federation of Trade Unions.
Elias Jabbour is Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Economic Sciences, Postgraduate Programs in Economic Sciences, and International Relations at the State University of Rio de Janeiro.
Professor Elena Veduta studied at the Faculty of Economic Cybernetic of Lomonosov Moscow State University, doctor of Economics (1999), professor (2001). At Lomonosov Moscow University she is the Head of the Department of Strategic Planning and Economic Policy, the Head of the Laboratory “Artificial Intelligence in Economics” in the Russian Academy of Sciences, head of the weekly program “Modern Economy” at the IA “Aurora”, expert of «Regnum».
She is the author of 90 scientific works on economic cybernetics, political economy, strategic planning, economic policy of the state.
Professor Cheng Enfu is an academician at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), Director of the Research Center for Economic and Social Development (CASS), principal professor at the University of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, President of the World Association for Political Economy, president of Chinese Society of Foreign Economic Theories, and member of the People’s Congress of China.
Cheng Enfu spoke through his translator, Zixu Liu.
Chris Matlhako is full-time 2nd Deputy General Secretary of the South African Communist Party, General-Secretary of the Friends of Cuba Society, and a contributor to various national and international publications.
Dimitri Lascaris is a lawyer, journalist and activist. In 1991, Dimitri began his legal career at the Wall Street law firm of Sullivan & Cromwell. In 2004, Dimitri joined one of Canada’s leading class action law firms, Siskinds LLP. While at Siskinds, Dimitri co-founded and led Canada’s most accomplished team of securities class action lawyers, recovering over $500 million for aggrieved investors. In 2012, Dimitri was named by Canadian Lawyer Magazine as one of the 25 most influential lawyers in Canada, and in 2013, he was named by Canadian Business Magazine as one of the 50 most influential persons in Canadian business and described him as the “fiercest legal advocate for shareholder rights.” In 2020, Dimitri ran for the leadership of the Green Party of Canada, finishing second out of eight candidates and losing on the eighth and final ballot.
Isabel Monal is a philosopher and essay writer, winner of the 1998 National Prize of Social Sciences, an Emeritus Academician of the Cuban Academy of Sciences, director of the magazine Marx Ahora and member of the International Council of the Historical-Critical Dictionary of Marxism (Historisch-kritisches Wörterbuch des Marxismus, Hamburg, Argument-Verlag).
After the triumph of the Revolution, she held various positions and responsibilities in the political, cultural and academic life of the country. She was an official (P / 5 level program specialist) for 10 years at UNESCO in Paris, and as such she carried out international tasks and missions in countries on four continents, including evaluation missions; she also created a Collection of Higher Education publications, organized international meetings, and conceived and implemented numerous projects and plans. She was a tenured professor for 20 years at the University of Havana and held various positions, including Vice-dean of the School of Letters and Art; she, likewise, was a member of the University Reform and, years later, a member of the Commission that conceived the Study Plan for the Faculty of Philosophy. Her texts have appeared in eight languages and published in more than 15 countries on four continents. She is invited to give lectures and regularly participates in international meetings in countries of various regions.
Dr Jenny Clegg is an independent writer and researcher and a long time China specialist. A former university lecturer in the UK, she ran undergraduate and post-graduate programs on Asia Pacific and International studies. She also carried out a number of field studies of rural development in China. Her published work includes the book China’s Global Strategy: towards a multipolar world, published by Pluto Press in 2009. Her latest volume: Storming the Heavens: Chinese peasants in revolution – a Marxist perspective is due to be published soon. She is active in the peace and anti-war movements in the UK.
Makoto Itoh is a Japanese Marxian political economist. He is Professor Emeritus of the University of Tokyo. His book Value and Crisis (1980) was translated into French, Dutch, Korean and Chinese. Its expanded second edition is published in 2021 by Monthly Review Press. Together with his other five books including Basic Theory of Capitalism (1988), The World Economic Crisis and Japanese Capitalism (1990), Political Economy for Socialism (1995) and Political Economy of Money and Finance (with C. Lapavitsas, 1999), it served as a liaison between Japanese and Western political economists.
Margaret Kimberley is a co-founder and Editor and Senior Columnist for Black Agenda Report. Her first book, Prejudential: Black America and the Presidents was published on February 4, 2020 by Steerforth Press. Dr. Cornel West said, “Margaret Kimberley gives us an intellectual gem or prophetic fire about all the U.S. presidents and their deep roots in the vicious legacy of white supremacy and predatory capitalism. Such truths seem more than most Americans can bear, though we ignore her words at our own peril!” She is also a contributor to the anthology In Defense of Julian Assange, published by OR Books on October 29, 2019. Her work has appeared in Counterpunch, Consortium News, Common Dreams and the Dallas Morning News. She is a graduate of Williams College and lives in New York City.
Mariá Páez Victor, PhD is a sociologist, born in Venezuela, now retired from university teaching who is dedicated to writing. As well, she is a frequent commentator on issues related to Latin American history and politics and she has participated in numerous events on TV, radio and in public meetings. In addition she has her own weekly radio program about Venezuela in the Spanish language community radio of Toronto.
Dr. Tim Anderson is Director of the Sydney-based Centre for Counter Hegemonic Studies. He worked as a lecturer and senior lecturer at Australian universities for more than 30 years, teaching, researching and publishing on: human rights in development, customary land in Melanesia, small farming and food security, health systems and infectious disease, Cuban medical internationalism, self-determination in development, independent regional integration and resistance to the wars of the 21st century. His most recent books are: Land and Livelihoods in Papua New Guinea (2015), The Dirty War on Syria (2016), now published in ten languages; Countering War Propaganda of the Dirty War on Syria (2017), Axis of Resistance: towards an independent Middle East (2019), and The Pandemic and Independent Countries (2020).
