Bitcoin: The Politics of a Stateless Currency

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Bitcoin

By Suhail Mayor

Throughout time, literature has been replete with a wide variety of differing accounts on the concept of money. Through these theoretical versions of discourse most of them follow a common thread; they are intensely political in nature. Money has always been and will be a talking point in relation to its control and the role of government. While one side suggests that government and laws are crucial to the nature of money, others have come to believe that currency and economic activity can arise spontaneously without a centralized authority. Emblematic of a basic law in economics inferring that government intervention always leads to inequalities in the market. Continue reading “Bitcoin: The Politics of a Stateless Currency”

Forgotten Ideas: Emma Goldman on Anarchism, Gender, and Prison

By on • ( 1 Comment )

Emmagoldman

By Peter Marshall

“Anarchism, then, really stands for the liberation of the human mind from the domination of religion; the liberation of the human body from the domination of property; liberation from the shackles and restraint of government. Anarchism stands for a social order based on the free grouping of individuals for the purpose of producing real social wealth; an order that will guarantee to every life, according to individual desires, tastes, and inclination” (p. 35)

Content Warning: Minor reference to sexual abuse and harassment

“My goodness,” I am sure you thought to yourself, “I did enjoy that article about Robert Owen but I wonder if there will be anymore?” How kind of you to ask, let us celebrate because there is another one!  For those reading who do not know, I hope to introduce you to political thinkers who you are most likely not going to come across on your syllabus, and hopefully broaden your thought. I openly encourage others to do the same. This time I shall be exploring the 19th/20th century anarchist thinker Emma Goldman. I shall do this by briefly summarising her life before splitting her work into three sections. The first is anarchism, the second gender, and finally prison. I trust my reader’s ability to critique the work for themselves. Continue reading “Forgotten Ideas: Emma Goldman on Anarchism, Gender, and Prison”

Hang the Tories? The Abuse Conservatives Face

By on • ( 1 Comment )

tory edited

By Megan Harris

I am sick to death of having to apologise for being a Tory.

At any social events when the conversation turns to politics, I fill with dread at the question; “So who did you vote for?” Let’s be clear, I’m incredibly proud to be a conservative. I believe that the Party has made some ground-breaking achievements. But its other people’s reactions that fill me with dread. Continue reading “Hang the Tories? The Abuse Conservatives Face”

What We’re Reading: ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Feminist BookThroughout this short and insightful book there is one powerful and potent message: Gender does matter, no matter the sex you are born with, the money you have, or where you come from.

 

The main purpose of this book is to act as a rallying cry, a point of call to use when confronted by someone who is yet to accept that gender is still a major issue in societies across the globe. Whilst addressing the issues that women, particularly those in countries that are too often neglected by other feminist writers, Adichie focuses on an issue which owing to the rise of ‘white European feminism’ is negated: that because of the roles forced onto children from birth, men to are also disadvantaged, because their “humanity is stifled”. Many feminists may take issue with this, arguing that a focus on men’s issues distracts away from the central issues of gender, that is: the inexcusably high percentages of sexual harassment that women face compared to men, the lack of opportunities we are offered because we are taught from birth that we can have ambition, “but not too much”; we “can aim to be successful but not too successful otherwise” we “will threaten the men” and the roles we are expected to take. Continue reading “What We’re Reading: ‘We Should All Be Feminists’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie”

Lessons from the Iroquois

By on • ( Leave a comment )

Malick article picture

By Malick Nythern Doucoure

At a time of relative electoral and democratic controversy surrounding President Donald J. Trump – (who won the US Presidency without a popular majority) – a quick and simple review of Native American traditions could in fact pave the way to not only restoring the guiding principle of bipartisanship, but also to restoring the concept of American democracy to its former international greatness.

Continue reading “Lessons from the Iroquois”

What now for Syria?

By on • ( 1 Comment )

Azaz,_Syria.jpg

By Theo Larue

Nearly 7 years have elapsed since the Syrian Civil War began. 7 years during which half a million people found their untimely death, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. To this horrific number must be added the 7 million Syrians that are currently internally displaced, and the 5 million Syrians that became refugees, with demographic consequences seen as far as Germany. It would be unreasonable to attempt to make sense of this tragedy as of yet, however I will underline some of the lesser known contributing factors to the conflict, and try to shed some light on the confusing peace process that has occupied a preponderant spot in the media recently. Continue reading “What now for Syria?”

US Special Forces: Threefold Increase in Central and South American Operations

By on • ( Leave a comment )

special

By Jennifer Amspacher

Though the United States has been noted as gradually decreasing military aid and involvement in Latin American countries, there has been an increase of Special Operations Forces missions in the South American continent since 2010. These missions have increased threefold.

Continue reading “US Special Forces: Threefold Increase in Central and South American Operations”