Peter Lamb
@peterlamb1.bsky.social
I write about socialism, Marxism, International relations theory etc. Recent books: Historical Dictionary of Socialism, 4th ed (Rowman & Littlefield, 2024); Harold Laski, the Reluctant Marxist (Palgrave Macmillan, 2024).
And he's even named Don.
January 22, 2026 at 8:32 AM
And he's even named Don.
So Trump wants member countries each to pay over 1 billion dollars in first year, and then Trump will have a veto over all decisions made. Looks like a fairly shit deal to me.
January 18, 2026 at 1:19 PM
So Trump wants member countries each to pay over 1 billion dollars in first year, and then Trump will have a veto over all decisions made. Looks like a fairly shit deal to me.
That's great, and it will be very useful for planning teaching in future.
January 14, 2026 at 12:40 PM
That's great, and it will be very useful for planning teaching in future.
There is a tradition of far-right ecologism. See earth.org/what-is-ecof... and see the sentence on "Blood and Soil" in the second paragraph.
Explainer: What Is Ecofascism?
Discussions on climate change solutions have grown significantly. One that has risen, and shown to be probelmatic, is Ecofascism.
earth.org
January 14, 2026 at 11:21 AM
There is a tradition of far-right ecologism. See earth.org/what-is-ecof... and see the sentence on "Blood and Soil" in the second paragraph.
That's fully understandable Christian, and lets hope they are proved to be foolish, in that they soon fail.
January 13, 2026 at 9:01 AM
That's fully understandable Christian, and lets hope they are proved to be foolish, in that they soon fail.
So we just need to drop the word "foolish"?
January 13, 2026 at 8:14 AM
So we just need to drop the word "foolish"?
Sad to hear of the passing of this great feminist, socialist and anti-racist.
January 11, 2026 at 3:24 PM
Sad to hear of the passing of this great feminist, socialist and anti-racist.
This is in Laski, A Grammar of Politics (1925), p. 167. Another interesting and perhaps equally topical sentence is the next but one on the same page: "States, like men, never protest their honour loudly unless they have a bad case to argue".
January 10, 2026 at 3:34 PM
This is in Laski, A Grammar of Politics (1925), p. 167. Another interesting and perhaps equally topical sentence is the next but one on the same page: "States, like men, never protest their honour loudly unless they have a bad case to argue".
Matt's article on the incompatibility of fascism and socialism is indeed excellent.
January 7, 2026 at 9:19 PM
Matt's article on the incompatibility of fascism and socialism is indeed excellent.
The time to worry is when it does respond.
January 7, 2026 at 4:20 PM
The time to worry is when it does respond.
I half-expected to see a third option: You must insist that Thrasymachus was right.
January 7, 2026 at 9:25 AM
I half-expected to see a third option: You must insist that Thrasymachus was right.
They look fascinating. Unfortunately I'm from and in the UK, so can't be there.
January 6, 2026 at 6:08 PM
They look fascinating. Unfortunately I'm from and in the UK, so can't be there.
Interesting point. May I mention though that some variants of Marxism hold that the state and other superstructural bodies have varying degrees of autonomy from the capitalist mode of production. This is referred to in Marxism as "relative autonomy". I just thought you might find this interesting.
January 4, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Interesting point. May I mention though that some variants of Marxism hold that the state and other superstructural bodies have varying degrees of autonomy from the capitalist mode of production. This is referred to in Marxism as "relative autonomy". I just thought you might find this interesting.
Its well worth reading Marty's follow-up posts to this one in this thread.
January 4, 2026 at 1:09 PM
Its well worth reading Marty's follow-up posts to this one in this thread.
Its good to see this collection of writings by an important but often neglected thinker, making his work more widely available.
January 2, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Its good to see this collection of writings by an important but often neglected thinker, making his work more widely available.
Indeed, I was revising my classes until I retired. All the best with yours.
January 2, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Indeed, I was revising my classes until I retired. All the best with yours.
Congratulations Kye, but don't worry if you decide to make revisions to it in future. It doesn't mean you were wrong, but that on reflection you might improve it further.
January 2, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Congratulations Kye, but don't worry if you decide to make revisions to it in future. It doesn't mean you were wrong, but that on reflection you might improve it further.
Indeed, reification and commodity fetishism lead to alienation.
January 2, 2026 at 10:16 AM
Indeed, reification and commodity fetishism lead to alienation.
Have you tried asking the editor of the Essex Journal. The editor's email address is in the journal's Website: www.esah1852.org.uk/publications...
Essex Journal | Publications | Essex Society for Archaeology & History
The Essex Journal began publication in 1966 with a new Editorial Board formed in 1989. Adrian Corder-Birch served as Chairman of the Board since 1997, but this was surpassed by Martin Stuchfield who
www.esah1852.org.uk
January 2, 2026 at 8:40 AM
Have you tried asking the editor of the Essex Journal. The editor's email address is in the journal's Website: www.esah1852.org.uk/publications...
"Radical competence" has a nice ring to it doesn't it? You heard it here first! Its the concept that will make me famous (with a bit of luck).
December 31, 2025 at 7:08 PM
"Radical competence" has a nice ring to it doesn't it? You heard it here first! Its the concept that will make me famous (with a bit of luck).
If I may add something to this interesting argument: I think that if one of these two parties is to recover and win the next election it will be more important to have a leader competent at governing and an agenda that is ideologically appealing than to have a popular leader.
December 31, 2025 at 5:05 PM
If I may add something to this interesting argument: I think that if one of these two parties is to recover and win the next election it will be more important to have a leader competent at governing and an agenda that is ideologically appealing than to have a popular leader.
I'm not sure popularity is the key issue. If a prime minister and her/his government can set the agenda, personal popularity need not be the most necessary factor.
December 31, 2025 at 3:30 PM
I'm not sure popularity is the key issue. If a prime minister and her/his government can set the agenda, personal popularity need not be the most necessary factor.
Thinking of you and your aunt tonight.
December 30, 2025 at 10:04 PM
Thinking of you and your aunt tonight.
The trillion or so emails to deal with on your first day back will soon push that thought out of the way.
December 30, 2025 at 10:13 AM
The trillion or so emails to deal with on your first day back will soon push that thought out of the way.