Two years ago Alan Woods wrote a book, "Marxism and the USA", in which he applied the Marxist method to the history of the United States, looking at the events that shaped modern America from a class point of view. Here we publish the Introduction to the book. The book will be serialised over the coming period. The first two parts are The U.S.A. and the World and Europe and America.

The bourgeois media have made a lot of noise about the Enabling Law recently passed in Venezuela’s National Assembly. Unfortunately, some on the left have joined in the chorus of attacks against Chavez. The Enabling Law must be viewed in its proper context, must be understood from a class point of view, and must be seen as the Venezuelan masses see it – as a welcome and necessary measure the revolution must take if it is to succeed.

A statement of the Bolivian Mineworkers’ Federation condemning fascist provocation in the tense situation that has built up in the country.

Roberto Chavez, the general secretary of the FSTMB (Bolivian Miners’ Union), spoke to Alan Woods about the conditions of the miners and their role in the class struggle in Bolivia. Their view is that the Morales government is not going far enough. They want serious, radical change.

One year after the swearing in of the Morales government in Bolivia it is possible to make a sober balance sheet of the situation. Morales has attempted to carry out some reforms while trying to appease the oligarchy. The masses are drawing conclusions: that compromise is not possible. The struggle must go all the way.

Fernando Buen Abad Domínguez in Argentina raises the issue of creating a socialist, a people’s media network at the service of the working class to counter the lies and distortions of the bourgeois media in Venezuela and internationally. From the Hands Off Venezuela site.

At the swearing in of his new government, Hugo Chavez announced radical new measures, including an enabling law that would allow for the nationalisation of key sectors of the economy. He also explained that it is necessary to “dismantle the bourgeois state”. All this confirms what the Marxists said after the elections in December. The balance of class forces has tilted enormously in favour of the masses.

After the massive electoral victory on December 3, Chavez has put a big emphasis on the need to turn towards socialism. As part of this he is proposing a new party, built from the bottom up, to bypass the bureaucracy.

One thousand people marched yesterday through the main streets of Caracas, in what was the largest demonstration in favour of the expropriation of an occupied factory that has ever taken place in Venezuela. This was truly an historic march. It was the real and genuine spirit of the working class taking over the streets of Caracas and pointing the way the revolution must advance.

The death of Pinochet sparked off celebrations in Chile and around the world. He was a hated figure, a living example of the real nature of capitalism. He died without being brought to justice. But his was merely the fate of one man. The task is to make sure that the system that created Pinochet is buried once and for all. That task lies ahead of us.