Ernest Mandel
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.As someone who heard Ernest Mandel speak on a number of occasions, I am surprised at Ken Coates's obituary of him [28 July], writes Keith Flett.
Mandel was an important theoretical figure on the Left and, a point Coates ignores, a leader of the Trotskyist Fourth International. But he was not a charismatic speaker. Moreover, Mandel, while sticking to his belief in revolution while others gave up, was hamstrung by his inability to decide whether the collapse of Stalinism in Eastern Europe was a positive or negative thing for socialists.
In this sense Mandel's old sparring partner Tony Cliff, who always argued that the post-1945 East had nothing to do with self-emancipating socialism, has been proved right.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments