The editorial of the new director of Marx21.it

of Marco Pondrelli (new director of marx21.it)

My adventure as director of this site begins today. My first thought and my first thanks go to my friend and comrade Mauro Gemma, whom I thank for the beautiful words he said about me. I thank him, as so many have done in recent days, for the work he has done over the past 10 years: a job guided by professionalism and passion. I know I will not be up to your example, but I hope to be able to put all my energy into this work.

Directing a site that refers to Karl Marx is currently not at all easy. The Left in all its forms (communist, radical, reformist…) has never been so weak. Weakness that is, rather than electoral, cultural.

In recent years, the Left has lost its compass, and has even added its voice to that of the imperialist aggressors (has anyone already forgotten the demonstrations under the Libyan embassy at the time of the war?). In the name of a “new-ism”, which was in fact the worst that the past has given us, we have disavowed our identity. Will someone seriously consider why the Left wins in the good neighbourhoods of the cities and loses in the suburbs?

Our site is part of this battle. A theoretical battle that wants to dismantle the liberal and warmongering dogmas. We would like a Left that returns to understand that the threat to peace today comes from NATO and not from Russia, we would like a Left that understands that China is not the cause of our crisis but can be the solution, we would like a Left that does not exchange labour rights for gender rights (there being no contradiction between them).

Marx XXI will continue to be the place where, without fear or anathema, those who do not recognize themselves in the single thought will confront bringing, from Italy and abroad, their contribution, their experience and their history.

As I write these lines, the news of the death of comrade Domenico Losurdo has reached me. I will not waste words saying how much we esteemed him and how much his theoretical contribution will miss us. I want to remember him when I saw him for the last time more than a year ago at the presentation of his book a world without war together with Professor Carlo Galli. I remember him as always lucid and impeccable. It was clear, and everyone present understood, that each word was not chosen by chance but was the product of careful reasoning. We will try to live up to this intellectual rigour of this political coherence.