Freedom News

Analysis of Law, Legitimacy, Violence and Solidarity in Jack Womack’s Random Acts of Senseless Violence

With reference to critical legal studies and Marxist/Anarchist legal theories, and via a law and literature framework, I hope to analyse Jack Womack’s seminal 1993 sci-fi novel Random Acts of Senseless Violence. Where possible, I have tried to simplify concepts and ideas to make them accessible. I would like to provide trigger warnings in relation

The surveillance state doesn’t want you to mask up

Right-wing anti-face mask activism has been a mass phenomenon in the US on the grounds of individual freedoms, but seems to be edging into left-libertarian discourse as well — this is not necessarily a good thing. There’s several reasons why wearing a mask might not be a fair request. Very young children may struggle to

Tug of class war: Agamben vs Zizek on the impact of Covid-19

Panos Theodoropoulos analyses a war of words which has broken out between two well-known political philosophers over the nature of State reactions to Covid-19 and the possibilities for liberatory politics, while trying to find a constructive synthesis of their key points. Turning Marx on his head, I want to focus on interpreting the recent conjuncture in terms

The fragility of the system

The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked widespread economic difficulty and societal issues, forcing States across the globe to act in accordance. With stock markets crashing, and state intervention rising, many observers praise the States of the world in their handling of the crisis. I have personally seen more people on social media than ever before comment

The Retreat of the State

As I write, there have been more murders in London than New York so far this year, and the Home Secretary has just denied that cuts to police numbers have anything to do with the increase in young people dying. Senior retired coppers have said the opposite, with former Met Police Commissioner Ian Blair saying

Why beer is in a bad State

In this special feature written for the Organise Issue 88, a member of the Anarchist Federation looks into the historic consequences of State intervention in beer, from frothing masses to watered-down ideas.  Throughout history the ruling class have placed restrictions, controls and taxes on alcoholic beverages and their consumption. As with all things, this has not

Venezuela: State Power — when the Left is the problem

As protests rise once again on the streets of Caracas, we are witnessing a struggle between the conservative Venezuelan bourgeoisie removed from control of the State apparatus and an emerging middle class which uses the State as a lever of accumulation, writes Raúl Zibechi. What is happening in Venezuela has no connection with a “revolution” or “socialism”