unAustralian Marxism: history and theory

Ep 15: Union power for Black rights - the Aboriginal Waterfront Committee in the 1960s

This talk was delivered at the annual KeepLeft conference, hosted by Solidarity, in April 2026. It outlines the history of the involvement of the Waterside Workers' Federation (WWF) in struggles for Aboriginal rights in the 20th Century, with a particular focus on the role of the Aboriginal Waterfront Committee in the 1960s. There is also some theoretical discussion of the role of the working-class movement in the fight against racism in Australia. Paddy would like to acknowledge Aunty Rhonda Dixon-Grovenor and film makers Mandy King and Fabio Cavadini for their work documenting this history over many years, including the production of a short film that was played in the session prior to this talk. This film focussed on the activism of Rhonda's father Chicka Dixon, a leading Aboriginal activist and wharfie in the 1960s and 70s who is referenced in the talk.

Ep 14: Why socialists oppose the police

This talk was given at a Solidarity meeting in Sydney on March 26, 2026 titled "Violent, racist, sexist: Why socialists oppose the police". It outlines a Marxist analysis of the historical formation of the police to control the emerging industrial working-class. There is discussion of the settler-colonial context in Australia where police forces were also created as part of a genocidal war against Aboriginal people.

The talk discusses the role of the police in contemporary capitalism and reflects aftermath of a recent major protest in Sydney against visiting Israeli President Isaac Herzog that was brutally attacked by police.

 

 

Ep13 - The Communist Party of Australia's 1931 Program for Aboriginal Liberation

In September 1931, the Communist Party of Australia printed an extraordinary program for Aboriginal liberation. Written by CPA leader Herbert Moxon, the program condemned continuing genocide in Australia and called for the abolition of the Protection regime controlling Aboriginal lives, respect for self-determination and return of stolen lands. In this talk, Paddy explains how the party moved beyond earlier ignorant and racist attitudes towards Aboriginal people to produce this important document. The influence of an all Black organisation, the Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association, was critical. You can read the full program here.

This is a recording of a talk given to the Labour History Conference in Brisbane, September 24, 2017. 

A fuller, updated analysis of the program is provided in chapter 4 of Paddy's PhD thesis you can read here.

 

Ep 12: Race, Empire and Settler-Colonialism in the work of Marx and Engels

In the classical Marxist tradition, anti-racist and anti-colonial struggles are of central importance for the revolutionary working-class movement. This talk explores the the roots of these ideas in Marx and Engels' foundational analysis of race and empire, that developed in profound ways from the 1850s through to Marx’s death in 1883. This development came in response to resistance movements of colonised people around the world. The talk also provides a critique of their weakness on settler-colonialism in particular, Engel’s acceptance of some of the racist ideas of bourgeois ethnography from this time and the way Marx overcame many of these assumptions in his late notebooks. Meeting organised by International Socialists (Canada).

Ep 11: The nature of the Australian Labor Party

This talk explores the contradictory nature of the Australian Labor Party. While founded by the trade unions, the ALP is committed to running Australian capitalism, leading to vicious attacks on its working-class base throughout it's history. The talk argues that socialists need to adopt a non-sectarian attitude to Labor supporters, while agitating for struggle against Labor governments that is every bit as intense as that needed when fighting the Liberals. Delivered at a Solidarity meeting in April 2022.

Ep 10: 15 years of the Northern Territory Intervention

This talk provides and analysis of the Northern Territory Intervention, a racist policy aimed at controlling Aboriginal people and their land that was launched in 2007. It was given at a Solidarity meeting in June 2022 marking 15 years since the policy was announced and explores the dynamics driving the Intervention, its impact and political legacy. 

Ep 9: Anti-colonialism and the Communist International

This talk outlines the anti-colonial politics of the early years of the Communist International (Comintern), formed in the wake of the Russian Revolution in 1919. Paddy explores the way the Comintern theorised the relationship between workers' revolution in imperialist countries and anti-colonial revolts shaking the world, particularly the importance of anti-racism and commitment to the defeat of imperialist forces. Recorded at a Solidarity meeting in June 2016.

Ep 8: Capitalism and anti-Aboriginal racism

This talk outlines the importance of anti-Aboriginal racism to the ruling class in Australia. Paddy explores the ways that the so-called "Aboriginal problem" has posed challenges for Australian capitalism and the way Aboriginal resistance continues to threaten the system. Recorded at a Solidarity meeting in April 2016, this podcast is dedicated to the memory of Arrente and Alyawarr Elder Rosalie Kunoth-Monks, who famously asserted "don't try and suppress me. I am not the problem. I have never left my country, nor have I ever ceded any part of it".

Ep 7: Invasion and resistance in early colonial Sydney

This talk provides an historical account of the invasion by British imperialism of Eora and Darug Country, what is now known as Sydney, Australia. Paddy discusses the dynamics driving the invasion and the war of resistance waged by Aboriginal people defending their homelands. Recorded at a Solidarity meeting in January 2015. Since this talk, historian Stephen Gapps has published a major book The Sydney Wars which contains lots of new research into these issues and is highly recommended.

Ep 6: What’s wrong with capitalism? What’s the alternative?

An introduction to Karl Marx's theory of historical materialism. Basic explanations of the concept of alienation, surplus value, the centralisation and concentration of capital and what we mean by workers' power and socialist revolution. Talk to a Solidarity student club meeting at Sydney University in August 2014.