Neoliberal economists claim that globalisation triggered growth will improve the quality of environment in the long run. On the other hand, almost all practicing environment protectors say that negative ecological effects far outweigh benefits. Countries exposed to the increasing global competition are routinely forced to loosen their environmental regulations. International specialisation is often damaging to the environment and leads to monocultures in farming. Economic globalisation and the current wasteful mode of production mutually reinforce each other.

Table of contents

1. Szigeti Péter, Szalai Erzsébet, Lugosi Győző, Wiener György : Exploring world systems (Global “open competition” – the current stage of world capitalism)
2. Mészáros István : Farewell to Harry Magdoff
3. Marsovszky Magdolna : Anti-Semitism: “Negative aspects of a positive programme”
4. Gyenyisz Leonyidovics Babicsenko : Residency in the Soviet Union (Yuri Andropov’s official biography rather resembles to a cover story of a professional spy)
5. Sziklai László : After the End – On The Auschwitz Album. Story of a Transport
6. Robin Blackburn : A visionary pragmatist: Rudolf Meidner, 1914 – 2005
7. Istvánffy András : Resistance and the centre of the structure
8. Paul Blackledge : A critique of “anti-Leninist” anti-capitalism
9. Alekszandr Nyikolajevics Taraszov : World Revolution. A return to the strategy of global revolution also integrating 20th century’s experience
10. Bartók Gyula : Will a global socialist revolution come?
11. Rastko Močnik : Social changes in the Balkans
12. Boda Zsolt : Environmental effects of economic globalisation

A conversation on Péter Szigeti's book. Participants of the public discussion hosted by the Friends of Eszmélet were: Péter Szigeti, György Wiener, Erzsébet Szalai, Győző Lugosi.

"Assuming it was relatively justified to call the capitalist order a system of »productive destruction«… but today that would be a dangerous self-delusion we have to part with. We should not misunderstand the capitalist order in an era when we – reflecting the consequences of the historical developments emerging at the end of the 20th century caused by the structural crisis of the whole capitalist system – have to inevitably face the devastation of destructive production and its catastrophic force, in other words reality, which is the utter opposite of the idealised »productive destruction."

The study explores the phenomenon of anti-Semitism in Hungary using research methods developed in Germany on the subject. Hungarian anti-Semitism is aiming not only discriminating Jews but also the whole political left, that is excluding socialists and the liberals from the national community. Thus the cultural war intensified under the Orbán-government reproduces the democratic deficit.