In his fortnightly column MARK SEDDON reflects on the death of Major Oak and why such ancient trees matter to us
THE fact that corporate capitalism has captured and commodified International Women’s Day in the 21st century should not be allowed to obscure the socialist feminist aims and origins of our day 122 years ago.
IWD was founded at the beginning of the last century by a powerful socialist women’s movement. Its aim was to both highlight and celebrate the struggle of working women against oppression and double exploitation.
The issues addressed by the Socialist Women’s conference of 1910 (which established March 8 as IWD), are, apart from women’s suffrage, still with us.
The pioneering activist understood that freedom could only be won through solidarity across communities. Her legacy offers vital lessons at a time when progressive politics risks losing that shared purpose
The Morning Star republishes PRAGNA PATEL’s speech at the annual commemoration of Claudia Jones on February 22 2026
Professor MARY DAVIS argues that feminism has been hollowed out by liberal co-option – and only a revival of socialist, class-based politics can restore International Working Women’s Day’s original, radical purpose
The legacy of socialist feminists such as Alexandra Kollontai challenges us today to confront an uncomfortable truth: framing prostitution as empowerment lets the abusers of the Epstein class off the hook, warns HELEN O’CONNOR
Our charter’s demands for fair pay, affordable housing and environmental security will recruit working-class youth into the political struggle for socialism, emulating the success of the Women’s Charter, writes YCL general secretary GEORGINA ANDREWS


