billy-anania

3626 Articles by:

Billy Anania

Billy Anania is an art critic, editor, and journalist in New York City.

10 Years Since the Egyptian Revolution

The fall of Hosni Mubarak a decade ago was a triumph for popular mobilisation, but also a lesson – even powerful protests like those in Tahrir Square can’t produce transformation without a clear political vision.

How to Save the High Street

The terminal decline of Britain’s high streets is a consequence of towns built around consumption. We urgently need a new model based on community – one which puts public space before private profit.

The Diggers’ Green Roots

During the English Civil War, a band of radicals set out to make the world a common treasury. But the Diggers weren’t just pioneering socialists – they were forerunners of the environmental movement too.

Local Government’s Existential Crisis

Since 2010, the Tories have cut annual funding for local government by £15 billion – half of the total frontline budget. The result: mass closure of facilities, decay of our social infrastructure and a wave of council bankruptcies.

Bill Gates Can’t Save the World

Bill Gates is splashed on magazine covers across the world this week with his plan to solve climate change. But his new book ignores the fact that the same system which made him rich is the one killing the planet.

R. H. Tawney’s Ethical Socialism

R. H. Tawney was one of the most influential radicals of 20th century Britain. Today, his ethical socialism is often claimed by moderates – but, unlike them, he was committed to deep social transformation.

We Can’t All Be Max Bygraves

Trevor Griffiths’ 1975 play ‘Comedians’ took a serious look at what makes us laugh, and why. In a political era where comedians, journalists, and politicians are often the same people, it has something to teach us.

How the Media Made Boris Johnson

A new book explores how Britain’s establishment media provided Boris Johnson with the platform for the lies and provocations that made his political career – only to bemoan his rise to the top when it was too late.

Space Is the Place

Four new books show the emergence of a new tradition of London music writing, which swaps myth and hyperbole for the poetry found in harsh political realities.

The Real Third World

The ‘Third World’ was not always a pejorative term. Its origins lie in a revolutionary post-colonial project that aimed to find a path to development beyond the Cold War camps.

How Austerity Destroyed Civil Law

The Tories’ attack on criminal Legal Aid is well known — but cuts to the civil system have equally serious consequences for those seeking justice against the government and Britain’s corporate elite.

The Forgotten Frontline

Along with healthcare staff, workers in industries like retail and delivery have been facing huge pressures and dangerous conditions for almost a year. Their contributions deserve wider recognition.

The Next NHS Sell-Off

The government’s White Paper on NHS reform is being heralded as a return to a truly public service — in reality, it would make privatisation easier than ever.