RIP Chris Harman

I was saddened to see that Chris Harman, long term leading light of the SWP, has died. It's been a while since I've spoken to him but it's still a shock to hear this news as he was always someone who seemed so flea fit and full of intellectual life.

Outside of his friends and family Chris will mainly remembered as an intellectual and theoretician who was able to make socialist and Marxist ideas accessible. This side to his work is best exemplified by Economics of the Madhouse, How Marxism Works and A People's History of the World.

The last of these extremely readable books is a very impressive tome covering the entire sweep of history and ever since I read it almost ten years ago I've always kept a copy around for reference and I'll continue to do so for some time I'm sure.

I've not read his latest work Zombie Capitalism yet but I've heard it's very good and one thing about Chris was that his powers never seemed to dim across the decades of his political activity. My condolences go out to his friends and family.

Other thoughts at Lenin's Tomb, Socialist Resistance, Dave's Part, Left Outside, Third Estate.