(The following leaflet was given out in various cities across Italy on 6 June on the occasion of demonstrations by the various rank and file (Cobas) unions against the imposed return to work whilst the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage.) · The coronavirus pandemic has thrown a spanner into the capitalist works but not completely prevented it from squeezing out profits.

The short article which follows is our latest translation from Kommunist (No. 3) of 16 May 1918. Details about its author, Afanasi Lomov, can be found in our earlier article ( but the article is mainly of interest for its recognition of the effects of the First World War, “the global imperialist massacre”, on the economic life of capitalism.

The myth that we’re all in this together is already wearing thin. COVID-19 has come after ten years of grinding austerity characterised by the gig economy, poverty wages, benefit cuts, attacks on the NHS, and a desperate housing crisis. While the richest 1% have got richer, we’ve had a growth in food banks, child poverty, unaffordable housing and poor health.

The realities of life under Covid-19 lockdown, whatever the specifics, are strange. Over the last two months or so, many of us will have seen empty shelves in supermarkets where once-familiar products like flour, eggs, soap and toilet roll are seemingly in short supply. Is this because there are not enough of these products being produced? Have the supply lines broken down, so that existing...