Cosmopod

We join Gabriel Tupinambá from the Subset of Theoretical Practice for a discussion on the Japanese Marxist Kojin Karatani. We discuss what Karatani's project is, why we should care about it, before focusing on his magna opus The Structure of World History. We discuss his approach to modes of exchange, and why it is a novel lens, how communism fits on his scheme before mentioning some weak points. We end up with a discussion of how Gabriel´s reading of Karatani has affected his organizing.

Ira and Rudy sit down with Sam Gindin to discuss the evolving nature of global capitalism through the lens of U.S. hegemony, neoliberalism, and emerging geopolitical shifts. We begin by analyzing Gindin's The Making of Global Capitalism, examining how the U.S.-led global order was constructed and whether it's synonymous with neoliberalism. From there, we delve into current trends—protectionism, supply chain reshoring, and regionalization—to ask whether these signal a break from neoliberal norms or a transformation into something new. We also assess the stability of U.S. dominance in a world where multipolarity is rising, before bringing the conversation home: how these global dynamics impact domestic labor and the potential for cross-border solidarity among labor and socialist movements.

Isaac and Jack are joined by David Campbell and Jarrod Shanahan to discuss their new book City Time: On Being Sentenced to Rikers Island, an ethnography of Rikers Island based on the author's experiences as inmates on Rikers. We discuss the unwritten social codes that order life on Rikers, the social function of jails (and some surprising similarities to the New Deal), the differences between urban jails and rural prisons, the relationship between inmates and jail staff, and the labor struggles that play out in jails and prisons. Resources: NY's Prison Guard Strike Has Roots in Decades of Racialized Deindustrialization Andrea R. Morrell - Prison Town Making the Carceral State in Elmira, New York  Truthout interview about the Wildcat Strike Hard Crackers "Stick-Up on Rikers Island" piece by David Campbell. Kim Kelly - Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor Revolutionary Affinities: Toward a Marxist-Anarchist Solidarity https://stopcop.city/ https://www.abcf.net/ https://intlantifadefence.wordpress.com/ https://x.com/ab_dac https://www.patreon.com/davidcampbelldac

Rudy joins Oisín Gilmore and David Landy, authors of Fragments of Victory Fragments of Victory: The Contemporary Irish Left for a discussion on the unique political history of the Republic of Ireland. We talk about why the country never developed a strong social democratic tradition, the dominance of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the economic turmoil of the Celtic Tiger crash, and Ireland's distinctive response to austerity compared to Southern Europe. We then move to the major social movements—water charges, abortion rights, and housing—highlighting their impact and legacy. The discussion also covers the role of trade unions, the evolution of the Irish left from Labour's decline to the rise of Sinn Féin and Trotskyist parties, and the influence of figures like Clare Daly and Mick Wallace. Finally, the episode reflects on the recent election results and what they mean for the future of Ireland's left-wing politics.

Rudy joins Carlos of Licht & Luft for a discussion on the Licht & Luft project and the broader German left, with a focus on Die Linke. We discuss the decision to organize within Die Linke, the political debates within the organization including the focus on economistic demands or on more political demands, a read on the recent elections, the issue of Zionism, before turning to discussing BSW & Sahra Wagenknecht's project. We finish with a discussion on European solidary and the extraparlamentarian left in Germany. References: https://lichtundluft.org/2024/12/15/die-linke-und-palaestina-teil-1-die-lage-der-partei/ https://lichtundluft.org/2025/01/12/die-linke-und-palaestina-teil-2-von-der-hottentottenwahl-lernen/ https://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1524/firewall-and-hot-air/ https://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/978/die-linke-rotten-politics-and-rotten-terms/

Rudy talks with Moe Taylor, author of North Korea, Tricontinentalism, and the Latin American Revolution, 1959–1970 to explore the overlooked role of North Korea in the revolutionary internationalist movement of the 1960s, particularly its influence on Latin America and the Global South. We highlight how the DPRK, alongside Cuba and Vietnam, contributed to Tricontinentalism -a movement distinct from Soviet and Chinese approaches to internationalism. The conversation delves into North Korea's attraction to Cuba, its navigation of the Sino-Soviet split, and its support for Latin American revolutionary movements. The discussion also examines Guyana's unique position in the Cold War, from Cheddi Jagan's ousting with U.S. backing to Forbes Burnham's later embrace of “cooperative socialism,” influenced by North Korea's emphasis on discipline and self-reliance. The episode concludes by analyzing why this period of North Korean influence waned, while still maintaining ties with Guyana and African nations into the 1980s.

Isaac, Cliff, and Jay interview Chad Pearson, author of the book Capital's Terrorists: Klansmen, Lawmen, and Employers in the Long Nineteenth Century. We discuss the armed, violent employer associations of the turn of the century, from the Klan to the Pinkertons. While most of our episodes look at the organization and self-activity of the oppressed, here we look at the organizers, activists, and agitators of the propertied. We discuss the ideological underpinnings of American vigilantism and the legacy of violence in American history.

Rudy joins Miguel Gómez, author of La CNT y la Nueva Economía: Del colectivismo empresarial a la planificación de la economía confederal (1936-1939) for a discussion on the most prominent Spanish anarchist union, the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo. We talk about the origins of the CNT, its base, its history under the Primo de Rivera dictatorship and its reactions to the formation of the Spanish Republic. We then talk about the currents within the CNT, and their ideas for what the economy should look like after the revolution, before turning to the time where they were able to put those ideas into practice during the Civil War. Finally, we discuss the intellectual highpoint of the CNT's economic program: the ideas about cooperative socialism proposed in 1938.

Amelia, Carlos and Rudy sit down for the follow-up episode on the Mexican revolution to discuss the consolidation of the revolutionary state with a focus on the figure of Lázaro Cárdenas. They discuss the origins of yellow unionism and agrarian reform in Mexico, the presidency of Plutarco Calles and the Cristero War, and the radical period in the 1930s which led to mass expropriations, the nationalization of oil and a radical international policy. Bibliography: B. Carr - Marxism & Communism in Twentieth-Century Mexico J. Cockroft - Mexico, Class Formation, Capital Accumulation, and the State G. Correa-Cabrera, R. A. Ragland - Workers, parties and a “New Deal:” A comparative analysis of corporatist alliances in Mexico, and the United States, 1910–1940 E. Ginzberg - Revolutionary Ideology and Political Destiny in Mexico, 1928-1934: Lazaro Cardenas and Adalberto Tejeda A. Knight - The Mexican Revolution: A Very Short Introduction T. Rath - Cardenismo, Revolutionary Citizenship, and the Redefinition of Mexican Militarism, 1934–1940 M. K. Vaughan - Cultural Politics in Revolution: Teachers, Peasants, and Schools in Mexico, 1930-1940 M. K. Vaughan, S. Lewis (ed.) - The Eagle and the Virgin: Nation and Cultural Revolution in Mexico, 1920–1940

James and Rudy join Aidan Beatty, author of The Party is Always Right: The Untold Story of Gerry Healy and British Trotskyism for a discussion on Gerry Healy. We discuss the figure of Gerry Healy, and his contextualization within the British left in the interwar and post-WW2 period and the evolution of his organization up to its dissolution by its own members. We also discuss the strict internal regime of the organizations he lead, the Socialist Labour League and the Workers Revolutionary Party, relating them to wider practices or accusations of cult-like behavior on the left. Warning: this episode includes some minor references to the sexual harassment cases in the SLL/WRP.

Eric and Rob join Abdi for a discussion on Somalia from the colonial period to the present. They discuss the formation of the Somali people, the long and conflictual relationship to Ethiopia, British and Italian colonization and Somali independence before moving on to the scientific socialist period under Siad Barre. They discuss the achievements of this period, the origins of the Ogaden War conflict, and the abandonment of the USSR and of Socialism. They then discuss the disintegration of the Somali state, the long civil war, and the Islamic Court Union period, before giving some thoughts on the present.

Peter Olney is a labor organizer of over half a century, long-time organizing director at the ILWU, and researcher on labor strategy. John Womack is a Harvard historian of the labor movement and the Mexican Revolution. In this episode they sit down with Ira and Rudy to discuss Peter and John's 2023 book Labor, Power, and Strategy. They discuss the controversial approach of organizing workers in the choke points of production, what it will take to rebuild the labor movement, and new opportunities for working class internationalism.

Eric, Andrew and Rudy join for a discussion on the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party in the two regions where it held power: Syria and Iraq, covering the history of both countries from the dissolution of the Ottoman empire up to the Hama Rebellion in Syria and the Kuwait War in Iraq. Among other topics we discuss the more military and sectarian character of the party in Syria, the 'left' and 'right' wings of Ba'athism, the figures of Salah Jadid, Hafez Assad and Saddam Hussein, the relationship between Ba'athism and Communism in Syria and Iraq, and what Ba'athism actually was as well as its relationship to Nasserism. S. Aburish - Saddam Hussein: The Politics of Revenge H. Batatu - The old social classes and the revolutionary movements of Iraq N. van Dam - The Struggle for Power in Syria: Politics and Society under Asad and the Ba'th Party R. A. Hinnebusch - Syria: Revolution from Above  E. Kienle - Ba'ath vs Ba'ath: The Conflict Between Syria And Iraq, 1968-1989 M. Khadduri - Independent Iraq 1932-1958: A Study in Iraqi Politics  M. Khadduri - Republican Iraq: A Study in Iraqi Politics since the Revolution of 1958  M. Khadduri - Socialist Iraq: A Study in Iraqi politics since 1968 T. Ismael - The Communist Movement in Syria and Lebanon  T. Ismael - The rise and fall of the Communist Party of Iraq 

Rudy and Andreas join Tony Collins, author of Raising the Red Flag. Marxism, Labourism, and the Roots of British Communism, 1884–1921 for a discussion on the origins of the British Marxist movement from the creation of the Social Democratic Federation to the foundation of the Communist Party. We cover some of the important groups of the British Left at the time, the labor militancy before and during and after the First World War, and the founding of the Communist Party of Great Britain detailing which groups did not join the party. We discuss the weaknesses of the CPGB in the issues of Colonialism and its relationship to the Labour party before finishing with a discussion of how past issues can be reflected in the present.

Tony Unger sets the record straight on Rhode Island DSA's political experiences with the Democratic Party and need for class independence.  Read By: Christina Carman Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.

Rudy joins Miguel, amateur historian of Hawai'i for a discussion on the history and present of the islands. We cover the first contact, the unification of the Hawai'ian kingdom, its pan-Oceanic profile, the overthrow of the Monarchy which leads to annexation and the Democratic Revolution before talking about the present struggles around military bases, tourism, land and water as well as the way that Hawai'ian identity has changed through the years. References: No Makou Ka Mana: Liberating the Nation Paperback – Kamanamaikalani Beamer Who Owns the Crown Lands of Hawai‘i? - Jon M. Van Dyke A Power in the World: The Hawaiian Kingdom in Oceania - Lorenz Gonschor Pacific Gibraltar: U.S.-Japanese Rivalry Over the Annexation of Hawaii, 1885-1898 - William Michael Morgan From a Native Daughter: Colonialism and Sovereignty in Hawaii - Haunani-Kay Trask Articles: Amid Calls For Diversification, A Look Back At Hawaii's History of Single-Industry Dominance When a State of Emergency is Declared, We Should All be Alarmed Ige and Integrity: Machine Politics and Special Interests

James, Steven and Rudy sit down to talk about the Italian Communist Party (PCI) from its foundation to its dissolution, with a focus on its period of maximum influence from the post-WW2 refoundation to the unraveling of the Historic Compromise in 1980 as well as the differences and similarities to the French Communist Party. We discuss the founding of the PCI in the aftermath of the First World War, followed by its destruction during the fascist period and how this destruction was a historic trauma of fascism that colored its post-WW2 strategy. We discuss how the party negotiated a place in the Italian political system, and how different tendencies within the party responded to events in the 50s and 60s. We then turn to the historic compromise, what it was and how it can be seen as a right-wing interpretation of the Popular Front. We finish by discussing the unraveling of the Popular Front, the dissolution of the party in the 1990s and the consequences on the present Italian left. Bibliography: G. Amyot - The Italian Communist Party: The Crisis of the Popular Front Strategy P. Daniels, M. J. Bull - Voluntary Euthanasia: From the Italian Communist Party to the Democratic Party of the Left S. Hellman - Italian Communism in Transition: The Rise and Fall of the Historic Compromise in Turin, 1975-1980 L. Magri - The Tailor of Ulm: A History of Communism M. A. Macciocchi - Letters from inside the Italian Communist Party to Louis Althusser D. Sassoon - The Strategy of the Italian Communist Party: From the Resistance to the Historic Compromise R. Rossanda - The Comrade from Milan J. B. Urban - Moscow And The Italian Communist Party: From Togliatti to Berlinguer Pre-fascist period: J. M. Cammett - Antonio Gramsci and the origins of Italian Communism P. Spriano - The occupation of the factories, Italy 1920 G. Williams - Proletarian Order: Antonio Gramsci, Factory Councils and the origins of Italian communism, 1911-1921

Jackson and Donald are joined by Christian Noakes author of Do It Yourself, Brother: Cultural Autonomy and the New Thing to discuss jazz music and musicians during the Cold War. We cover the U.S. state department's attempts to weaponize Jazz for imperial cultural diplomacy and how artists in the Jazz avant-garde of the 1950s-60s resisted the exploitation of their music by both the U.S. government and the capitalist music industry.

We join Gabriel Kuhn, author of books like Soccer vs. the State and Antifascism, Sports, Sobriety: Forging a militant working-class culture for a discussion on sports, sobriety and also the ways Austromarxism applied these principles during the interwar period. We discuss Gabriel's attraction to the Straight Edge movement as well as its contemporary transformations, as well as sports and left-wing interventions. We then focus on his study on Austromarxism, Red Vienna, and working-class culture, discussing key figures like Julius Deutsch and the Schutzbund and examining their historical impact and relevance today. We conclude with reflections on the legacy of the Schutzbund, the Worker's Olympics, and the applicability of these historical lessons to contemporary health and sports interventions.

Rudy, Andrew and Eric sit down to discuss Egypt from its origins as an independent polity under Mehmed Ali up to the Sadat years, with a focus on the Nasserist revolutionary period. We discuss the origins and aims of the 1952 coup and revolution, the relationship between communists and Nasser(ism), the three periods of Nasserism, the national and international character of the government periods, the (lack of) institutionalization of Arab Socialism and the Arab Socialist Union, the unraveling of Arab Socialism under Sadat and much more! References: A. Abdel-Malek - Egypt: Military society: The Army Regime, the Left, and Social Change under Nasser S. Aburish - Nasser: The Last Arab: A Biography K. J. Beattie - Egypt During the Sadat Years M. Hussein - Class Conflict in Egypt: 1945-1970 E. Kienle - Egypt: A Fragile Power

Donald and Luke talk with Aziz Rana about his latest book, The Constitutional Bind: How Americans Came to Idolize a Document That Fails Them. Rana discusses why constitutional veneration has remained (for now) "a naturalized, unremarked-upon feature” of American life despite the Constitution's flagrantly undemocratic nature. Along the way, he touches on the Socialist Party of America's constitutional skepticism, the impact of war and foreign revolutions on constitutional ideology, and the risks and rewards of our current moment. Rana integrates the lives of several important people, including Crystal Eastman, W.E.B DuBois, Eugene Debs, Afemi Shakur, and Charles Beard.

We sit down with Jerome Scott, former Detroit Auto worker and founding member of the League of Revolutionary Black Workers to learn about Black working-class radicalizing during the Vietnam War and Detroit uprisings and to get advice on directions for the revolutionary movement today.

Ian, Nico, Matt, Chas and Rudy join for a general discussion on artificial intelligence. They cover the early origins of AI as a field, with the debates of the time, all the way up to the present state. They then discuss what to expect from AI in the near future, and give aspects where the prospects may be optimistic, pessimistic or neutral. They finish with a discussion on how Marxists should relate to AI in the present, trying to avoid overly pessimistic or uncritical attitudes.

Exir, Toby and Jackson join for a discussion on the (in)famous Frankfurt School. They discuss the history of the Institute for Social Research from its founding as a think tank for the study of the workers' movement, through the turn to critical theory and empirical social research in the 1930s, its flight to America in the wake of the Nazis' rise to power, and its return to Germany after the Second World War. Focusing in on Max Horkheimer, Theodor Adorno, and Herbert Marcuse, they use the trajectory of these thinkers and the Institute to consider questions of how intellectuals should relate to political movements, the relationship between theory and empirical research, and the possibility and desirability of intellectual independence. They also discuss some of the key ideas of the Frankfurt School, including the critique of instrumental reason, the concept of the totally administered society, and Marcuse's development of psychoanalytic ideas.

Rudy joins Martín Lallana for an introductory discussion on mining. We talk about the importance of mining to capitalism, the ecological impacts of different kind of mining, the way that the materials extracted have changed along history focusing on the materials needed for an energy transition and the way the Ukranian war has changed the needs of European countries before discussing the possibilities to have more just forms of mining and the potentialities of "urban mining"

Rob joins Alexander Thurston for a discussion on his work on the Sahel region, focusing on the interplay between radical Islamic groups, the civilian governments/military juntas of the regions and international players like the US and France. They discuss the social basis of the groups, the role of different countries and different armies, the reasons behind the military coups and their possible future paths as well as how much is not really known about these groups.

Steven, James and Rudy sit down for a long discussion on the French Communist Party from its inception all the way to its present state. We cover all the periods in its history: the Pre-WW2 Popular Front, the post WW2 entrance into government, its isolation, and its coming back into government with Mitterrand in the 80s, before discussing its decline and the reasons for it. References: M. Adereth - The French Communist party: A Critical History (1920-1984), from Comintern to "the colours of France" J. Friend -  The Long Presidency: France in the Mitterrand Years J. T. Jackson - The Popular Front in France: Defending Democracy, 1934-38  D. Joly - The French Communist Party and the Algerian War R. Martelli, J. Vigreux, S. Wolikow - One Hundred Years of History of the French Communist Party: The Red Party

Rejecting recent interpretations in the U.S. socialist press as truistic, Jackson Albert Mann makes a case for a particular communistic reading of the first novel in Frank Herbert's Dune franchise. Read By: A Darlymple Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.

Rudy joins Volodymyr Ishchenko, author of Towards the Abyss: Ukraine from Maidan to War, for a discussion on Ukraine and the broader post-Soviet sphere. We discuss the formation of the Ukranian identity under the USSR, the story of Ukraine after independence through the Orange Revolution, Euromaidan and up to the recent war, and the failures of its elites to enact a political project. We also talk about the role of the far-right, whether the war was preventable, Military Keynsianism in Ukraine and Russia, and compare Euromaidan to the Belarus protests of 2020.

Written By: Abner Dalrymple Read By: Will Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.

Aliyah VanPelt and Cliff Connolly sit down with longtime organizer Gene Bruskin to get his advice and hear stories from his time in the movement, including with US Labor Against the War.

Alex Witherspoon, Yu Zhou, and Alle Fang give an account of socialist agriculture in rural North Korea, arguing that the difficulties faced by the country's economy have been primarily caused by deteriorating trade conditions. Read By: Allen Lanterman Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.

Amelia, Carlos and Rudy sit down to discuss the revolutionary period of Mexico in the decade of 1910. We talk about the Porfiriato period which led up to the revolution, the conjecture which led to the events of 1910, the three stages of the revolutionary wars, and the diverse factions acting in each stage. We discuss the relevant figures of the revolution, including Francisco Madero, Emilio Zapata, Pancho Villa, the Flores Magón brothers, as well as the ultimate victors in the Sonora clan. We also talk about the end point of the war, and why the state-building faction was able to consolidate rule over Mexico. A second episode will discuss the consolidation of the revolutionary regime in Mexico up to the 1940s. Bibliography: J. Cockroft - Mexico: Class Formation, Capital Accumulation, and the State A. Knight - The Mexican Revolution: A Very Short Introduction A. Knight - The Mexican Revolution, Volume 1: Porfirians, Liberals, and Peasants A. Knight - The Mexican Revolution, Volume 2: Counter-revolution and Reconstruction A. Gilly - The Mexican Revolution J. Reed - Insurgent Mexico

Rudy joins Raj Patel for a discussion on the global food system. We discuss how food serves as a powerful educational tool, the paradox of global hunger amidst food abundance and obesity, linking it to the systemic issues in food production and consumption. We discuss producers, vendors and how supermarkets dictate what is cultivated and sold. We also talk about Raj's work on the Long Green Revolution, challenging the conventional view of the Green Revolution as a historical event and presenting it as an ongoing process. We dissect the impact of the Green Revolution, its role in geopolitics, and the emergence of a new Green Revolution and increased financialization in agriculture. The discussion extends to the topic of food sovereignty and food security, and the socio-economic fault lines within the global food system. Lastly, we discuss Raj's recent co-authored book, Inflamed: Deep Medicine and the Anatomy of Justice providing a brief overview of its content and relevance in the context of contemporary health and societal challenges.

Interpreting Stalin's fledgling revolutionary career through his later status as a brutal labor dictator obscures an early whole-hearted admiration for the works of Kautsky and Lenin. By Lawrence Parker. Read By Luke Pickrell Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.

Isaac and Jack join Jarrod Shanahan, an activist, educator, and the author of Captives: How Rikers Island Took New York City Hostage, for a wide-ranging conversation. We cover the last 70 years of New York City's political history from the lens of the city's jails. We discuss the various actors fighting for control in the city: the politicians and bureaucrats responsible for the administration of jails, the repressive jailers and their corrupt labor union, the revolutionary social movements struggling for liberation inside and outside prison, the non-profits brought in to plug the budget holes and keep the peace, and the capitalists profiting from it all. After examining the shifts in political hegemony within New York City - from liberal "penal welfarism" to the neoliberal "war on crime" to a resurgent, reactionary "revanchism" - we reflect on how this history informs our current organizing in the abolitionist and public sector union movements. We end with a discussion on the 2024 elections and Jarrod's most recent article for Hard Crackers, “Iowa Bluffs,” focused on his experiences at a recent Trump rally in Dubuque, Iowa.

Donald and Luke talk with Bruno Leipold about his forthcoming book, Citizen Marx: Republicanism and the Formation of Karl Marx's Social and Political Thought. Bruno touches on several topics including English Chartism, democratic republicanism, national constitutions, and the political development Marx and Engels's over the years. Bruno emphasizes the democratic republican foundation of Marxism and why it needs to be rediscovered.

Chas, James, and Rudy delve into the history of the Polish People's Republic in this episode, focusing on the influential Solidarity movement. They explore communism's roots in Poland from the interwar period to WWII, highlighting the challenges posed by the Soviet invasion. The conversation covers the post-WWII liberation, the establishment of the Polish nation-state, and the diverse governmental shifts leading up to the 1980s. They also discuss how Solidarity emerges from the Workers' Defense Committee, leading to discussions on the events preceding martial law and the eventual decline of communism in 1980s Poland. They conclude by examining Solidarity's post-communist path and comparing the varied trajectories of the People's Republics. References: F. Bartel - The Triumph of Broken Promises: The End of the Cold War and the Rise of Neoliberalism J. M. Bloom - Seeing Through the Eyes of the Polish Revolution: Solidarity and the Struggle Against Communism in Poland F. Fejtö - A history of the people's democracies: Eastern Europe since Stalin P. J. Kenney - Rebuilding Poland: Workers and Communists, 1945–1950 D. Ost - Defeat of Solidarity: Anger And Politics In Postcommunist Europe D. Ost - Solidarity and the Politics of Anti-Politics: Opposition and Reform in Poland since 1968 A. J. Prazmowska - Civil War in Poland: 1942-1948 A. Szymanski - Class Struggle in Socialist Poland: With Comparisons to Yugoslavia

Rob, Eric and Rudy continue their discussion of the Algerian revolution from the fall of Ben Bella to the end of the Black Decade (known in the West as the Algerian Civil War). We discuss the starting point of Boumedienne's government, the agrarian reform and the developmentalist program undertaken in industry, as well as the internal divisions of the FLN during this period which led to widespread sabotage of this developmentalist program. We then talk about Boumedienne's death, and the change in the direction of the country taken by his successor Benjadid, and how political liberalization was attempted to counteract decaying life quality. We discuss the underlying events and rifts that led to the start of the Civil War, as well as discuss why scholars question that it was a Civil War at all. We end by shortly discussing the character of the Algerian Government that came out of the Civil War. References: M. Bennoune - The Making of Contemporary Algeria, 1830-1987 J. Mcdougall - A History of Algeria K. Pfeifer - Agrarian Reform Under State Capitalism in Algeria H. Roberts - The Battlefield: Algeria 1988-2002, Studies in a Broken Polity E. Wolf - Peasant Wars of the Twentieth Century

Renzo Llorente critically responds to Gil Schaeffer's views on democratic rights and socialism.  Read By: Will Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.

Gus, Donald and Isaac join Esra, author of the webside CR-CPUSA Exposed: Hub for Information and Recovery for a discussion on their experience inside the Committee to Reconstitute the Communist Party of the USA, also known as the Red Guards. We go into a lot of detail on how the CR-CPUSA operated, how it related to its locals and how it was basically centered around the personality of Jared Roark, also knon as Comrade Dallas. We talk about how the CR-CPUSA came to dissolve by a process initiated from its own membership and how that relates to other accounts of leaving cults. We then pivot to the term 'brainwashing', cultic studies and how people on the left can relate to this field. We finish with the often conflictual relationship between the Red Guards and other leftist movements and the role of violence and abusive persolaities in leftist organizations.

Rudy and Christian join Chris Gilbert for a discussion on his new book Commune or Nothing! Venezuela's Communal Movement and its Socialist Project. We cover the history of the Venezuelan communal project, and how it relates to previous attempts of the government to build a socialist economy including the Venezuelan cooperative movement or the drive to build state-run industry. We discuss the ideas of István Mészáros on how the commune centers the communal control of the labor process, and attempts to solve problems found during the socialist transition, before pivoting to ground data on the communes, the economic relationships between them and towards the outside, the issues with voluntarism, the problem of attracting the youth and the structure of the new Communard Union. We finish with an outlook for the future and a discussion on how communes center all around human development and have a more mystical side to them.

Luke joins Gil Shaeffer, a former member of Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) and author of "You Can't Use Weatherman to Show Which Way the Wind Blew” to talk about the SDS, the New Left, and the centrality of democratic republicanism to Marxism. Gil discusses his path to joining SDS in the late 1960s, the impact of figures like C Wright Mills, the little-remembered March on Fort Dix, and the meaning of “participatory democracy.” He explains how SDS and the New Left are presented in popular histories (including the work of Kirkpatrick Sale), and the motivation behind writing his history of the period. Gil ends by discussing the present moment and the ongoing struggle for a democratic revolution.

Gus Breslauer responds to Angry Workers of the World on the issue of Palestine and Zionism. There is no path “around” Intifada, the working class must go in-and-through it. Read by: Will Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.

Donald, Christian, and Connor sit down to discuss the political economic conditions of the Soviet Union during the period of the New Economic Policy. Over the course of the episode, they cover War Communism, the intellectual currents and debates within the Party, the importance of the peasant question, the geopolitics of isolation, and the NEP's long term viability. References: R. C. Allen - Farm to Factory: A Reinterpretation of the Soviet Industrial Revolution V. Barnett - The Revolutionary Russian Economy, 1890-1940 Ideas, Debates and Alternatives V. Brovkin - Russia After Lenin: Politics, Culture and Society, 1921-1929 E. H. Carr and R. W. Davies – Foundations of a Planned Economy 1926-1929, Volume 1 R. W. Davies - From Tsarism to the New Economic Policy: Continuity and Change in the Economy of the U.S.S.R. R. W. Davies - Soviet Economic Development from Lenin to Khrushchev R. W. Davies - The Socialist Offensive: The Collectivisation of Soviet Agriculture, 1929-1930 R. B. Day - Leon Trotsky and the Politics of Economic Isolation A. Ehrlich – The Soviet Industrialization Debate, 1924-1928 S. Fitzpatrick, A. Rabinowitz and R. Stites (eds.) - Russia in the Era of NEP: Explorations in Soviet Society and Culture P. R. Gregory - Before Command: The Russian Economy from Emancipation to the First Five-Year Plan J. B. Hatch - Labor and Politics in NEP Russia: Workers, Trade Unions, and the Communist Party in Moscow, 1921-1926 M. L. Hilton - Selling to the Masses: Retailing in Russia, 1880-1930 M. Reiman - The Birth of Stalinism: the USSR on The Eve of The Second Revolution S. A. Resnick, R. D. Wolff - Class Theory and History: Capitalism and Communism in the USSR O. Sanchez-Sibony - Red Globalization: The Political Economy of the Soviet Cold War from Stalin to Khrushchev.  D. Shearer - Industry, State, and Society in Stalin's Russia, 1926-1934 K. A. S. Siegel - Loans and Legitimacy: The Evolution of Soviet-American Relations, 1919-1933 L. H. Siegelbaum - Soviet State and Society Between Revolutions 1918-1929 D. R. Stone - Hammer and Rifle: The Militarization of the Soviet Union, 1926-1933

Luke joins Douglas Egerton, author of The Wars of Reconstruction: The Brief, Violent History of America's Most Progressive Era, for a conversation about an epoch-defining period in U.S. history. Drawing from the lives of lesser-known actors, Douglas details attempts to transform the foundation of society following the Civil War and the vociferous resistance to those changes. Douglas provides an overview of Reconstruction, the forces involved, and, crucially, the way in which the period has been memorized and presented in academia and popular culture.

Rudy joins Matteo Capasso, author of Everyday Politics in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya for a discussion on Libya with a focus on the period from 1969 to 2011. We delves into Matteo's  research on Libya, exploring the myths and stories surrounding Libya's history, aiming to dispel the notion of Qaddafi's authoritarianism and the concept of statelessness among the Libyan people. The conversation takes a historical journey, discussing the antecedents of the Libyan revolution, the formation of the "Jamahiriya," and Qaddafi's rise to power. They analyze the authoritarian nature of Qaddafi's rule, Libya's anti-imperialist role in the world, and key events that marked the decline of the revolution. The podcast also examines the role of Saif al-Islam, the framing of opposition in Islamic terms, the economic benefits of the revolution, and the surprising insights gained from conversations with refugees. Finally, the discussion delves into the complexities of the 2011 Libyan revolution and its enduring impact on Libyan politics, especially present with the recent floods.

Rob, Eric and Rudy delve into the Algerian revolution, tracing its roots back to French colonization, through the liberation war, and the Ben Bella period. This first part of the discussion on Algeria explores the 19th-century French settlement of Algeria and the various phases of colonization. It also examines the impact of Algerian labor migration to France and its role in the liberation war. We provide insights into the National Liberation Front (FLN), highlighting its different factions and also discuss key events during the war. We go on to analyze the Ben Bella era, shedding light on the myth of Algerian self-management and its failure to meet expectations. Additionally, the episode covers Ben Bella's economic and internationalist program, discussing both its achievements and shortcomings. We then explore the fault lines within Algerian leadership that ultimately led to Ben Bella's ousting in the 1965 coup d'etat by Boumédiène. In part two we will discuss Algeria through Boumédiène's government, the Civil War and up to the present. References: M. Bennoune - The Making of Contemporary Algeria: 1830-1987 J. J. Byrne - Mecca of Revolution: Algeria, Decolonization, and the Third World Order I. Clegg - Worker's Self Management in Algeria M. H. Davis - Markets of Civilization: Islam and Racial Capitalism in Algeria A. Horne - A Savage War of Peace: Algeria 1954-1962 E. R. Wolf - Peasant Wars of the Twentieth Century

Gil Schaeffer responds to Renzo Llorente's “The Contradictions and Confusions of ‘Democratic Socialism” and argues that socialists need to base their politics on a coherent ethical theory of democratic rights. Read by: Will Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.

Rudy joins Immanuel Ness to discuss his recent work Migration as Economic Imperialism: How International Labour Mobility Undermines Economic Development in Poor Countries. We begin by explaining why migration is economic imperialism and addressing key questions about who migrates, their reasons, and destinations, highlighting evolving migration patterns. We explore how migration patterns are designed to meet labor demands and the role of recruitment agencies. Ness distinguishes between temporary and undocumented migrants, emphasizing the differences and discussing circular migration for highly-skilled individuals. Furthermore, he delves into the impact of skilled vs. unskilled migration on countries and the idea of migration as both individual freedom and national catastrophe. Ness also examines remittances, their framing by organizations like NGOs and the UN, their real-world implications, and how they tie into neoliberal ideology. We then discuss migration in the political realm: immigrant organization, their vulnerabilities, and reliance on personal actions or NGO support, with examples from the US and South Africa.

Hank Kennedy traces the ideological history of Superman, arguing that the populism of the character's early iterations would eventually be shed as a result of commercial interests. Read by: Keir Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.