Podcast appearances and mentions of Leon Trotsky

Send us Fan MailToday, we finish the two-part story about Leon Trotsky, beginning in 1917 and ending with his assassination by Ramon Mercader in 1940.Support the show

Send us Fan MailToday, we revisit the life of Leon Trotsky with our focus being on who he was as a person and how he became the revolutionary that would help the Bolsheviks take control of Russia.Support the show

The Origins of Two Cosmological Giants George Gamow was born in Odessa in 1904 to a schoolteacher father who had once taught Leon Trotsky, leading to a notable incident where Trotsky attempted to organize a student coup in the classroom by having every student sign a single letter of a protest petition to hide individual identities. Gamow'seducation eventually took him to the University of St. Petersburg, where his father famously sold the family silver to fund his studies under the mentorship of Alexander Friedmann, a meteorologist and balloonist who pioneered mathematical models of an expanding universe based on Einstein's general relativity. When Friedmann died at a young age after contracting typhoid following a high-altitude balloon flight, Gamow was forced to pivot from cosmology to quantum and nuclear physics, where he successfully modeled alpha particle decay and the process of quantum tunneling that allows particles of opposite charges to overcome energy barriers. This discovery laid the groundwork for understanding the fusion processes that fuel stars and led to the development of early particle accelerators. During his time at Niels Bohr's Institute in Copenhagen, Gamow became a legendary figure known for riding his motorcycle across Europe and using humorous cartoons to communicate with international colleagues when language barriers arose. His life took a dramatic turn when the Soviet regime began demanding that scientific research align with Marxist-Leninist philosophy, prompting Gamow to attempt a daring but unsuccessful escape in a rubber kayak across the Black Sea toward Turkey. He and his wife were eventually able to defect to the West in 1933 after Bohr arranged for him to represent the Soviet Union at the Solvay conference, allowing Gamow to ultimately settle at George Washington University and begin his influential work on the "Big Bang" theory. Guest Author: Paul Halpern. (1/4)FEBRUARY 1957

A time constraint caused us to digress against the clock as hard we we could, and we were joined by Cinema/Canada Correspondent, Cole ["COLES I Need COLES!"] to discuss the 2009 film that time never even remembered to forget: The Trotsky. A tonally confused movie about a high school kid who thinks he's the reincarnation of Leon Trotsky. Leading up to that, we circle around the drain of some Newz items: Trump's insanity; Biden being just as bad, really; geopolitical darkness implacable; Alex Jones losing his shit (in at least two senses); scamming the most ardent and loyal of MAGA jihadi C.H.U.D.s with sexual/political AI; Hollywood's future AI-sloppification; and digressions abound, may a thousand tangents bloom!Recorded on Saturday, April 25th, 2569 B.E. around 11.00 AM Korea Standard Time. Commiserate on Discord: discord.gg/aDf4Yv9PrYNever Forget: standwithdanielhale.orgGenral RecommendationsJosh's Recommendation: Fight Club is a good movie actually and I'm annoyed by the soy revisionism and hand-wringing about problematic FANS, etcNOTE: Immovable time constraints limited the recommendations section of the episode. Apologies!Further Reading, Viewing, ListeningShow notes + Full list of links, sources, etcEternal thanks to Rm Brown ("King of the Soundboard")More From Timothy Robert BuechnerPodcast: Q&T ARE / violentpeople.co Tweets: @ROHDUTCHLocationless Locationsheatdeathpod.comEvery show-related link is corralled and available here.Twitter: @heatdeathpodPlease send all Letters of Derision, Indifference, Inquiry, Mild Elation, et cetera to: heatdeathoftheuniversepodcast@gmail.comSend us Fan MailSupport the showSupport: patreon / buzzsprout

This is the true story of the plot to kill Stalin's greatest enemy. It involves ice axe, a bloody study in Mexico City, and a betrayal years in the making.At its centre is Ramón Mercader, a Soviet-trained agent who infiltrated Leon Trotsky's inner circle and killed him. But this was more than a simple murder - it was the result of Stalin's ruthless drive to eliminate all rivals and consolidate power.With us is Josh Ireland, author of "The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy". He explains the shadowy politics of Stalin's Kremlin, and how manipulation and conviction put Mercader on a path to Mexico City...Produced by James Hickmann and McKenna Fernandez, and edited by Matthew Wilson.At its centre is Ramón Mercader, a Soviet-trained agent who infiltrated Leon Trotsky's inner circle and killed him. But this was more than a simple murder - it was the result of Stalin's ruthless drive to eliminate all rivals and consolidate power.With us is Josh Ireland, author of "The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy". He explains the shadowy politics of Stalin's Kremlin, and how manipulation and conviction put Mercader on a path to Mexico City...Produced by James Hickmann and McKenna Fernandez, and edited by Matthew Wilson.We need your help! Let us know what you want from Dan Snow's History Hit by filling in our anonymous survey here: https://forms.gle/PvgayWLkWGjYT4St6Dan Snow's History Hit is now available on YouTube! Check it out at: https://www.youtube.com/@DSHHPodcastSign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

STREAMING THE MAKING OF THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, FEATURING GRANT NEWSHAM, 4-14-20261909 BRUSSELS.Host John Bachelor discusses a wide variety of geopolitical and historical topics, beginning with the unpredictable nature of the Trump administration and its impact on global markets. He highlights the profitability of American corporations like JP Morgan and the success of private space ventures like SpaceX, which he credits to visionary government subsidies from NASA. Transitioning to his personal reading list, Bachelor summarizes narrative historiescovering the secretive religious themes in Vermeer's art, the NKVD's assassination of Leon Trotsky, and the collapse of global trade during the Bronze Age. He is joined by Colonel Grant Newsham, who provides analysis on the U.S. naval blockade of Iran and the strategic challenges of securing the Strait of Hormuz. Together, they critique China's predatory economic model, comparing its subsidized manufacturing surplus and use of forced labor to a modern-day plantation system. Their dialogue concludes by examining how China's lack of corporate profitability and currency manipulation threaten to destabilize international competition.

John is back as Jamie Ding survives a near-loss scare and then rebounds to win the rest of his games this week in a convincing fashion, etching his name into the 20-win club. We also get a Name of the Year candidate, one of the longest responses to a single J! clue ever, and Jamie is once again flexing with a wrong answer. Plus, we dive deep on Leon Trotsky. If you want to dive as deep as a pickaxe on our show, why not support the show on Patreon? You'll get a new bonus episode every month, exclusive access to our Discord and our entire back catalogue of bonuses, and MORE! Join today at patreon.com/jeopardypodcast. SOURCE: The National WWII Museum: "Trotsky's Struggle Against Stalin" by Jason Dawsey Special thank you as always to The Jeopardy! Fan and the J-Archive. This episode was produced by Producer Dan. Music by Nate Heller. Art by Max Wittert.

On August 20, 1940, in a quiet study in Mexico, one of the 20th century's most consequential political exiles was assassinated with an ice pick. The killing of Leon Trotsky marked the culmination of a relentless campaign orchestrated by Joseph Stalin, stretching across continents and years of pursuit. But how did the plot unfold — and who was the man who carried it out? In this episode, historian and author Tim Bouverie speaks with writer Josh Ireland about his new book The Death of Trotsky. Drawing on archival research and narrative history, Ireland reconstructs the parallel lives of Trotsky, Stalin and Ramón Mercader, the Soviet agent who infiltrated Trotsky's inner circle under a false identity. The conversation explores the machinery of Stalinist power, the psychological and political forces that drove the pursuit of Trotsky into exile, and of how political violence at the highest levels of power continues to echo today, from targeted killings in Putin's Russia to attempted assassinations in Western democracies. Josh Ireland is a historian and writer specialising in modern European history. He is the author of The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy, which is available now in bookstores. Tim Bouverie is a historian and author of Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War and Allis at War. He is known for his work on 20th-century European history and international relations. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

PREVIEW FOR LATER: Josh Ireland discusses Ramon, the ideological assassin of Leon Trotsky, whose worldview was forged during the Spanish Civil War. Influenced by Stalinist doctrine, Ramon viewed Trotskyists as dangerous as fascists. Despite his competence, his political naivety led him to become a dedicated Soviet tool abroad. (1)1937 MEXICO CITY

Leon Trotsky’s Revolution Against God and Christ with James Tunney James Tunney, LLM, is an Irish barrister and author of The Mystery of the Trapped Light: Mystical Thoughts in the Dark Age of Scientism plus The Mystical Accord: Sutras to Suit Our Times, Lines for Spiritual Evolution; also TechBondAge: Slavery of the Human Spirit, Human Entrance to Transhumanism: Machine Merger and the End of Humanity, and AI-Govnerveance: Care and Possession in Dustopia. His most recent book is Trotsky vs Jesus: Battle of the AI-Millennium. His website is https://www.jamestunney.com/ James examines Leon Trotsky as a militant atheist whose vision of permanent, worldwide revolution ultimately leads toward technocracy, posthumanism, and spiritual erasure. He contrasts Trotsky's materialist worldview with Jesus Christ, arguing that Christ represents not a political revolution, but a profound spiritual counter-revolution grounded in moral restraint and inner transformation. Tunney traces how Trotskyist ideas persist across left and right ideologies today, shaping modern systems of power, AI governance, and global control. 00:00:00 Introduction: Trotsky, revolution, and spirituality 00:05:03 Trotsky's historical significance and revolutionary methods 00:10:09 Militant atheism as trostky's driving force 00:15:33 Materialism and technocracy as inevitable outcomes 00:18:26 Permanent revolution and global strategy 00:23:12 Infiltration and political subterfuge 00:29:56 Trotsky in literature and modern politics 00:34:45 Jesus as spiritual counter-revolutionary 00:41:15 AI, posthumanism, and modern power structures 01:10:51 Conclusion New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in “parapsychology” ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980). He is also the Grand Prize winner of the 2021 Bigelow Institute essay competition regarding the best evidence for survival of human consciousness after permanent bodily death. He is Co-Director of Parapsychology Education at the California Institute for Human Science. (Recorded on Tuesday, February 24, 2026) For a complete, updated list with links to all of our videos, see https://newthinkingallowed.com/Listings.htm. Check out the New Thinking Allowed Foundation website at http://www.newthinkingallowed.org. There you will find our incredible, searchable database as well as opportunities to shop and to support our video productions – plus, this is where people can subscribe to our FREE, weekly Newsletter and can download a FREE .pdf copy of our quarterly magazine. To order high-quality, printed copies of our quarterly magazine: NTA-Magazine.MagCloud.com Check out New Thinking Allowed’s AI chatbot. You can create a free account at awakin.ai/open/jeffreymishlove. When you enter the space, you will see that our chatbot is one of several you can interact with. While it is still a work in progress, it has been trained on 1,600 NTA transcripts. It can provide intelligent answers about the contents of our interviews. It’s almost like having a conversation with Jeffrey Mishlove. If you would like to join our team of volunteers, helping to promote the New Thinking Allowed YouTube channel on social media, editing and translating videos, creating short video trailers based on our interviews, helping to upgrade our website, or contributing in other ways (we may not even have thought of), please send an email to friends@newthinkingallowed.com. To download and listen to audio versions of the New Thinking Allowed videos, please visit our new podcast at https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/new-thinking-allowed-audio-podcast/id1435178031. Download and read Jeffrey Mishlove’s Grand Prize essay in the Bigelow Institute competition, Beyond the Brain: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily Death, go to https://www.bigelowinstitute.org/docs/1st.pdf. You can help support our video productions while enjoying a good book. To order a copy of New Thinking Allowed Dialogues: Is There Life After Death? click on https://amzn.to/3LzLA7Y (As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.) To order the second book in the New Thinking Allowed Dialogues series, Russell Targ: Ninety Years of ESP, Remote Viewing, and Timeless Awareness, go to https://amzn.to/4aw2iyr To order a copy of New Thinking Allowed Dialogues: UFOs and UAP – Are We Really Alone?, go to https://amzn.to/3Y0VOVh To order a copy of Charles T. Tart: Seventy Years of Exploring Consciousness and Parapsychology, go to https://amzn.to/4oOUJLn To order Trotsky vs Jesus: Battle of the AI-Millennium by James Tunney, go to https://amzn.to/46v9Ylb To order AI Govnerveance: Care and Possession in Dustopia by James Tunney, go to https://amzn.to/3ZUeC8D

The macabre dance between Communist leaders Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin is one of the most fascinating struggles for power in the 20th century. Not only did Stalin win, but he masterminded the murder of his bitterest rival. On this week's “Leaders and Legends” podcast, Josh Ireland takes us through the entire bloody plot.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

London-based writer Josh Ireland is the author of three books and ghostwriter of five others. His latest is titled "The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy." According to Josh Ireland, Trotsky led two revolutions and a civil war in Russia in the first half of the 20th century. Leon Trotsky died on August the 21, 1940. The day before, in Trotsky's house near Mexico City, a man named Ramon Mercator sunk an ice axe into Trotsky's skull. He lived for 26 hours. Mercator, who had several names, was a Soviet agent and had befriended Trotsky. This was all the work of Stalin, Trotsky's archenemy. Josh Ireland's first sentence of chapter one asked this question: "When did Joseph Stalin decide to crush or destroy or kill Leon Trotsky?" His book tells the complicated story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

London-based writer Josh Ireland is the author of three books and ghostwriter of five others. His latest is titled "The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy." According to Josh Ireland, Trotsky led two revolutions and a civil war in Russia in the first half of the 20th century. Leon Trotsky died on August the 21, 1940. The day before, in Trotsky's house near Mexico City, a man named Ramon Mercator sunk an ice axe into Trotsky's skull. He lived for 26 hours. Mercator, who had several names, was a Soviet agent and had befriended Trotsky. This was all the work of Stalin, Trotsky's archenemy. Josh Ireland's first sentence of chapter one asked this question: "When did Joseph Stalin decide to crush or destroy or kill Leon Trotsky?" His book tells the complicated story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of the Explaining History Podcast, we step away from the battlefields and examine how the February Revolution of 1917 was received and interpreted in two key Western cities: London and New York.When the Tsar fell in March 1917, governments around the world struggled to make sense of what was happening. Russia under revolutionary conditions was—and remains—notoriously difficult to penetrate. Whose reports could be trusted? Which factions would prevail? And what would it mean for the ongoing war against Germany?For Britain, the stakes were existential. The government of David Lloyd George hoped desperately that a new Russian administration would fight more effectively than the Tsar's. The Labour left, by contrast, hoped the revolution might end the war altogether. Both would be disappointed.Drawing on Robert Service's superb Spies and Commissars, we explore this forgotten moment when London briefly became the world's largest hub for Russian political émigrés. Maxim Litvinov, the future Bolshevik commissar, was living in the East End with his English wife Ivy, agitating against the war and meeting with anti-war MPs like Ramsay MacDonald. Across the city, the Russian embassy at Cheshire House—still adorned with portraits of the imperial family—found itself issuing visas to revolutionaries it had spent decades monitoring.We follow the revolutionaries as they attempt to make their way home, braving U-boat-infested North Sea crossings from Aberdeen to Bergen, and examine the peculiar dilemmas this created for British authorities. Should they expedite the return of anti-war militants? Detain them? Deport them?Then we cross the Atlantic to New York, where the American press—unconstrained by British wartime censorship—reported the revolution days before London or Paris. Leon Trotsky and Nikolai Bukharin were there, denouncing US entry into the war from East Coast platforms, while Jewish refugees from the Empire celebrated the fall of the Tsar.From the Albert Hall rally of 10,000 people honouring Russia's "freedom" to Brixton prison cells holding revolutionaries deemed too dangerous, this is a story of hope, naivety, intrigue, and the complex international dimensions of a revolution that would soon take a very different turn.Topics covered:The British government's hopes and fears after the February RevolutionMaxim Litvinov and the Russian émigré community in LondonRamsay MacDonald, the Labour Party, and the anti-war movementThe Russian embassy's awkward transition under the Provisional GovernmentThe logistical challenges of returning to Russia via U-boat-infested seasNew York's reaction to the revolution and America's entry into the warTrotsky and Bukharin's anti-war agitation in the United StatesThe Albert Hall rally and British left-wing enthusiasm for the revolutionThe detention of Chicharin and Petrov in Brixton prisonIf you enjoy the podcast, please consider supporting us on Patreon for ad-free listening and exclusive video content. Our next masterclass on Nazi Germany is coming soon, and a new interview with Dennis Broe on Las Vegas and the mob drops this Friday.Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The ice axe that was used to assassinate Leon Trotsky is perhaps one of the most famous murder weapons in history, currently on display at the International Spy Museum in Washington DC. But, what was the extraordinary story that led to the fateful moment when it was used back in Mexico City in 1940?Joining Seán to discuss is Josh Ireland, author of the new book ‘The Death of Trotsky: the True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy'...

The ice axe that was used to assassinate Leon Trotsky is perhaps one of the most famous murder weapons in history, currently on display at the International Spy Museum in Washington DC. But, what was the extraordinary story that led to the fateful moment when it was used back in Mexico City in 1940?Joining Seán to discuss is Josh Ireland, author of the new book ‘The Death of Trotsky: the True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy'...

Send a textfind out about Cross Word Books podcasthttps://bookclues.com./A single ice axe swung in a quiet Mexico City study, but the shockwave started decades earlier, on the edges of a collapsing empire. We follow the combustible rivalry between Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin—from exile and revolution to a propaganda war that turned one man's image into the regime's most useful enemy. Our guest, author Josh Ireland, brings meticulous research and narrative clarity to a story where ideology cuts into daily life, and private love becomes a public weapon.We dig into the fractures that shaped Soviet power: the Bolshevik belief in a tight revolutionary vanguard, the Menshevik alternative that lost momentum, and the way that early choices hardened into a state ethos of control. You'll hear how the NKVD evolved into a sprawling security apparatus that hunted at home and abroad, and why Stalin's paranoia wasn't just a psychological quirk—it was a method for governing through fear. Along the way, we trace Trotsky's exile from Turkey to Norway to Mexico, his brief orbit with Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, and the shrinking circle of trust that defined his final years.At the center stands Ramon Mercader, a handsome Spaniard whose path to murder ran through the Spanish Civil War, a ruthless handler, and a calculated romance with Sylvia Ageloff. Their honey trap shows how Soviet intelligence manipulated intimacy to breach fortified lives. After the killing, Mercader's airtight cover story holds for years, his mother faces the cost of loyalty in Moscow, and Sylvia fades into obscurity, carrying a wound history rarely credits. Threaded through it all is a modern echo: the institutional lineage from Cheka to NKVD to KGB to today's security state, and the cultural logic that still shapes power in Russia.If you're drawn to political history, true crime, or the human drama behind world-shaping events, this conversation delivers context, character, and consequence. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the show—what part of Trotsky's story surprised you most?find Josh Ireland  at    https://www.joshireland.co.uk/Dutton publishing https://www.penguin.com/dutton-overview

In August 1940, a man walked into Leon Trotsky's study in Mexico City and drove an ice pick into his skull. While the death of Trotsky is well known, the paths taken to that fateful day in Mexico City are not, and Josh Ireland had an incredible story tell, but can he convince you to buy his book in just 15 minutes?Patreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubBuy The Death of Trotsky by Josh Ireland at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/16621/9781399827294US Link: https://bookshop.org/a/118682/9780593187104Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub0:00 Welcome to the 15 Minute Book Club1:27 Introducing Our Guest: Josh Ireland2:20 The Life of Leon Trotsky6:02 Trotsky's Rivalry with Stalin12:09 The Plot to Kill Trotsky13:53 The Assassin: Ramon Mercader16:37 The Relevance of Trotsky TodayPatreon members get extra time: 15 more minutes, in which you get to see behind the scenes and find out how the book was written. You can subscribe here: https://www.patreon.com/cw/15MinuteBookClubWatch the video version: https://www.youtube.com/@15MinuteBook_ClubBuy [INSERT BOOK TITLE] at our Bookshop.org shop. Support authors, indie bookshops and us!UK Link: US Link: Visit our Bookshop with books from all of our guests via the links below:(UK) https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub(US) https://bookshop.org/shop/15MinuteBookClub Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

STALIN VS. TROTSKY AND THE LOGIC OF THE GREAT TERROR Colleague Professor Sean McMeekin. The discussion turns to the rivalry between Leon Trotsky and Joseph Stalin. While Trotsky was an inflexible ideologue advocating for permanent revolution, Stalin was a "savvy political operator" willing to be ideologically flexible to consolidate power. The segment details the "Great Terror" of the 1930s, distinguishing it from previous violence by noting that Stalin targeted the Communist Party itself, including high-ranking officials and military marshals. McMeekin attributes this to the inherent logic of totalitarian regimes: as economic promises failed, the regime needed scapegoats—saboteurs and wreckers—to blame for the system's deficiencies. This self-cannibalizing violence culminated in the assassination of Trotsky in 1940, though the arrests and executions continued well beyond his death. NUMBER 4

 FROM REVOLUTION TO QUANTUM TUNNELING Colleague Professor Paul Halpern. This segment introduces the parallel early lives of physicists George Gamow and Fred Hoyle. Halpern describes Gamow's youth in revolutionary Russia, noting the irony that his father once taught Leon Trotsky. Gamow studied under Alexander Friedmann, who applied general relativity to an expanding universe model likened to a balloon. Following Friedmann'suntimely death, Gamow pivoted to quantum physics, discovering quantum tunneling—a process vital for stellar fusion. The discussion covers Gamow's motorcycle adventures at the Niels Bohr Institute and his eventual escape from the Soviet Union to avoid Marxist-Leninist political intrusion into science. NUMBER 1 1942

December marks both the birth and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Adam and Cameron are spending the month focusing on Soviet economists and thinkers. This week: Leon Trotsky Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artist and legendary street artist Robbie Conal talks about: His family history, including his two activist-and-politically inclined parents, his background in fighting the power; moving up to Los Osos (in San Luis Obispo County) as a permanent residence (back after the 2008 crash), but keeping a small place in L.A.; what he misses about not being in the city (he's lived in NYC and SF as well as L.A.); his first big moment with public art, through postering, which was born out of caricature paintings he was making of Ronald Reagan's cabinet, which he dubbed 'Men with No Lips,' and alighted through a large postering campaign just as Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, was opening to the public in 1986; how he's Shepard Fairey's OG, and how he was an influence on him as a future street artist (though Fairey said, "I can do that" quite confidently); his personal mantra:  "apply what you do best to what you care about most," which in his case his drawing and talking smack (does best) and American democracy (cares about most); how, to make his work quicker to keep his work temporal, he switched from oil painting to charcoal and then to acrylic with oil accents; how all his friends who have his art (mostly of terrible characters) have them in their toilets; and his most popular work, "Watching, Waiting and Dreaming," a triptych of Gandhi, the Dahli Lama and Martin Luther King. This podcast relies on listener support; please consider becoming a Patreon supporter of the podcast, for as little as $1/month, here: https://www.patreon.com/theconversationpod In the 2nd half of the conversation, available to Patreon supporters, we talk about: How he's sustained himself financially over the decades outside of sales of his work, from teaching to receiving donations to his postering campaigns to lots of (young) volunteers; what he thinks about street art, and mural art, today, and the distinction between graffiti, street art and poster art, and how his reputation saved him from competing street artists when he was postering; our different respective takes on street art, and how Leon Trotsky taught him that everything is political, and street art is inherently political; what he's learned from terrible jobs: mainly, you can't make good art, let alone great art, in your spare time, while holding down a full-time job (and doing the work on the side); the most commonly asked questions he's received about postering (how many times have you been arrested?); how part of your mission as a poster is muscling up for the consequences; and what the best thing is to say to the judge when you're asked why you did it. And for the final 15 minutes of our talk, he covers the breadth of logistics related to putting up posters in public/on the street, which he refers to as 'acts of civil disobedience.'  

In this episode of The Compendium, we dive into the wild, beautiful, and often brutal life of Frida Kahlo. Frida Kahlo is the artist who turned her pain into power. From the accident that shattered her spine to the politics, love affairs, and Diego Rivera drama that filled her world, Frida painted every heartbreak straight onto the canvas. And today I'm going to tell Adam all about it as we explore her bold self-portraits, her surrealism before it had a name, and how a woman once dismissed as “Diego's wife” became a global symbol of art, rebellion, and self-expression, from La Casa Azul to the Tate Modern. We give you just the Compendium, but if you want more, here are our resources: Frida (2002) – Directed by Julie Taymor Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo – by Hayden Herrera Complete Works – Frida Kahlo – Frida Kahlo Foundation Frida: The Making of an Icon – Exhibition at Tate Modern Host & Show Info Hosts: Kyle Risi & Adam Cox Topic Suggested by: Samantha Bingley Intro Music: Alice in dark Wonderland by Aleksey Chistilin Trailer Music: Stealy Move by Soundroll Community & Calls to Action  Review & follow on: Spotify & Apple Podcasts  Follow us on Instagram: @theCompendiumPodcast  Visit us at: TheCompendiumPodcast.com ️ Early access episodes: Patreon  Share this episode with a friend! If you enjoyed it, tag us on social media and let us know your favorite takeaway. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkdAIHwwwKA&t=76s 26 Nov 2025 Joti Brar Thanks to ‪@revolutionaryblackoutnetwork‬ for letting us reproduce this video. Last week I spoke with Nick Cruse of the ‪@revolutionaryblackoutnetwork‬ about what Marjorie Taylor Green and Zohran Mamdani can tell us about the state of bourgeois politics in the imperialist heartlands. We also talked about the creation of controlled opposition, with a particular focus on the pseudo-revolutionary anticommunism of imperialist agent Leon Trotsky and the movement he spawned (Trotskyism). We discussed the true impact of the Soviet Union during the period of VI Lenin and Josef Stalin's leadership of socialist construction, and just why and how workers in the west have been lied to about the USSR's phenomenal achievements. Meanwhile, the US ruling class continues its genocidal campaign to try to starve the Cuban people into submission. After decades of resisting such efforts, what is the source of the tremendous resilience of this tiny island nation? We also spoke about the economic crisis that is gripping the world capitalist system; why it is driving the monopolists and financiers into ever more war, and why we can expect more lay-offs and more austerity at home. The truth is clearer than ever: socialism or fascist barbarism. We can keep begging for crumbs that are not going to come and keep allowing our rulers a free hand to drown the world in blood, or we can take hold of revolutionary Marxist science, build a real working-class organisation, and wage a determined struggle for socialist liberation. Subscribe! Donate! Join us in building a bright future for humanity! www.thecommunists.org www.lalkar.org www.redyouth.org Telegram: t.me/thecommunists Twitter: twitter.com/cpgbml Soundcloud: @proletarianradio Rumble: rumble.com/c/theCommunists Odysee: odysee.com/@proletariantv:2 Facebook: www.facebook.com/cpgbml Online Shop: https://shop.thecommunists.org/ Education Program: Each one teach one! www.londonworker.org/education-programme/ Join the struggle www.thecommunists.org/join/ Donate: www.thecommunists.org/donate/

On this week's episode, Peter, once described as ‘godless Trotskyist' by The Guardian, will be ruminating on the legacy of one Leon Trotsky while Sarah will be asking if it's ever okay to call someone piggy, no matter if you are the leader of the free world or a so-called alternative comedian with a national newspaper column. Plus, debating Ann Coulter, Welsh authors you must read and why Peter's literary avatar is Mr Badger while Sarah leans more towards Alice drifting through Wonderland.On our reading and watch list this week: · The Man Who Loved Dogs - Leonardo Padura· Bronshtein in the Bronx - Robert Littell· The Revolution Betrayed – Leon Trotsky· The Great God Pan – Arthur Machen· The Devil Rides Out – Dennis Wheatley· Mr Burton – Dir: Marc EvansPlease do get in touch, email: alas@mailonline.co.uk, you can leave a comment on Spotify or even send us a voice note on Whatsapp – on 07796 657512, start your message with the word ‘alas'. Presenters: Sarah Vine & Peter HitchensProducer: Philip WildingEditor: Chelsey MooreProduction Manager: Vittoria CecchiniExecutive Producer: Jamie East A Daily Mail production. Seriously Popular Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Cold War Cinema, we look at Boris Barnet's Poet (sometimes refered to as The Poet), a 1956 feature about the role of art and literature in war and revolution.  Join hosts Jason Christian, Tony Ballas, and Paul T. Klein for a broad-ranging conversation about the film and the politics of form and style. Throughout, we consider: The challenges of context-dependent domestic filmmaking and international spectatorship How film narrative and aesthetic modes like Socialist Realism participate in the construction of national myths, imaginaries, and ideologies Barnet's dynamic use of framing, blocking, color, and light to advance Poet's plot and politics _____________________ We love to give book or film recommendations on the podcast, so here are ours for this episode:  Paul recommends A History of Russian Cinema by Birgit Beumers. Tony recommends, The Common Wind: Afro-American Currents in the Age of Haitian Revolution by Julius S. Scott. Tony emphatically does not recommend Literature and Revolution by Leon Trotsky.  Jason recommends Miklós Janscó's 1967 Hungarian war film, The Red and the White.  _____________________ Like and subscribe to Cold War Cinema, and don't forget to leave us a review! Want to continue the conversation? Drop us a line at any time at coldwarcinemapod@gmail.com. To stay up to date on Cold War Cinema, follow along at coldwarcinema.com, or find us online on Bluesky @coldwarcinema.com or on X at @Cold_War_Cinema.  For more from your hosts: Follow Jason on Bluesky at @JasonChristian.bsky.social, on X at @JasonAChristian, or on Letterboxed at @exilemagic.  Follow Anthony on Bluesky at @tonyjballas.bsky.social, on X at @tonyjballas. Follow Paul on Bluesky at @ptklein.com, or on Letterboxed at @ptklein. Paul also writes about movies at www.howotreadmovies.com  _____________________ Logo by Jason Christian  Theme music by DYAD (Charles Ballas and Jeremy Averitt).  Happy listening!

Keith Melton is a historian who's been an advisor to the US Intelligence Community for decades. An avid collector and board member at The International Spy Museum, Keith has donated thousands of artifacts, and one of the most historically important is the axe used to assassinate Leon Trotsky. Keith found the weapon after decades of searching. In 2007,  he spoke with Peter Earnest, the founding executive director of the International Spy Museum, about Trotsky's assassination and tracking down the  weapon used for the job. Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/ And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic,  you can reach us by E-mail at SpyCast@Spymuseum.org,  "This show is brought to you from Goat Rodeo, Airwave, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1/4: This file introduces the early lives of George Gamow and Fred Hoyle. George Gamow (Georgy Antonovich Gamow) was born in Odessa in March 1904. His father, Anton Gamow, taught Lev Bronstein (later Leon Trotsky). Gamow attended Petrograd University (now St. Petersburg), studying under Alexander Friedmann, who developed solutions to Einstein's general relativity describing universal expansion. After Friedmann's death in 1925, Gamow switched to quantum and nuclear physics, discovering alpha particle decay and quantum tunneling. He went to Niels Bohr's Institute in Copenhagen. Disliking communist intrusion into science, he attempted escaping the Soviet Union via rubber kayak across the Black Sea to Turkey, but storms forced them back. Niels Bohr arranged their escape via the 1933 Solvay conference, eventually reaching George Washington University. Fred Hoyle was born in 1915 in West Yorkshire; his mother played classical music for silent films, and Hoyle learned reading from film subtitles. Flashes of Creation: George Gamow, Fred Hoyle, and the Great Big Bang Debate, by Paul Halpern

Matthew begins a two-part exploration of Simone Weil—French philosopher, mystic, and antifascist activist—through the lens of autism, embodiment, and political courage. Following the earlier Antifascist Christianity Woodshed series on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, this installment positions Weil as a kind of spiritual auntie to Greta Thunberg, whose uncompromising honesty, rooted in autistic perception, continues to disrupt fascist, capitalist, and liberal narrative. Matthew traces Weil's journey from childhood acts of solidarity, like giving up sugar during WW1, to her immersion in factory labor, revolutionary syndicalism, and frontline service in the Spanish Civil War. Weil's refusal of privilege and their lifelong impulse to take on suffering emerge as core features of both her philosophy and her autistic experience. They also stood up to Leon Trotsky, calling out Soviet authoritarianism long before its collapse. Weil can be understood not only through the posthumous notebooks and essays that editors and institutions reshaped into seventeen volumes, but through the lived reality of their embodied resistance. Their ideas remain striking: the notion of attention as the rarest form of generosity; the insistence that obligations come before rights; the practice of “decreation” as a release of ego in the service of love; and the “need for roots” as an antifascist alternative to blood-and-soil nationalism. Part 2 of this series drops Monday on Patreon, where Matthew goes deeper into Weil's autistic traits, their spiritual life, and how their philosophy continues to confront liberalism and fascism alike. Support us on Patreon to access Part 2 and the full Antifascist Woodshed series. Show NotesColes, Robert. Simone Weil: A Modern Pilgrimage. Woodstock, VT: SkyLight Paths Publishing, 2001. Fitzgerald, Michael. The Genesis of Artistic Creativity: Asperger's Syndrome and the Arts. London and Philadelphia: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2006. Gilman-Opalsky, Richard. The Communism of Love: An Inquiry into the Poverty of Exchange Value. Chico, CA: AK Press, 2020. Lawson, Kathryn. Ecological Ethics and the Philosophy of Simone Weil. New York: Routledge, 2024. doi:10.4324/9781003449621. McCullough, Lissa. The Religious Philosophy of Simone Weil: An Introduction. London: I.B. Tauris & Co Ltd, 2014. Plant, Stephen. Simone Weil: A Brief Introduction. Revised and expanded edition. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2008. Song, Youming, Tingting Nie, Wendian Shi, Xudong Zhao, and Yongyong Yang. "Empathy Impairment in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Conditions From a Multidimensional Perspective: A Meta-Analysis." Frontiers in Psychology 10 (October 9, 2019): 01902. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01902. Wallace, Cynthia R. The Literary Afterlives of Simone Weil: Feminism, Justice, and the Challenge of Religion. New York: Columbia University Press, 2024. Weil, Simone. The Need for Roots: Prelude to a Declaration of Duties towards Mankind. Translated by Arthur Wills. With a preface by T. S. Eliot. Routledge Classics. London and New York: Routledge, 2002. Weil, Simone. Modern Classics Simone Weil: An Anthology. Edited and Introduced by Siân Miles. London: Penguin Books, 2005. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Make love, take a bath, make love again."That was Frida Kahlo's motto—and sweetie, she LIVED by it.We all know about Frida's messy, horny marriage to Diego “Toad Face” Rivera and her revenge fling with Leon Trotsky.But what about the women? The affairs, the crushes, the rumors, the gossip that turned her into Mexico's most iconic bisexual?This week, we're serving you a slutty portrait of the artist as she truly was: a fearless, flirtatious rake who let the gossip mills churn while she tallied up an ever-increasing body count.We discuss:✨ Georgia O'Keeffe NOT making love to Frida while hospitalized (Frida's response: "Too bad.")✨ Hitting it off with the Real Housewife of Parisian Surrealism, Jacqueline Lamba, who kept Frida entertained at her first expo in Paris✨ A tasty rumour that Josephine Baker, the Beyoncé of 1930s Europe, reportedly got it on with the newly divorced Frida on the eve of WWII✨ Hollywood starlets and Mexican divas—like Dolores del Río and Paulette Goddard—getting plowed and painted by the Rivera-Kahlos back at the Casa Azul✨ Chavela Vargas, a ranchera rebel who moved in with Frida on the first date, serenading Frida while she painted✨ Why Frida's bisexuality mattered—it's not just gossip, but a core part of her art, politics, and legendSo grab your tequila and maybe pack an extra toothbrush—you never know where a night with Frida might end up.

"Love was the foundation of everything for Frida. This bisexuality, this eroticism was fundamental to her character."She's on your ex-girlfriend's tote bag, your niece's notebook, and probably a few questionable dorm-room tapestries.But behind the unibrow is a Frida Kahlo you don't know: a bisexual, communist, pain-embracing rascal who painted from her gut and fucked whomstsoever she pleased.This week, we're peeling back the kitsch to get at the real Frida, with filmmaker Carla Gutierrez, director of the fabulous new documentary, Frida (now streaming on Prime).We discuss:Little Frida the rascal—from classroom pranks and her muchacho wardrobe, to falling in love with everything that moved.The bus crash that made her body a battlefield and her art a visceral diary of painHer toxic, electric, and surprisingly horny marriage to the muralist Diego Rivera (aka "Toad Face), until he went one boink too far...Frida's bisexual chaos: her lovers of all genders, from Chavela Vargas to Leon Trotsky, plus the lady lovers she painted boldly onto the canvas for all to seeHow Frida became less “artist” and more “branded merch” — and why she still matters as a queer revolutionarySo: grab your eyeliner and fill in that unibrow you've been growing out, because it's time to get freaky with Frida.

Health Affairs' Rob Lott interviews Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health, to discuss addiction as a brain disorder, treatments for opioid use disorder, and what's next in addiction research. Order the September 2025 issue of Health Affairs, which focuses on insights on the opioid crisis.Currently, more than 70 percent of our content is freely available - and we'd like to keep it that way. With your support, we can continue to keep our digital publication Forefront and podcast

“Comrade Stalin, now that he is general secretary, has concentrated immense power in his hands, and I am not sure whether he will always be capable of exercising this power with sufficient caution.” This is the story of Joseph Stalin's path to becoming the dictator of the USSR.  Ioseb (Joseph) Jughashvili, or little “Soso,” is a good student. A choir boy, in fact. But that changes as the Orthodox Georgian increasingly puts his faith in the Bolshevik branch of Russia's Social Democrats. Under Vladimir Lenin's leadership, Soso, now going by Joseph Stalin, becomes a true revolutionary. One who embraces violence and murder as an acceptable means to an end amid Russia's shift from revolution to civil war. With Lenin's passing in 1924, it's clear that someone has to step into his shoes, and Stalin deftly outmaneuvers Leon Trotsky to be that someone. But he won't just lead it. Stalin will remake the Soviet Union in his own image, industrializing and consolidating his power at all costs. Millions will die. Millions more disappear into the gulags, never to be seen again. This is the rise and reign of Joseph “the Man of Steel” Stalin. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette  come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. HTDS is part of Audacy media network. Interested in advertising on the History That Doesn't Suck? Contact Audacyinc.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the 85th anniversary of the assassination of Leon Trotsky

In 1907, the men who would go on to lead the Russian Revolution met in London for a crucial congress.But the revolutionaries – including Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, and Leon Trotsky – were nearly stranded after running out of funds.The late British journalist Henry Brailsford played a key role in securing their fare home.In 1947, he told the BBC how the meeting marked a point of no return for the party's two warring factions – the Bolsheviks and the Mensheviks – and ultimately led to the creation of the communist party.Produced and presented by Vicky Farncombe. Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic' and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy's Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they've had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America's occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.(Photo: A group of revolutionaries including Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin (centre) and Menshevik leader Julius Martov (on his right). Credit: Getty Images)

85 years since the May 24, 1940 assassination attempt against Leon Trotsky

In this episode of the "Kent Hance: The Best Storyteller in Texas" podcast, host Kent Hance discusses the theme of political exile, focusing on figures like Leon Trotsky, Idi Amin, and the Shah of Iran. Hance provides historical context, detailing their lives in exile and the political ramifications of their actions. The conversation also addresses broader political issues such as immigration, judicial conduct, and the challenges faced by political leaders. Hance shares personal anecdotes and reflections on power, governance, and the consequences of political dissent, offering listeners an engaging and thought-provoking discussion.

In this episode, Alyson and Breht welcome Brendan back on the show for the first time in a few years. Together, we dive deep into Leon Trotsky's Fascism: What It Is and How to Fight It, a sharp and urgent intervention written in the shadow of the Nazi rise to power. We unpack Trotsky's class analysis of fascism, the role of the petite bourgeoisie, his searing critiques of both sectarian isolationism and liberal class collaboration, and his insistence on the United Front as the only viable revolutionary response. Alongside historical context, we explore in depth whether Trotsky's framework still applies to today's far-right movements, neoliberal authoritarianism, Trump's Oligarchic second term, and a decaying capitalist order teetering on the edge. What does fascism look like in 2025—and what must we do to resist it? Outro Song: May All The Lower Realms Be Empty by Friends in Real Life ----------------------------- Support Rev Left and get access to bonus episodes: www.patreon.com/revleftradio Make a one-time donation to Rev Left at BuyMeACoffee.com/revleftradio Follow, Subscribe, & Learn more about Rev Left Radio HERE

In this episode, Alyson and Breht welcome Brendan to the show, a close comrade with a bit more sympathy toward Trotsky in order to be as fair as possible and get a fresh perspective. Together, we dive deep into Leon Trotsky's Fascism: What It Is and How to Fight It, a sharp and urgent intervention written in the shadow of the Nazi rise to power. We unpack Trotsky's class analysis of fascism, the role of the petite bourgeoisie, his searing critiques of both sectarian isolationism and liberal class collaboration, and his insistence on the United Front as the only viable revolutionary response. Alongside historical context, we explore in depth whether Trotsky's framework still applies to today's far-right movements, neoliberal authoritarianism, Trump's Oligarchic second term, and a decaying capitalist order teetering on the edge. What does fascism look like in 2025—and what must we do to resist it? Outro Song: May All The Lower Realms Be Empty by Friends in Real Life Learn more about, follow, and support Red Menance HERE

In 1917, Lev Bronshtein – also known as Leon Trotsky – spent 10 weeks in exile in New York City. The Russian revolutionary hoped to spark a socialist revolution in the United States, but found disappointment when American workers didn't respond the way he had hoped. Trotsky's time in New York is the subject of Robert Littell's latest novel, Bronshtein in the Bronx. In today's episode, Littell talks with NPR's Scott Simon about the author's family connection to the revolutionary, his decision to name Trotsky's conscience in the book, and the violence of revolution.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Phil reacts to the emerging story of a possible new British political scandal. Having come to power partly because Boris Johnson fell foul of Britain's tough Covid rules, did our current Prime Minister break them too and, if so, should it even matter? Phil's article from 2022 is also relevant here. https://thecritic.co.uk/im-done-with-po-faced-politicians/Then writer James Crossland joins Phil to discuss his fascinating and exciting book about one of the most dramatic - and scandalous - British spy stories of all time.Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart was an impressive figure: a diplomat, intelligence agent, conspirator, journalist and propagandist who played a key role in both world wars. He was a man who charmed his way into the confidences of everyone from Leon Trotsky to Anthony Eden. A man whom the influential press baron Lord Beaverbook claimed ‘could well have been prime minister'. Lockhart placed himself at the centre of world changing event during the Russian Revolution - and very nearly died as a consequence. Yet he died almost forgotten and near destitute, a footnote in the pages of history.You can buy James' book, and all the books we feature on the podcast here in our special Scandal Mongers shop, along with thousands of others...https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/rogue-agent-the-troubled-life-and-dangerous-times-of-robert-bruce-lockhart-james-crossland/7624180?aid=12054&ean=9781783968046&Please follow James here...https://x.com/DrJCrossland***We now have a Thank You button (next to the 'three dots') for small donations that help support our work***Looking for the perfect gift for a special scandalous someone - or someone you'd like to get scandalous with? We're here to help...https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ScandalMongers*** If you enjoy our work please consider clicking the YouTube subscribe button, even if you listen to us on an audio app. It will help our brand to grow and our content to reach new ears.The Scandal Mongers...https://x.com/mongerspodcastPhil Craig...https://x.com/philmcraigTHE SCANDAL MONGERS PODCAST is also available to watch on YouTube...https://www.youtube.com/@thescandalmongerspodcastYou can get in touch with the show via...team@podcastworld.org(place 'Scandal Mongers' in the heading)Produced byPodcastWorld.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Margt er aðdáunarvert í sögu mannkynsins. Stórkostlegar uppgötvanir í vísindum, glæst listaverk og félagslegar umbætur. Því miður hafa átök og blóðsúthellingar einnig spilað stórt hlutverk. „Stríð er helsta hreyfiafl sögunnar“ - sagði rússneski byltingarleiðtoginn Leon Trotsky eitt sinn. Margir frægustu einstaklingar sögunnar voru herforingjar. Má nefna t.d. Napóleon og Alexander mikla. Að hafa stjórn á herjum og samræma aðgerðir á vígvelli er þó ekki hæfileiki sem öllum er gefinn. Í þessum þætti hefur Flosi tekið saman fimm einstaklinga sem hann telur langverstu herforingja sögunnar. Slakir leiðtogahæfileikar þeirra höfðu oft afdrifaríkar afleiðingar. Má telja fullvíst að þúsundir, jafnvel milljónir hafi glatað lífinu vegna vanhæfni þeirra. Miðar hér á ferðalag okkar um landið í janúar. Viltu heyra fleiri þætti? Kynntu þér Draugana á Patreon Vefverslun Drauganna Tónlistin úr þáttunum Umræðuhópur Drauganna á Facebook

“All the natural movements of the soul are controlled by laws analogous to those of physical gravity. Grace is the only exception.” … “It is necessary to uproot oneself. To cut down the tree and make of it a cross, and then to carry it every day.” … “I have to imitate God who infinitely loves finite things in that they are finite things.” … “To know that what is most precious is not rooted in existence—that is beautiful. Why? It projects the soul beyond time.”(Simone Weil, Gravity & Grace)“That's how the figure of Christ comes into this idea of the madness of love. It's that kind of mad, self emptying act completely. And it's the  one thing, she says, it's the only thing that means that you  are able to love properly. Because to love properly, and therefore to be just properly, you have to love like Christ does. Which is love to the extent that you, that you empty yourself and, you know, die on a cross.” (Deborah Casewell, from this episode)This is the third installment of a short series on How to Read Simone Weil—as the Mystic, the Activist, and the Existentialist.This week, Evan Rosa invites Deborah Casewell, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Chester, author of Monotheism & Existentialism, and Co-Director of the Simone Weil Research Network in the U.K.—to explore how to read Simone Weil the Existentialist.Together they discuss how her life of extreme self-sacrifice importantly comes before her philosophy; how to understand her central, but often confusing concept of decreation; her approach to beauty as the essential human response for finding meaning in a world of force and necessity; the madness of Jesus Christ as the only way to engage in struggle for justice and how she connects that to the Greek tragedy of Antigone, which is the continuation of the Oedipus story; and, the connection between love, justice, and living a life of madness.About Simone WeilSimone Weil (1909–1943) was a French philosopher, mystic, and political activist. She's the author of Gravity and Grace, The Need for Roots, and Waiting for God—among many other essays, letters, and notes.About Deborah CasewellDeborah Casewell is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Chester, author of Monotheism & Existentialism, and is Co-Director of the Simone Weil Research Network in the U.K.Show NotesSimone Weil's Gravity & Grace (1947) (Available Online)Deborah Casewell's Monotheism & ExistentialismSimone de Beauvoir's anecdote in Memories of a Beautiful Daughter: “Shouldn't we also get people's minds, not just their bodies? Weil: “You've never been hungry have you?”Leon Trotsky yells violently at WeilThe odd idolizing of Weil without paying attention to her writing”You get a kind of, as you say, a kind of odd idolization of her, or a sense in which  you can't then interact so critically   or systematically with her philosophy, because her figure stands in the way so much, and the kind of the respect that people have.”Anti-Semitism despite JewishnessSimone Weil's relationship to food: an unhealthy role model“She'd reject anything that wasn't perfect.”Extreme germophobeExpression of solidarity with the unfortunateHer life comes before her philosophy. Being, you might say, comes before thinking.Weil's life of extreme self-sacrifice as “mad”—alienating, insane, strange to the outside world.“ I think an essential part of, to an essential part of understanding her is to understand that   world is kind of structured and  set up in such a way that it runs without God, without the supernatural, God's kind of abdicated through the act of creation. And as a result, the universe operates through necessity and through force. So left to its own devices, the universe, I think, tends towards crushing people.”Abandonment vs abdicationPeople possess power and ability and action—a tension between activity and passivityWeil's Marxism and theory of labor and workActivity becomes sustained passivityConsent, power, and the social dynamics of force and necessityI think she sees the best human existence is to be in a state of obedience instead. And so what you have to do is relinquish power over people.The complexity of human relationships“She was a very individual person … a singular, individual life.”The Need for Roots“And this is what I do like about Simone Weil—is that she's always happy to let contradictions exist. And so when she describes human nature and the needs of the soul, they're contradictory. They all contradict each other. It's freedom and obedience.”Creating dualismsShe is a dualistSimone Weil on Beauty and Decreation”Decreation is essentially your way to exist in the world ruled by force and necessity without succumbing  to force and necessity, because in a way there's less  of you to succumb to force and necessity.”Platonic idea of MetaxuWeil on the human experience of beauty—” people need beautiful things and they need experiences of beauty in order to exist in the world, fundamentally… if this world is ruled by force and necessity.”The unity of the transcendentals of beauty and truth and goodness—anchored in GodWeil's PlatonismWeil as religious existentialist, as opposed to French atheistic existentialist“ For her, God is the ultimate reality, but also God is love. And so the goal of human existence, I think, is to return to God and consent to God. That's the goal of human life.”“What are you paying attention to?”The madness of ChristThe struggle for justice“Only a few people have this desire for justice, this madness to love.”Existentialism and Humanism: “Sartre says that  man is nothing but what he makes of himself.”Making oneself an example“The real supernatural law, which is mad and unreasonable, and it doesn't try to make accommodations and get on with the world and deal with tricky situations. It's just mad.”Simone Weil on Antigone and the continuation of the Oedipus storySummary of the Greek tragedy, Antigone“And so Antigone says, the justice that I owe is not to the city. It's not so that the city can, you know, continue its life and move on. The justice that I owe is to the supernatural law, to these more important primordial laws that actually govern the  life and death situations and the situation of your soul as well. And that's why she does what she does. She's obedient to the unwritten law rather than the written law.”“The love of God and the justice of God is always going to be mad in the eyes of the world.””The spirit of justice is nothing other than the supreme and perfect flower of the madness of love.”The mad, self-emptying love of Christ“That's how the figure of Christ comes into this idea of the madness of love. It's that kind of mad, self emptying act completely. And it's the  one thing, she says, it's the only thing that means that you  are able to love properly. Because to love properly, and therefore to be just properly, you have to love like Christ does. Which is love to the extent that you, that you empty yourself and, you know, die on a cross.”Does Weil suggest an unhealthy desire to suffer?“ It hurls one into risks one cannot run. If one has given one's heart to anything at all that belongs to this world. Um, and the outcome to which the madness of love led Christ is, after all, no recommendation for it.”“But if the order of the universe is a wise order, there must sometimes be moments when, from the point of view of earthly reason, only the madness of love is reasonable. Such moments can only be those when, as today, mankind has become mad from want of love. Is it certain today that the madness of love may not be capable of providing the unhappy masses, hungry in body and soul, with a food far easier for them to digest than our inspirations to a less lofty source? So then, being what we are, is it certain that we are at our post in the camp of justice?”“ From a loftier view, only the madness of love is reasonable.”“Only the madness of love can be the kind of love that actually helps people in the world. Fundamentally, that people, even though they know it's mad, and they find it mad, and they would sometimes rather not see it, they need that kind of love, and they need people who love in that kind of way. Even if it's not the majority, people still  need that. And so in some way, the way in which  she is, and the way in which she sees Christ being, is indispensable. Even though the path that you have to go down has nothing to recommend, as she says, in the eyes of the reasonable world, nothing to recommend it. It's the only just thing to do. It's the only just and loving thing to do in the end.”Production NotesThis podcast featured Deborah CasewellEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Macie Bridge, Alexa Rollow, Emily Brookfield, and Zoë HalabanA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

While most of us know George Orwell as an authoritative critic of totalitarianism, few people know he was a committed socialist and a lifelong defender of communist Leon Trotsky. While he understood totalitarianism, he never understood socialism.Original article: The Complex Legacy of George Orwell

While most of us know George Orwell as an authoritative critic of totalitarianism, few people know he was a committed socialist and a lifelong defender of communist Leon Trotsky. While he understood totalitarianism, he never understood socialism.Original article: The Complex Legacy of George Orwell

&y and &ers Lee read Leon Trotsky's predictions about the glorious future of a 1930s Soviet America, in which tipping and chewing gum have been abolished. For the full episode support the show at http://patreon.com/theantifada

Anders and Andy of the Antifada discuss the recent revelation that Leon Trotsky refused to tip when he lived in the Bronx and then segue into a breakdown of his strange, wonderful and anti-chewing gum 1934 essay "If America Should Go Communist."

In this Sunday conversation, Amanda and Nate dive into a wide range of topics, starting with the riveting assassination story of Leon Trotsky. They transition to political dialogues encompassing RFK Jr.'s recent nomination and its implications, the complexities of labor unions, libertarian principles, and governmental role in public health and agriculture. Enjoy this laid-back, unscripted discussion that explores both historical and contemporary issues with humor and depth. https://x.com/AjaxtheGriff (00:00) The Assassination of Trotsky (01:55) Lessons from Trotsky's Life (05:32) PhD Journey and Future Plans (07:00) Trump's Cabinet Picks and Politics (15:19) Trump's Establishment Ties (19:08) Libertarian Views on Government (24:45) Unions and Worker Empowerment (33:39) The PRO Act and Its Implications (42:49) The Capitalist Boogeyman and Union Dynamics (44:06) Decentralizing Unions for Worker Empowerment (44:58) Public Perception and Economic Ideologies (45:39) Behavior and Belief in Political Ideologies (48:16) The Role of Libertarian Causes (51:52) Government Regulations and Market Dynamics (54:29) The Complexities of Agricultural Subsidies (01:03:53) The Debate on Food Additives and Consumer Choice (01:13:53) The Power of Grassroots Movements

Jake and Phil discuss Leon Trotsky's "Communist Policy Toward Art" and Gogol's "The Overcoat" The Manifesto: Leon Trotsky - "Communist Policy Toward Art" https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1924/lit_revo/ch07.htm The Art Gogol - "The Overcoat" https://www.fountainheadpress.com/expandingthearc/assets/gogolovercoat.pdf

Joseph Stalin finally has the power he's been working decades to achieve. But as the new leader of the Soviet Union, he thinks everyone around him is a threat– even friends and defenseless peasants. And for some reason, Stalin can't stop obsessing about his old enemy Leon Trotsky. But, a devious plot just might rid him of his nemesis once and for all.Credits:Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahonSupervising Producer: Melanie Buck ParksAudio Producer: Craig ThompsonWriters/researchers: Mandy Reid, Amy Watkin, Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Melanie Buck Parks Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.