Podcasts about Stalinism

Political and economic policies implemented by Joseph Stalin

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Best podcasts about Stalinism

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Latest podcast episodes about Stalinism

New Books Network
Jonathan Sherry, "Stalinism on Trial: Communism and Republican Justice in the Spanish Civil War" (Liverpool UP, 2025)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2026 74:45


Stalinism on Trial: Communism and Republican Justice in the Spanish Civil War (Liverpool University Press, 2025) is a history of Communism and anti-Communism in the Spanish Civil War. It uses newly available archival material to reassess Soviet intervention in Spain and reappraise the role of Premier Juan Negrín. How did the Soviet operation affect attempts to rebuild the Republican justice system that the war had shattered? How did Negrín use the courts to combat wartime espionage and treason in the era of the Soviet mass repressions? How did wartime trials communicate politics, both domestic and international? Finally, how have Cold War politics distorted our understanding of Communism in the Spanish Civil War? Stalinism on Trial traces the Republic's tribunals through revolution and war, focusing in particular on the prosecution and "show trial" of the anti-Stalin Marxist party, POUM (Partido Obrero de Unificación Marxista), in whose militia George Orwell served. This small party was thrown onto centre stage when police arrested its leadership on suspicion of espionage and its leader, Andreu Nin, disappeared while in police custody. The ensuing prosecution and dramatic courtroom trial highlighted the contradictions of Soviet intervention in Spain. It also illustrated the disastrous impact that western anti-Communism and appeasement had on Spain's war effort. The book is at once a penetrating microhistory of the POUM's prosecution and an expansive transnational history of antifascism in interwar Europe. Jonathan Sherry is a historian and writer who holds a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in Russian and Eurasian Studies
Jonathan Sherry, "Stalinism on Trial: Communism and Republican Justice in the Spanish Civil War" (Liverpool UP, 2025)

New Books in Russian and Eurasian Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2026 74:45


Stalinism on Trial: Communism and Republican Justice in the Spanish Civil War (Liverpool University Press, 2025) is a history of Communism and anti-Communism in the Spanish Civil War. It uses newly available archival material to reassess Soviet intervention in Spain and reappraise the role of Premier Juan Negrín. How did the Soviet operation affect attempts to rebuild the Republican justice system that the war had shattered? How did Negrín use the courts to combat wartime espionage and treason in the era of the Soviet mass repressions? How did wartime trials communicate politics, both domestic and international? Finally, how have Cold War politics distorted our understanding of Communism in the Spanish Civil War? Stalinism on Trial traces the Republic's tribunals through revolution and war, focusing in particular on the prosecution and "show trial" of the anti-Stalin Marxist party, POUM (Partido Obrero de Unificación Marxista), in whose militia George Orwell served. This small party was thrown onto centre stage when police arrested its leadership on suspicion of espionage and its leader, Andreu Nin, disappeared while in police custody. The ensuing prosecution and dramatic courtroom trial highlighted the contradictions of Soviet intervention in Spain. It also illustrated the disastrous impact that western anti-Communism and appeasement had on Spain's war effort. The book is at once a penetrating microhistory of the POUM's prosecution and an expansive transnational history of antifascism in interwar Europe. Jonathan Sherry is a historian and writer who holds a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

Fightback
The Real History of the 1979 Iranian Revolution

Fightback

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2026 51:07


As U.S. imperialism once again circles Iran with the threat of intervention, those who oppose Washington's reach often mistake the Islamic Republic for an anti-imperialist ally. This perception is rooted in the regime's origins in the revolution of 1979. To understand the republic's true character, however, communists must seriously study this history and draw the correct lessons.In 1979, in one of the most inspiring revolutionary episodes of the post-war era, the hated Shah was ousted by a spontaneous mass movement that seized control of society without a pre-existing program or leadership. Yet, due to the disastrous policies of Stalinism, the revolution was betrayed in the true sense of the word; power was handed back to the ruling class, represented no longer by the monarchy, but by the supposedly "anti-imperialist" clergy.This historic tragedy offers vital lessons for revolutionaries today, highlighting the necessity of a revolutionary party, the true nature of the fight against imperialism, and the enduring relevance of the theory of permanent revolution. Recommended readings:Thirty years since the Iranian RevolutionThe Iranian RevolutionJoin the Revolutionary Communist Party here

Leafbox Podcast
Interview: Znore

Leafbox Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2026 92:53


Talking with writer, reader, wanderer Znore , anonymous author of the blog Group Name for Grape Juice and his essay collection exploring imagination across philosophy, religion, literature, conspiracy, culture, a name plucked from Finnegans Wake, a pseudonym as portal, a thumb raised to the Dao of ideas.On hitchhiking as a philosophy of life, on synchronicities, on conversations continuing between strangers, on looking for the connective narrative between Blake and Nietzsche and McLuhan, on perception as incarnation, on bodying forth a world through the senses, on Nietzsche's claim that we are all greater artists than we know, on the imagination as Christ, on supercharging passive perception into active creation, on the non-dual lurking beneath, on CS Lewis and Tolkien and the myth that is also history, on Owen Barfield and original participation, on Steiner's evolution of consciousness, on animism as the religion of the earth, on the 8 million kami of Shinto and finding spirits in toilets and trees and rocks, on idolatry as the epoch of separation, on Philip K. Dick and the band that only played once but left many recordings, on finding God in the litter of the street, on Joyce and the refusal to separate high and low culture, on Finnegans Wake, on Vipassana, on prayer as the fastest route to sacred space, on Meister Eckhart's , on the original sangha and the early Christians as communists, on Marx's alienation mapped onto Barfield's idolatry, on the potlatch and the destruction of surplus, on Robert Anton Wilson's axiom that communication only happens between equals, on politics as the great distraction from the spiritual project, on the Chöd ritual and monks inviting demons to devour them in charnel grounds, on the eye atop the conspiracy pyramid being your own ego, on Jacob Böhme's God of wrath and God of love as one God, on AI as both Pentecost and Antichrist, on masks as honest practice, on raising children, on quiet resistance, on the cosmic communism of saving all beings from suffering, on life, on practice, on love.ExcerptsOn HitchhikingEvery time you're on the road and you put your thumb out, you're tapping into the DAO and just any ride that you get, completely alters the course of your life in a certain way.On ImaginationThe primary imagination is the imagination of the I am, which is God, but it's reflected in us through our perception.And so we all have this, we all have the imagination of God in the sense that we perceive things and we create the world that we behold with our senses. It's already anti-authoritarian. But I'll call myself an anarchist anyway, just to just to emphasize that, that my main focus is freedom and liberty, right? And especially that includes above all the freedom of the imagination. The liberty of the imagination.On PoliticsCosmic communism, not related to state control and Stalinism, none of that, but it's save all beings from suffering. That's what my politics are all about…Death Sweat of the Cluster: Selected Essays from Groupname for Grapejuice.By ZnoreAn inebriated exploration of reality and other myths featuring Finnegans Wake, William Blake, Robert Anton Wilson, Philip K. Dick, Emma Goldman, Ezra Pound, Robert Duncan, Terence McKenna, Gertrude Stein, Carl Jung, Marshall McLuhan and others as guides and waylayers. A cast of hundreds. Blog becomes book becomes new medium entirely. Synchronicity, siddhis, numerology, psychedelics, anarchy, the gods, yes. The poetics of anti-authority. Beautifully illustrated. Read with tea.Group Name for Grape Juicehttps://groupnameforgrapejuice.blogspot.com/ Get full access to Leafbox at leafbox.substack.com/subscribe

The Regrettable Century
The Gang Goes Full Tankie: The Results and Prospects of Digital Stalinism

The Regrettable Century

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2026 96:34


This week, the boys got together and discussed the perpetual battle between the digital Stalinists and the digital Third Campists. To what extent have those demonized as tankies been right or wrong? To what extent do any of these archaic political designations matter?     New Tankies and Digital Neo-Stalinism: How the Conservative Left is Incubated https://europe-solidaire.org/spip.php?article73701   Don't Be a Tankie: How the Left Should Respond to Russia's Invasion of Ukraine https://theintercept.com/2022/03/01/ukraine-russia-leftists-tankie/    What Is a Tankie-and Why You Don't Want to Be One https://medium.com/@ksutherland2727.ks/what-is-a-tankie-and-why-you-dont-want-to-be-one-0fb84611233a    Everything you ever wanted to know about tankies, but were afraid to ask https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/various-authors-always-against-the-tanks#toc2    Why are ‘anti-imperialists' defending dictators?  https://www.972mag.com/tankies-left-authoritarians-imperialism/    The ‘Anti-Imperialism' of Idiots https://itsgoingdown.org/the-anti-imperialism-of-idiots/    JFK Files Reveal CIA Role in the 1956 Hungarian Uprising https://www.joewrote.com/p/jfk-files-reveal-the-cia-role-in

Pallonate in Faccia
"Dio è bulgaro!": Stoichkov e il calcio in Bulgaria | Episodio 119

Pallonate in Faccia

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2026 24:05


La Bulgaria è la squadra rivelazione dei Mondiali del 1994, in cui termina al quarto posto, consacrando il fuoriclasse del Barcellona Hristo Stoichkov. È l'apice di un movimento rimasto a lungo nell'ombra, e che raggiunge il suo massimo splendore all'improvviso, nel momento più critico della storia recente del paese, disastrato alla crisi economica dell'epoca post-socialista.LE FONTI USATE PER QUESTO EPISODIO:- BORISOV Teodor, Football in Romania, Yugoslavia and Bulgaria during Stalinism (1944- 1953), Hiperboreea Journal- KORTZANOV Dinko, Football Politicized: CSKA Sofia as a tool for ideological hegemony in Socialist Bulgaria, University of Helsinki- MOGGIA Valerio, Asparuhov: il clamore e il silenzio, Pallonate in Faccia- WILSON Jonathan, Behind the Curtain: Travels in Eastern European Football, Orion Pub. Co.La musica è "Inspired" di Kevin MacLeod [incompetech.com] Licenza C.C. by 4.0Potete seguire Pallonate in Faccia ai seguenti link:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pallonateinfaccia.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/pallonateinfacciablog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/pallonatefaccia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/pallonateinfaccia/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Per contattarmi: pallonateinfaccia@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Iscrivetevi alla newsletter THE BEAUTIFUL SHAME!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠COME SOSTENERE PALLONATE IN FACCIA⁠⁠

Keen On Democracy
Yes, It's Fascism: Jon Rauch on Trump and the F Word

Keen On Democracy

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2026 41:15


"You either need to call it fascism or you need to invent a new word with more or less the same meaning." — Jonathan RauchJonathan Rauch's viral Atlantic essay has reignited the debate over what to call the Trump administration. Having previously settled on "semi-fascist," Rauch now argues that Trump ticks all 18 boxes on his checklist of fascist characteristics — from the glorification of violence and territorial ambitions to Carl Schmitt's philosophy of "enemies, not adversaries." We spar over whether the term obscures more than it reveals: Is this really fascism, or just authoritarianism with American characteristics? The conversation sharpens around Minneapolis, where citizens were shot face down, and the government initially denied it happened. You don't do that to win votes, Rauch argues — you do it because you believe that's how the social contract should work. He predicts Trump will fail to turn America into a fascist country but warns that institutions like the newly expanded ICE will outlast this administration. About the GuestJonathan Rauch is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a contributing writer for The Atlantic. He is the author of nine books, including The Constitution of Knowledge: A Defense of Truth (2021), Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy (2025), and Kindly Inquisitors: The New Attacks on Free Thought (1993). He received the 2005 National Magazine Award.ReferencesThinkers discussed:·      Carl Schmitt was a Nazi political theorist whose "friend-enemy distinction" argued that politics is fundamentally about identifying and crushing enemies, not managing disagreements with adversaries.·      George Orwell wrote in his 1946 essay "Politics and the English Language" that "the word 'fascism' has now no meaning except insofar as it signifies something not desirable."·      Hannah Arendt was a German-American political theorist and refugee from Nazi Germany whose book The Origins of Totalitarianism examined both Nazism and Stalinism, preferring "totalitarianism" to "fascism" as the more encompassing term.Historical figures:·      Benito Mussolini invented the term "fascism" (from the Latin fasces, a bundle of rods symbolizing collective strength) and ruled Italy as dictator from 1922 to 1943.·      Francisco Franco ruled Spain from 1939 to 1975. Whether he was truly a fascist or merely an authoritarian remains debated; he never got along well with Hitler and outlasted the fascist era by three decades.·      Viktor Orbán is the prime minister of Hungary whose systematic capture of media, courts, and civil society has become known as the "Orbán playbook" — a template Rauch argues the Trump administration is following.Contemporary figures mentioned:·      Stephen Miller is a senior advisor to Trump who declared that "force is the iron law of the world" and told progressives "you are nothing" at a memorial service where the widow of the deceased had just offered Christian forgiveness to an assassin.·      Russell Vought is the director of the Office of Management and Budget, identified by Rauch as one of the younger ideologues building Trumpism into something more like a coherent ideology.·      Chris Rufo is a conservative activist and culture war strategist who has employed what Rauch calls "revolutionary language" in his campaigns against universities and public institutions.Essays and books mentioned:·      "Politics and the English Language" (1946) is Orwell's essay arguing that the corruption of language enables the corruption of politics, and that vague or meaningless words like "fascism" make clear thinking impossible.·      The Origins of Totalitarianism (1951) is Hannah Arendt's study of Nazism and Stalinism as parallel forms of total domination, examining how mass movements, propaganda, and terror enable regimes to control entire societies.About Keen On AmericaNobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States—hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,800 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting.WebsiteSubstackYouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify Chapters:(00:00) - (00:13) - The viral essay (02:10) - Why Rauch changed his mind (03:41) - Fascism vs. authoritarianism (05:54) - Carl Schmitt and "enemies not adversaries" (06:14) - Orwell on the word "fascism" (09:12) - Can old people be fascists? (11:51) - Blood and soil nationalism (14:14) - Minneapolis (17:51) - Kristallnacht comparisons (20:07) - The postmodern right (26:34) - Following the money (32:05) - ICE as paramilitary force

Explaining 20th Century East Europe

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2026 154:57


In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett examine 20th-century Eastern Europe, detailing the tragic shift from organic aristocratic societies to brutal, industrialized totalitarian regimes. -- FOLLOW ON X: @whatifalthist (Rudyard) @LudwigNverMises (Austin) @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (02:11) The Greatest Tragedy in Human History (04:47) The Transition from Monarchy to Totalitarianism (09:44) The Scythe Lens Mechanical Pressure (21:41) The Staggering Intellectual Loss (27:59) Capitalism Nobility and the Path to Democracy (35:32) Defining Mass Politics (54:19) The Ethnic Map of 1914 vs Modernity (01:05:43) The Hot Seat of the Balkans and WWI (01:22:47) The Eastern Front of WWI (01:38:13) The Urge to Submission (01:47:48) The Daily Horror of Stalinism (02:05:33) WWII The German Colonial Dream (02:17:15) The Legacy of the Holocaust and 40 Million Dead (02:28:44) Contemporary Resilience and Neoliberalism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books Network
Douglas Greene, "In Stalin's Shadow: Trotsky and the Legacy of the Moscow Trials" (Resistance Books, 2025)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 63:34


Most people on the contemporary left see Stalin as an unfortunate stain on the history of the global left, a part of the historical process that we'd be better avoiding in our attempts to build towards socialism. He does still have some scattered defenders though, putting out books and articles trying to turn his legacy into something commendable that we ought to try and build upon today. Returning today is Douglas Greene, who is not one of his defenders, but instead has written a book exploring the defenses of Stalin with his new book In Stalin's Shadow: Leon Trotsky and the Legacy of the Moscow Trials (Resistance Books, 2025). Much of the text is concerned with fact-checking, going through the middle decades of the twentieth century to give a critical accounting of Stalin, but one that nonetheless holds onto the revolutionary Marxist tradition. Beyond this fact-checking mission though, the book also takes this time as an opportunity to reflect on some of the deeper structures of thought that might lead one to defend Stalin. Rather than a simple mistake that can be easily corrected with a couple new facts, Greene sees neo-Stalinism as a sort of leftist conspiracy theory, one that mirrors much of the paranoia of Stalin's own time. The book then is an opportunity to reflect on what sort of reasoning takes us into these sorts of dead-ends, and what sorts of reasoning might be needed to help us start building towards a truly revolutionary future. Much of the content of this book builds on Greene's previously published book The Dialectics of Saturn, which we discussed a couple years ago. Douglas Greene is an independent historian. His many previous books have included A Failure of Vision: Michael Harrington and the Limits of Democratic Socialism, Stalinism and the Dialectics of Saturn: Anticommunism, Marxism, and the Fate of the Soviet Union and The New Reformism and the Revival of Karl Kautsky: The Renegade's Revenge, all of which have been discussed previously on this show. He is a frequent contributor to Left Voice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in Russian and Eurasian Studies
Douglas Greene, "In Stalin's Shadow: Trotsky and the Legacy of the Moscow Trials" (Resistance Books, 2025)

New Books in Russian and Eurasian Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 63:34


Most people on the contemporary left see Stalin as an unfortunate stain on the history of the global left, a part of the historical process that we'd be better avoiding in our attempts to build towards socialism. He does still have some scattered defenders though, putting out books and articles trying to turn his legacy into something commendable that we ought to try and build upon today. Returning today is Douglas Greene, who is not one of his defenders, but instead has written a book exploring the defenses of Stalin with his new book In Stalin's Shadow: Leon Trotsky and the Legacy of the Moscow Trials (Resistance Books, 2025). Much of the text is concerned with fact-checking, going through the middle decades of the twentieth century to give a critical accounting of Stalin, but one that nonetheless holds onto the revolutionary Marxist tradition. Beyond this fact-checking mission though, the book also takes this time as an opportunity to reflect on some of the deeper structures of thought that might lead one to defend Stalin. Rather than a simple mistake that can be easily corrected with a couple new facts, Greene sees neo-Stalinism as a sort of leftist conspiracy theory, one that mirrors much of the paranoia of Stalin's own time. The book then is an opportunity to reflect on what sort of reasoning takes us into these sorts of dead-ends, and what sorts of reasoning might be needed to help us start building towards a truly revolutionary future. Much of the content of this book builds on Greene's previously published book The Dialectics of Saturn, which we discussed a couple years ago. Douglas Greene is an independent historian. His many previous books have included A Failure of Vision: Michael Harrington and the Limits of Democratic Socialism, Stalinism and the Dialectics of Saturn: Anticommunism, Marxism, and the Fate of the Soviet Union and The New Reformism and the Revival of Karl Kautsky: The Renegade's Revenge, all of which have been discussed previously on this show. He is a frequent contributor to Left Voice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

New Books in Intellectual History
Douglas Greene, "In Stalin's Shadow: Trotsky and the Legacy of the Moscow Trials" (Resistance Books, 2025)

New Books in Intellectual History

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 63:34


Most people on the contemporary left see Stalin as an unfortunate stain on the history of the global left, a part of the historical process that we'd be better avoiding in our attempts to build towards socialism. He does still have some scattered defenders though, putting out books and articles trying to turn his legacy into something commendable that we ought to try and build upon today. Returning today is Douglas Greene, who is not one of his defenders, but instead has written a book exploring the defenses of Stalin with his new book In Stalin's Shadow: Leon Trotsky and the Legacy of the Moscow Trials (Resistance Books, 2025). Much of the text is concerned with fact-checking, going through the middle decades of the twentieth century to give a critical accounting of Stalin, but one that nonetheless holds onto the revolutionary Marxist tradition. Beyond this fact-checking mission though, the book also takes this time as an opportunity to reflect on some of the deeper structures of thought that might lead one to defend Stalin. Rather than a simple mistake that can be easily corrected with a couple new facts, Greene sees neo-Stalinism as a sort of leftist conspiracy theory, one that mirrors much of the paranoia of Stalin's own time. The book then is an opportunity to reflect on what sort of reasoning takes us into these sorts of dead-ends, and what sorts of reasoning might be needed to help us start building towards a truly revolutionary future. Much of the content of this book builds on Greene's previously published book The Dialectics of Saturn, which we discussed a couple years ago. Douglas Greene is an independent historian. His many previous books have included A Failure of Vision: Michael Harrington and the Limits of Democratic Socialism, Stalinism and the Dialectics of Saturn: Anticommunism, Marxism, and the Fate of the Soviet Union and The New Reformism and the Revival of Karl Kautsky: The Renegade's Revenge, all of which have been discussed previously on this show. He is a frequent contributor to Left Voice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

New Books in European Politics
Douglas Greene, "In Stalin's Shadow: Trotsky and the Legacy of the Moscow Trials" (Resistance Books, 2025)

New Books in European Politics

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 63:34


Most people on the contemporary left see Stalin as an unfortunate stain on the history of the global left, a part of the historical process that we'd be better avoiding in our attempts to build towards socialism. He does still have some scattered defenders though, putting out books and articles trying to turn his legacy into something commendable that we ought to try and build upon today. Returning today is Douglas Greene, who is not one of his defenders, but instead has written a book exploring the defenses of Stalin with his new book In Stalin's Shadow: Leon Trotsky and the Legacy of the Moscow Trials (Resistance Books, 2025). Much of the text is concerned with fact-checking, going through the middle decades of the twentieth century to give a critical accounting of Stalin, but one that nonetheless holds onto the revolutionary Marxist tradition. Beyond this fact-checking mission though, the book also takes this time as an opportunity to reflect on some of the deeper structures of thought that might lead one to defend Stalin. Rather than a simple mistake that can be easily corrected with a couple new facts, Greene sees neo-Stalinism as a sort of leftist conspiracy theory, one that mirrors much of the paranoia of Stalin's own time. The book then is an opportunity to reflect on what sort of reasoning takes us into these sorts of dead-ends, and what sorts of reasoning might be needed to help us start building towards a truly revolutionary future. Much of the content of this book builds on Greene's previously published book The Dialectics of Saturn, which we discussed a couple years ago. Douglas Greene is an independent historian. His many previous books have included A Failure of Vision: Michael Harrington and the Limits of Democratic Socialism, Stalinism and the Dialectics of Saturn: Anticommunism, Marxism, and the Fate of the Soviet Union and The New Reformism and the Revival of Karl Kautsky: The Renegade's Revenge, all of which have been discussed previously on this show. He is a frequent contributor to Left Voice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Explaining History (explaininghistory) (explaininghistory)
Official remembering and forgetting in Xi Xinping's China

Explaining History (explaininghistory) (explaininghistory)

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2026 30:02


Episode Summary:In this episode of Explaining History, Nick explores the complex and often suppressed memory of China's recent past. Drawing on Tania Branigan's Red Memory, we delve into the heart of Beijing—Tiananmen Square—and unpack its layers of history, from the May Fourth Movement of 1919 to the founding of the People's Republic in 1949 and the tragedy of 1989.Why does the portrait of Mao Zedong still gaze over the square, despite the catastrophes of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution? How does the Chinese Communist Party use "Red Tourism" and curated museums to construct a narrative of national rejuvenation while burying the trauma of its own making? From the "Century of Humiliation" to Xi Jinping's "Chinese Dream," we examine how memory is not just history, but a tool of state legitimacy.Plus: A reminder for students! Tickets are selling fast for our live masterclass on the Russian Revolution and Stalinism on January 26th.and you can access advert free episodes here on PatreonKey Topics:Tiananmen Square: A site of revolution, celebration, and massacre.The Cult of Mao: Why the Chairman remains the "vigilant eye" over modern China.Red Tourism: How the party commodifies its revolutionary past.Historical Amnesia: The erasure of the Cultural Revolution and the Great Famine from public discourse.Books Mentioned:Red Memory: Living, Remembering and Forgetting China's Cultural Revolution by Tania BraniganThe Age of Extremes by Eric Hobsbawm (referenced contextually)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.

Explaining History (explaininghistory) (explaininghistory)
Was the Russian Revolution Inevitable? Historiography, Myth, and the Collapse of States

Explaining History (explaininghistory) (explaininghistory)

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 25:01


Episode Summary:In this episode of Explaining History, Nick explores one of the most debated questions in modern history: Was the Russian Revolution inevitable?Moving beyond the simple narrative of "peace, land, and bread," we delve into the competing schools of historiography that have shaped our understanding of 1917. From the Soviet orthodoxy of historical determinism to the Western liberal view of a Bolshevik coup d'état, and finally to the revisionist and post-revisionist syntheses of scholars like Sheila Fitzpatrick and Orlando Figes.We also examine the structural argument: that revolutions only happen when states cease to function. Was the Tsarist regime doomed by its own incompetence, or could it have survived without the catalyst of World War I? Nick unpacks how the "Great Man" theory fails to explain the collapse of empires and why understanding historiography is the key to unlocking top grades in history exams.Plus: A major announcement for students! Booking is now open for our live masterclass on the Russian Revolution and Stalinism, taking place on Sunday, January 25th. Listen to the end for details on how to secure your spot.Key Topics:The Soviet View: Historical inevitability and Marxist-Leninist dogma.The Liberal View: The revolution as a coup by a fanatical minority.The Revisionist View: The role of genuine mass movements and social history.State Collapse: Why you can't overthrow a functioning state.Books Mentioned:A People's Tragedy by Orlando FigesThe Russian Revolution by Sheila FitzpatrickThe Anxious Triumph by Donald SassoonExplaining 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.

Explaining History (explaininghistory) (explaininghistory)
Stalin, Collectivisation and the Grain Crisis 1927-8

Explaining History (explaininghistory) (explaininghistory)

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2025 26:03


Episode Summary:In this episode of Explaining History, Nick delves into the critical years of 1928-1929, exploring the mindset of the Soviet leadership on the eve of the Great Famine. Drawing from Robert Conquest's seminal work The Harvest of Sorrow, we examine how Stalin's paranoia and Marxist-Leninist ideology filtered his understanding of the peasantry.Why did the Bolsheviks view grain reserves as evidence of a "Kulak war" against the state? How did faulty statistics and a fundamental misunderstanding of village life lead to catastrophic policy decisions? We unpack the tragic logic of collectivization—a "second revolution" that was essentially a continuation of the Civil War by other means.Plus: A special announcement for history students studying the Russian Revolution and Stalinism—don't miss details about our upcoming live masterclass in January!Key Topics:The Grain Procurement Crisis: Why grain exports ceased by 1928.The Myth of the Kulak: How hedging against famine was misinterpreted as capitalist speculation.Statistical Failure: How bad data fueled bad policy.The Second Revolution: Stalin's view of collectivization as a class war.Books Mentioned:The Harvest of Sorrow by Robert ConquestEveryday Stalinism by Sheila FitzpatrickFor the complete recordings on AQA Russia Revolution and Dictatorship see the links below: https://explaininghistory.org/2025/02/19/aqa-revolution-and-dictatorship-russia-1917-53-part-15/https://explaininghistory.org/2025/01/29/aqa-revolution-and-dictatorship-russia-1917-53-part-14/https://explaininghistory.org/2025/01/23/aqa-revolution-and-dictatorship-russia-1917-53-part-13/https://explaininghistory.org/2024/12/18/aqa-revolution-and-dictatorship-russia-1917-53-part-12/AQA Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia 1917-53 part 11AQA Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia 1917-53 Part TenAQA Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia 1917-53 part 9AQA Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia 1917-53 part 8AQA Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia 1917-53 part 7AQA Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia 1917-53 part 6https://explaininghistory.org/2024/10/23/aqa-revolution-and-dictatorship-russia-1917-53-part-5/AQA Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia 1917-53 part 4AQA Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia 1917-53 part 3Explaining 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.

Explaining History (explaininghistory) (explaininghistory)
The Wannsee Conference and the Nazi Camps

Explaining History (explaininghistory) (explaininghistory)

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2025 31:28


In this episode of Explaining History, Nick revisits Nikolaus Wachsmann's monumental study, KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps.We explore a critical and often misunderstood aspect of the Holocaust: the relationship between the Concentration Camps (KL) and the extermination camps of the East. Why were Jews initially marginalized within the KL system? How did the failure of the war against the Soviet Union in 1941 shift Nazi policy from the exploitation of Soviet POWs to the mass enslavement and murder of Jews?We delve into the infamous Wannsee Conference, decoding the euphemisms of "resettlement" and "natural wastage," and examine how chaotic decision-making at the top of the Nazi hierarchy led to the transformation of Auschwitz-Birkenau into an industrial center of death.Plus: Stay tuned for an announcement about an upcoming live masterclass on the Russian Revolution and Stalinism for students.Key Topics:The KL vs. Death Camps: Understanding the distinction between camps like Dachau and extermination centers like Treblinka.The Wannsee Conference: How bureaucrats planned genocide over lunch.Annihilation Through Labour: The shift from Soviet POWs to Jewish slave labour.The Transformation of Auschwitz: How Birkenau became the primary site for the "Final Solution."Books Mentioned:KL: A History of the Nazi Concentration Camps by Nikolaus WachsmannThe Third Reich at War by Richard J. EvansBloodlands by Timothy SnyderExplaining 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.

1Dime Radio
The Rise of Neo-Stalinism (Ft. Ross Wolfe)

1Dime Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2025 95:20


Get access to The Backroom (80+ exclusive episodes) on Patreon.com/onedimeIn this episode of 1Dime Radio, I have an in-depth discussion with Ross Wolfe about neo-Stalinism. We examine the influence of Domenico Losurdo, and how his work relates to a niche defence of Marxism-Leninism. We take up the concepts of state power and revolution, and how the history of liberalism is often misinterpreted by modern activists. In the Backroom on Patreon, Ross Wolfe and I explore just what is “Western Marxism.” Is there a widely agreed upon definition? To do this, Wolfe and I have to unpack its origins, and the polemics by Losurdo, Gabriel Rockhill and others. We try to pin down the line between socialistic critique of capitalism, and simple anti-Western sentiment.TimeStamps: 00:00 Losurdo and Rockhill The (Backroom Sneak Peek) 03:48 Critique of Neo-Stalinism and Marxism-Leninism 06:29 The Influence of Dominico Losurdo 47:23 Historical Inaccuracies in Losurdo's Work 51:14 Trotsky's Legacy and Stalin's Tactics 01:01:21 Debating Marxism, Communism, and State PowerGuest (Ross Wolfee): X/Twitter: https://x.com/rosswolfe?lang=enFind His Articles on Losurdo here: https://thecharnelhouse.org/author/rosslaurencewolfe/FOLLOW 1Dime: • Substack (Articles and Essays): https://substack.com/@tonyof1dime • X/Twitter: https://x.com/1DimeOfficial • Instagram: / tonyof1dime• Check out my main channel videos: / @1dimeeOutro Music by Karl Casey. Leave a like, drop a comment, and give the show a 5-star rating on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you listen to this.

Socialist Revolution
How Stalinism Betrayed the Chinese Revolution of 1925

Socialist Revolution

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2025 63:54


Recorded at the NY Marxist School

Area 45
From Stalinism To Reaganism: Daniel Flynn On Frank Meyer And “Fusion” Conservatism

Area 45

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2025 59:59


How does one man whose formative years are largely defined by five “s's” – sex, satanism, suicide, secret agents, and Stalinism – somehow wind up as a defining intellectual behind the rise of America's conservative movement? Daniel Flynn, a Hoover visiting fellow and author of The Man Who Invented Conservatism: The Unlikely Life of Frank S. Meyer, takes us through an improbable journey that involves Princeton and Oxford, deportation, socialism, capitalism and Hayek, William F. Buckley and the founding of The National Review, Goldwater, Nixon and Reagan, plus a few unexpected cameos along the way (Bob Dylan, Joan Didion and the Berlin Wall's architect, to name a few).  

The afikra Podcast
"The Future is Not a Grave" With the NYU Institutes | Masha Kirasirova & Tishani Doshi

The afikra Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2025 53:29


"The Future Is Not a Grave" is a three-day workshop happening next week at NYUAD which explores futurisms and futurescapes across the MENA, Gulf, and Indian Ocean regions. In this collaborative episode with NYU Abu Dhabi Institute, conveners Tishani Doshi and Masha Kirasirova delve into challenging despair, fostering collective imagination, and integrating diverse perspectives from artists, scholars, and performers. Discover how this initiative seeks to redefine conversations about the future, moving beyond conventional narratives and embracing a more open-ended, tolerant, and inclusive approach.November 10-12, 2025 in Abu Dhabi

On Point
What can Americans learn from Stalinism?

On Point

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2025 40:35


Some historians argue that President Trump is using a Stalinist-style playbook to amass power, silence his enemies and suppress science. What Americans should know about notorious Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin's style and political tactics.

The Tara Show
“Law Enforcement, Civic Responsibility, and Cultural Shifts The Tara Show Call-In Hour”

The Tara Show

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2025 10:32


In this episode of The Tara Show, we kick off the call-in hour with live updates from Joey Hudson at Greenville Downtown Airport, where Law Enforcement Appreciation Day is in full swing. Officers from across the upstate are celebrated with breakfast, prizes, and heartfelt thanks from the community. Tara and Joey discuss the importance of recognizing the daily sacrifices of police officers in a country facing rising violent crime and politically charged rhetoric. Listeners then call in to discuss topics ranging from the need for national education on authoritarian regimes like Stalinism, Nazism, and socialism, to the cultural impact of Charlie Kirk's memorial events in Colorado and Phoenix. The show also highlights small cultural victories, including the demonetization of a leftist streamer advocating political violence, signaling a shift in America's media landscape. This episode blends community appreciation, political commentary, and citizen engagement, reflecting on the evolving role of law enforcement, public education, and cultural influence in shaping the nation. Content Warning: discussion of violent crime, political extremism, and controversial cultural topics.

Acid Horizon
Western Marxism vs. Stalinism: Domenico Losurdo's Controversial Legacy with Ross Wolfe

Acid Horizon

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2025 57:51


What if the very idea of Western Marxism has less to do with geography than with defeat? In this episode of Acid Horizon, we dive into Domenico Losurdo's controversial use of the term and ask what's at stake in his defense of actually existing socialism against its critics. With our guest Ross Wolfe, we explore the tangled afterlives of Western Marxism—from the Frankfurt School to structuralism, from Stalinism to contemporary China. Along the way we confront the uncomfortable question: do today's neo-Stalinist revivals echo tendencies on the far right as much as they do Marxist traditions? And for those who want to hear the unfiltered debate, join us on Patreon where we take the gloves off to talk publishing beefs, factional battles, and how the “theory industry” really works behind the scenes.Ross' articles: https://newintermag.com/against-losurdo/Support the showSupport the podcast:Current classes at Acid Horizon Research Commons (AHRC): https://www.acidhorizonpodcast.com/ahrc-mainWebsite: https://www.acidhorizonpodcast.com/Linktree: https://linktr.ee/acidhorizonAcid Horizon on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acidhorizonpodcast Boycott Watkins Media: https://xenogothic.com/2025/03/17/boycott-watkins-statement/ Join The Schizoanalysis Project: https://discord.gg/4WtaXG3QxnSubscribe to us on your favorite podcast: https://pod.link/1512615438Merch: http://www.crit-drip.comSubscribe to us on your favorite podcast platform: https://pod.link/1512615438 LEPHT HAND: https://www.patreon.com/LEPHTHANDHappy Hour at Hippel's (Adam's blog): https://happyhourathippels.wordpress.com​Split Infinities (Craig's Substack): https://splitinfinities.substack.com/​Music: https://sereptie.bandcamp.com/ and https://thecominginsurrection.bandcamp.com/

Ground Truths
Peter Hotez & Eric Topol - Discuss “Science Under Siege” book

Ground Truths

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2025 53:07


Thank you Sara Garcia, Andrew O'Malley BSc PhD, Sam Hester, Julie, Stephen B. Thomas, PhD, and so many others for tuning into my live video with Peter Hotez! Join me for my next live video in the app.Peter Hotez and I discuss his new book, co-authored with Michael Mann, SCIENCE UNDER SEIGE, on the anti-science superstorm culminating from the climate crisis, the Covid pandemic, and a vast interconnected network that has waged a direct assault on scientific truth.During our conversation we trace history of priors in civilization, such as Lysenko and Stalinism in the last century. And acknowledge the future role of A.I. for promoting infinite disinformation. Beyond human suffering and direct health outcome consequences (such as Red Covid), the toll this is taking on the career of young scientists, universities, public health agencies, and loss of public trust are reviewed. The interdependent role of the media and the wellness industry is touched on.The book and our conversation puts forth a call to arms, potential solutions, including the need to move away from invisible scientists and political activism.Thanks for listening to Ground Truths podcasts and reading the analytic posts.In case you missed any, these are a few recent and related ones:Podcasts with Michael Osterholm and Sanjay Gupta on their new books—The Big One and It Doesn't Have to Hurt, respectively.Next up is Charlotte Blease and her new book Dr. Bot on where we are headed with medical A.I.If you found this interesting PLEASE share it!That makes the work involved in putting these together especially worthwhile.All content on Ground Truths—its newsletters, analyses, and podcasts, are free, open-access.Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don't hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered.Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. Get full access to Ground Truths at erictopol.substack.com/subscribe

Why do countries exist
Episode 52: the History of the Czech Republic

Why do countries exist

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2025 46:33


A history of the Czech republic Email: whydocountriesexist@gmail.com Website: https://whydocountriesexist.libsyn.com/sources-for-the-czech-republic-episode Patreon: patreon.com/Whydocountriesexist797 Paypal: paypal.me/whydocountriesexist Feedback and request forum: https://forms.gle/H5hG9zcZbFPBAz8t7   Intro 0:00 Country profile 1:20 Early history 4:31 Medieval Moravia and Bohemia 5:42 Hussites and Protestantism 9:04 Habsburg domination 13:02 First and second Czechoslovak republic 19:08 World war 2 and Third republic 25:13 Communist Czechoslovakia 30:48 “Socialism” and “Stalinism with a human face” 34:04 Velvet revolution, divorce and hangover 38:07 Current politics and history 41:26 Conclusion, outro and sources 44:26

History That Doesn't Suck
186: From Czardom to Stalinism: Building the USSR & the Ascent of Joseph Stalin

History That Doesn't Suck

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2025 66:39


“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

Sean's Russia Blog
From Great Fear to the Great Terror

Sean's Russia Blog

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2025 47:12


As frequent listeners know, my advisor and friend Arch Getty passed away from cancer a few months ago. I was recently in Los Angeles to attend his memorial. I got to catch up with fellow grad students and friends. One was James Harris, a close friend and collaborator with Arch. James is also one of the best Soviet historians around. After chatting with James, I was reminded that I interviewed him way back in 2016–about a year after I started the SRB Podcast. I decided to re-edit and release James' interview about his book, The Great Fear. The book looks at how Soviet leaders were constantly afraid of invasion, uprisings, and dissent. James argues that this fear was an important driver of the regime's use of violence and ultimately the Great Terror of 1937-38. So, in honor of seeing James and in memory of Arch, here's another listen to the Great Fear.Guest:James Harris is a Senior Lecturer in Modern European History at Leeds University where he specializes in the history of Stalinism. James has published several books and articles on the Stalin period. He's the author of The Great Fear: Stalin's Terror in the 1930s published by Oxford University Press.Send us your sounds! PatreonKnotty News Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mark Levin Podcast
The Best Of Mark Levin - 8/2/25

Mark Levin Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2025 63:45


This week on the Mark Levin Show, On Monday's Mark Levin Show, Europe didn't do a anything to take on Hamas after the October 7th attacks, instead they push Israel to surrender. Europe is historically tied to evils like the Holocaust, Nazism, Stalinism, and Marxism, now conquered by radical Islamists through open borders. The Biden administration, Democrats, left-wing forces in media/academia, and isolationists undermined Israel, who could have ended the war sooner without interference. What's happening in Gaza is that people are going without food. Why? Israel isn't starving them. This is a last desperate move by Hamas to save itself by slaughtering its own people. Later, the Allied bombing of Dresden in February 1945 was a terror campaign targeting civilians in a non-military city, resulting in massive casualties via firestorms from British and U.S. air raids. The modern hypocrisy from U.K. and French leaders, who pressure Israel over Gaza—blaming it for starvation caused by Hamas, demanding ceasefires, and threatening Palestinian state recognition—while ignoring their own countries' declines due to open borders and radical Islamists, and applying impossible standards to Israel that no nation, including the U.S, would accept for itself. Zohran Mamdani recently returned from a lavish, expensive wedding in Uganda featuring a walled estate and armed guards, funded by capitalists rather than the government. He portrays himself as the victim while yelling at Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams. Don't believe a word Mamdani says, he would defund the police and disarm the citizen. The 2020 U.S. Census contained significant errors, overcounting populations in blue states, while undercounting in red states leading to misallocated congressional seats that favored Democrats and cost Republicans about five seats. This widened Trump's Electoral College victory margin and tightened House control more than warranted. In response, Texas Republicans are holding a special legislative session to redraw congressional districts, potentially gaining up to five more GOP seats in the 2026 midterms. The move echoes a 2003 gerrymander, with Democrats decrying it as hypocritical given their own history of similar tactics in blue states, but it's necessary since Democrats don't play fair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Levin Podcast
7/28/25 - Mark Levin Unleashes Truth on Israel and Hamas

Mark Levin Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2025 114:57


On Monday's Mark Levin Show, Europe didn't do a anything to take on Hamas after the October 7th attacks, instead they push Israel to surrender.  Europe is historically tied to evils like the Holocaust, Nazism, Stalinism, and Marxism, now conquered by radical Islamists through open borders. The Biden administration, Democrats, left-wing forces in media/academia, and isolationists undermined Israel, who could have ended the war sooner without interference. What's happening in Gaza is that people are going without food. Why? Israel isn't starving them. This is a last desperate move by Hamas to save itself by slaughtering its own people. Later, EPIC City, a proposed Muslim-focused community in Texas initiated by the East Plano Islamic Center, is still raising concerns about potential Sharia law governance and "no-go zones." It prompted investigations by Texas officials and the Justice Department, though the federal probe closed as the project remains in planning.  These developments should be opposed to preserve American values. There is an incompatibility of Marxism and fundamentalist Islamism with American values. America was founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs fused with Enlightenment ideals like limited power, representative government, and individual sovereignty under God. Those like Zohran Mamdani, Bernie Sanders, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, and AOC are hypocrites for living luxuriously while promoting Marxism, Islamism, anti-Semitism, and anti-Americanism. They employ negative language as a tool for thought control, enforcing uniformity and ideological conformity rather than open debate.  In breaking news, a gunman armed with a rifle stormed a NYC Midtown skyscraper opening fire and killing at least five people, including one NYPD officer, while injuring several others. The suspect barricaded himself on the 33rd floor, where he was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound amid other victims. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Explaining Ukraine
Why colonialism is more complicated than you think - with Botakoz Kassymbekova

Explaining Ukraine

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2025 61:39


What's the difference between colonialism and imperialism? What types of colonialism can we identify — and which of them are playing out in Russia's invasion of Ukraine and other countries? This conversation is not purely academic. It helps us better understand what's happening today — and what might happen tomorrow. Russian colonial and imperial practices sometimes resemble those of other empires — but at other times, they differ significantly. Russia often masks its imperial violence with nationalist mythology. It's important to reveal why that mythology is misleading — and dangerous. *** Host: Volodymyr Yermolenko, a Ukrainian philosopher, editor-in-chief of UkraineWorld, and president of PEN Ukraine. Our guest today is Botakoz Kassymbekova, a renowned scholar of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. She is currently Professor of Eastern European History at the University of Zurich and specializes in Soviet history, Stalinism and post-Stalinism, and Russian imperial practices. She holds a PhD from Humboldt University of Berlin. *** Explaining Ukraine is produced by UkraineWorld, an English-language media project about Ukraine, run by Internews Ukraine. This episode is created in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute, the country's leading cultural diplomacy institution. *** A quick reminder: you can SUPPORT our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/ukraineworld Your support is essential, as we rely heavily on crowdfunding. You can also help us fund VOLUNTEER trips to frontline areas in Ukraine, where we support both soldiers and civilians. Donations are welcome via PayPal: ukraine.resisting@gmail.com

Then & Now
A Conversation with Pulitzer Prize Winner Benjamin Nathans: The Lives and Afterlives of the Soviet Dissident Movement.

Then & Now

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2025 63:29


In this week's episode of then & now, we're joined by Benjamin Nathans, Alan Charles Kors Endowed Term Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, to talk about his recent book, To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement (Princeton University Press, 2024)—which was awarded the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction and the 2025 Pushkin House Book Prize. Ben offers an in-depth analysis of the Soviet dissident movement, foregrounding both canonical figures and a diverse array of lesser-known activists who contested the legitimacy of the Soviet state through a strategy of "civil obedience"—that is, by appealing to Soviet law itself. Drawing extensively on primary sources—including personal diaries, private correspondence, and KGB interrogation transcripts—Ben elucidates the intellectual and legal tacks that dissidents employed to expose the contradictions within the Soviet system. Ben situates the Soviet dissident experience within broader historiographical debates on human rights, legal studies, and the politics of memory, offering critical insights into the transnational significance of dissent under authoritarian regimes. Benjamin Nathans is the Alan Charles Kors Endowed Term Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, where he teaches and writes about Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union, modern European Jewish history, and the history of human rights. His most recent book, To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause: The Many Lives of the Soviet Dissident Movement (Princeton University Press, 2024), was awarded the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction and the 2025 Pushkin House Book Prize. He has published articles on Habermas and the public sphere in eighteenth-century France, Russian-Jewish historiography, Soviet dissident memoirs, and many other topics. He is a regular contributor to the New York Review of Books and the Times Literary Supplement.

The Regrettable Century
The Velvet Counterrevolution/Divorce (Czechoslovak Socialism Part III of III)- UNLOCKED

The Regrettable Century

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2025 36:42


In the final episode of our Czechoslovak Socialism series, we dive into the final attempt to reform the Czechoslovak system. As with the Prague Spring, the official ML/liberal narrative about are the same, that this was an attempt to overthrow socialism and establish a capitalist democracy. Just like the Prague Spring, it seems clear that the intentions of its participants were the opposite. The vast majority of Czechoslovaks who participated in the movements that brought down the republic were attempting to reform the socialist system, not destroy it.Krapfl, James. Revolution with a Human Face Politics, Culture, and Community in Czechoslovakia, 1989–1992. Cornell University Press, 2017.Scott Brown. “Prelude to a Divorce? The Prague Spring as Dress Rehearsal for Czechoslovakia's ‘Velvet Divorce.'” Europe-Asia Studies 60, no. 10 (2008): 1783–1804.Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the show

Macro n Cheese
Ep 331 - The Red Thread: A History of Socialist Tradition with C. Derick Varn - Part 1

Macro n Cheese

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2025 64:39 Transcription Available


**This Tuesday evening, C. Derick Varn will join us for Macro ‘n Chill, our weekly community gathering. While listening to this episode, folks will have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussion. June 10th, 8 pm ET/5 pm PT Click HERE to register This episode is the first of a two-part discussion delving into historical splits within socialism. C. Derick Varn, the host of Varn Vlog, has an extensive background in philosophy, anthropology, and history. He takes us from the First and Second Internationals to the ideological divergences of Trotskyism and Stalinism. He also discusses the factions within Leninism, the impact of World War I on socialist strategies, and the emergence of Trotskyist and Marxist-Leninist thought. The episode navigates through key historical figures, including Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin. Of course it wouldn't be Macro N Cheese without a look at Modern Monetary Theory and its place in a discussion of socialist theory. C. Derick Varn is a poet, teacher, and political theorist. He is the host of Varn Vlog. He was a reader at Zer0 books from 2015 to 2021. He spent most of the 2010s outside the U.S. in the Republic of Korea, Mexico, and Egypt. He is the author of the poetry collections, Apocalyptics and Liberation and All the Bright Etcetera. https://varnblog.substack.comFind all his links at https://allmylinks.com/dionysuseatsyou .

New Books in History
Claire Knight, "Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953" (Cornell UP, 2024)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2025 86:23


Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953 (Cornell UP, 2024) explores a neglected period in the history of Soviet cinema, breathing new life into a body of films long considered moribund as the pinnacle of Stalinism. While film censorship reached its apogee in this period and fewer films were made, film attendance also peaked as Soviet audiences voted with their seats and distinguished a clearly popular postwar cinema. Claire Knight examines the tensions between official ideology and audience engagement, and between education and entertainment, inherent in these popular films, as well as the financial considerations that shaped and constrained them. She explores how the Soviet regime used films to address the major challenges faced by the USSR after the Great Patriotic War (World War II), showing how war dramas, spy thrillers, Stalin epics, and rural comedies alike were mobilized to consolidate an official narrative of the war, reestablish Stalinist orthodoxy, and dramatize the rebuilding of socialist society. Yet, Knight also highlights how these same films were used by filmmakers more experimentally, exploring a diverse range of responses to the ideological crisis that lay at the heart of Soviet postwar culture, as a victorious people were denied the fruits of their sacrificial labor. After the war, new heroes were demanded by both the regime and Soviet audiences, and filmmakers sought to provide them, with at times surprising results. Stalin's Final Films mines Soviet cinema as an invaluable resource for understanding the unique character of postwar Stalinism and the cinema of the most repressive era in Soviet history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

New Books in Film
Claire Knight, "Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953" (Cornell UP, 2024)

New Books in Film

Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2025 86:23


Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953 (Cornell UP, 2024) explores a neglected period in the history of Soviet cinema, breathing new life into a body of films long considered moribund as the pinnacle of Stalinism. While film censorship reached its apogee in this period and fewer films were made, film attendance also peaked as Soviet audiences voted with their seats and distinguished a clearly popular postwar cinema. Claire Knight examines the tensions between official ideology and audience engagement, and between education and entertainment, inherent in these popular films, as well as the financial considerations that shaped and constrained them. She explores how the Soviet regime used films to address the major challenges faced by the USSR after the Great Patriotic War (World War II), showing how war dramas, spy thrillers, Stalin epics, and rural comedies alike were mobilized to consolidate an official narrative of the war, reestablish Stalinist orthodoxy, and dramatize the rebuilding of socialist society. Yet, Knight also highlights how these same films were used by filmmakers more experimentally, exploring a diverse range of responses to the ideological crisis that lay at the heart of Soviet postwar culture, as a victorious people were denied the fruits of their sacrificial labor. After the war, new heroes were demanded by both the regime and Soviet audiences, and filmmakers sought to provide them, with at times surprising results. Stalin's Final Films mines Soviet cinema as an invaluable resource for understanding the unique character of postwar Stalinism and the cinema of the most repressive era in Soviet history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/film

New Books in Eastern European Studies
Claire Knight, "Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953" (Cornell UP, 2024)

New Books in Eastern European Studies

Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2025 86:23


Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953 (Cornell UP, 2024) explores a neglected period in the history of Soviet cinema, breathing new life into a body of films long considered moribund as the pinnacle of Stalinism. While film censorship reached its apogee in this period and fewer films were made, film attendance also peaked as Soviet audiences voted with their seats and distinguished a clearly popular postwar cinema. Claire Knight examines the tensions between official ideology and audience engagement, and between education and entertainment, inherent in these popular films, as well as the financial considerations that shaped and constrained them. She explores how the Soviet regime used films to address the major challenges faced by the USSR after the Great Patriotic War (World War II), showing how war dramas, spy thrillers, Stalin epics, and rural comedies alike were mobilized to consolidate an official narrative of the war, reestablish Stalinist orthodoxy, and dramatize the rebuilding of socialist society. Yet, Knight also highlights how these same films were used by filmmakers more experimentally, exploring a diverse range of responses to the ideological crisis that lay at the heart of Soviet postwar culture, as a victorious people were denied the fruits of their sacrificial labor. After the war, new heroes were demanded by both the regime and Soviet audiences, and filmmakers sought to provide them, with at times surprising results. Stalin's Final Films mines Soviet cinema as an invaluable resource for understanding the unique character of postwar Stalinism and the cinema of the most repressive era in Soviet history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/eastern-european-studies

New Books Network
Claire Knight, "Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953" (Cornell UP, 2024)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 86:23


Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953 (Cornell UP, 2024) explores a neglected period in the history of Soviet cinema, breathing new life into a body of films long considered moribund as the pinnacle of Stalinism. While film censorship reached its apogee in this period and fewer films were made, film attendance also peaked as Soviet audiences voted with their seats and distinguished a clearly popular postwar cinema. Claire Knight examines the tensions between official ideology and audience engagement, and between education and entertainment, inherent in these popular films, as well as the financial considerations that shaped and constrained them. She explores how the Soviet regime used films to address the major challenges faced by the USSR after the Great Patriotic War (World War II), showing how war dramas, spy thrillers, Stalin epics, and rural comedies alike were mobilized to consolidate an official narrative of the war, reestablish Stalinist orthodoxy, and dramatize the rebuilding of socialist society. Yet, Knight also highlights how these same films were used by filmmakers more experimentally, exploring a diverse range of responses to the ideological crisis that lay at the heart of Soviet postwar culture, as a victorious people were denied the fruits of their sacrificial labor. After the war, new heroes were demanded by both the regime and Soviet audiences, and filmmakers sought to provide them, with at times surprising results. Stalin's Final Films mines Soviet cinema as an invaluable resource for understanding the unique character of postwar Stalinism and the cinema of the most repressive era in Soviet history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in Dance
Claire Knight, "Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953" (Cornell UP, 2024)

New Books in Dance

Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 86:23


Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953 (Cornell UP, 2024) explores a neglected period in the history of Soviet cinema, breathing new life into a body of films long considered moribund as the pinnacle of Stalinism. While film censorship reached its apogee in this period and fewer films were made, film attendance also peaked as Soviet audiences voted with their seats and distinguished a clearly popular postwar cinema. Claire Knight examines the tensions between official ideology and audience engagement, and between education and entertainment, inherent in these popular films, as well as the financial considerations that shaped and constrained them. She explores how the Soviet regime used films to address the major challenges faced by the USSR after the Great Patriotic War (World War II), showing how war dramas, spy thrillers, Stalin epics, and rural comedies alike were mobilized to consolidate an official narrative of the war, reestablish Stalinist orthodoxy, and dramatize the rebuilding of socialist society. Yet, Knight also highlights how these same films were used by filmmakers more experimentally, exploring a diverse range of responses to the ideological crisis that lay at the heart of Soviet postwar culture, as a victorious people were denied the fruits of their sacrificial labor. After the war, new heroes were demanded by both the regime and Soviet audiences, and filmmakers sought to provide them, with at times surprising results. Stalin's Final Films mines Soviet cinema as an invaluable resource for understanding the unique character of postwar Stalinism and the cinema of the most repressive era in Soviet history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/performing-arts

New Books in Russian and Eurasian Studies
Claire Knight, "Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953" (Cornell UP, 2024)

New Books in Russian and Eurasian Studies

Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2025 86:23


Stalin's Final Films: Cinema, Socialist Realism, and Soviet Postwar Reality, 1945-1953 (Cornell UP, 2024) explores a neglected period in the history of Soviet cinema, breathing new life into a body of films long considered moribund as the pinnacle of Stalinism. While film censorship reached its apogee in this period and fewer films were made, film attendance also peaked as Soviet audiences voted with their seats and distinguished a clearly popular postwar cinema. Claire Knight examines the tensions between official ideology and audience engagement, and between education and entertainment, inherent in these popular films, as well as the financial considerations that shaped and constrained them. She explores how the Soviet regime used films to address the major challenges faced by the USSR after the Great Patriotic War (World War II), showing how war dramas, spy thrillers, Stalin epics, and rural comedies alike were mobilized to consolidate an official narrative of the war, reestablish Stalinist orthodoxy, and dramatize the rebuilding of socialist society. Yet, Knight also highlights how these same films were used by filmmakers more experimentally, exploring a diverse range of responses to the ideological crisis that lay at the heart of Soviet postwar culture, as a victorious people were denied the fruits of their sacrificial labor. After the war, new heroes were demanded by both the regime and Soviet audiences, and filmmakers sought to provide them, with at times surprising results. Stalin's Final Films mines Soviet cinema as an invaluable resource for understanding the unique character of postwar Stalinism and the cinema of the most repressive era in Soviet history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/russian-studies

Reimagining Soviet Georgia
Episode 51: Reflections on Soviet History with Sheila Fitzpatrick

Reimagining Soviet Georgia

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 69:55


Since the 1970s, historian Sheila Fitzpatrick has made invaluable contributions to our understanding of the Soviet Union. As a key figure in the "revisionist school" of Soviet history, Fitzpatrick along with other historians opposed entrenched Cold War era narratives about the USSR including (but not limited to) the "totalitarian thesis". Fitzpatrick in particular added texture and complexity in her studies of the Soviet Union by focusing on social history, perspectives "from below" and daily life as well as social and economic advancement & upward mobility during Stalinism. On today's episode, we welcome Sheila Fitzpatrick on as a guest to reflect on the development of Soviet history since the 1970s, her work and what the Soviet past looks like today. Sheila Fitzpatrick is a historian of the Soviet Union and modern Russia. Her books The Cultural Revolution in Russia, 1928-31 (1978), Education and Social Mobility in the Soviet Union, 1921-34 (1979) and The Russian Revolution (1982) were foundational to the field of Soviet social history. She taught for many years at the University of Chicago, before returning to Australia, the country of her birth. Her book, White Russians, Red Peril: A Cold War History of Migration was published by Black, Inc., Melbourne, in 2021; followed by The Shortest History of the Soviet Union in 2022. She is currently working on a monograph, Displacement: Repatriation and Resettlement of Russian and Soviet Displaced Persons after the Second World War, and a biography of Lenin's wife, Nadezhda Krupskaya, under contract to Princeton University Press. She is currently a professor at the Australian Catholic University.

New Books in History
Peter Whitewood, "The Soviet-Polish War and its Legacy: Lenin's Defeat and the Rise of Stalinism" (Bloomsbury, 2023)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2025 74:00


This detailed study traces the history of the Soviet-Polish War (1919-20), the first major international clash between the forces of communism and anti-communism, and the impact this had on Soviet Russia in the years that followed. It reflects upon how the Bolsheviks fought not only to defend the fledgling Soviet state, but also to bring the revolution to Europe. Peter Whitewood shows that while the Red Army's rapid drive to the gates of Warsaw in summer 1920 raised great hopes for world revolution, the subsequent collapse of the offensive had a more striking result. The Soviet military and political leadership drew the mistaken conclusion that they had not been defeated by the Polish Army, but by the forces of the capitalist world - Britain and France - who were perceived as having directed the war behind-the-scenes. They were taken aback by the strength of the forces of counterrevolution and convinced they had been overcome by the capitalist powers. The Soviet-Polish War and its Legacy (Bloomsbury, 2023) reveals that - in the aftermath of the catastrophe at Warsaw -Lenin, Stalin and other senior Bolsheviks were convinced that another war against Poland and its capitalist backers was inevitable with this perpetual fear of war shaping the evolution of the early Soviet state. It also further encouraged the creation of a centralised and repressive one-party state and provided a powerful rationale for the breakneck industrialisation of the Soviet Union at the end of the 1920s. The Soviet leadership's central preoccupation in the 1930s was Nazi Germany; this book convincingly argues that Bolshevik perceptions of Poland and the capitalist world in the decade before were given as much significance and were ultimately crucial to the rise of Stalinism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

New Books Network
Peter Whitewood, "The Soviet-Polish War and its Legacy: Lenin's Defeat and the Rise of Stalinism" (Bloomsbury, 2023)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2025 74:00


This detailed study traces the history of the Soviet-Polish War (1919-20), the first major international clash between the forces of communism and anti-communism, and the impact this had on Soviet Russia in the years that followed. It reflects upon how the Bolsheviks fought not only to defend the fledgling Soviet state, but also to bring the revolution to Europe. Peter Whitewood shows that while the Red Army's rapid drive to the gates of Warsaw in summer 1920 raised great hopes for world revolution, the subsequent collapse of the offensive had a more striking result. The Soviet military and political leadership drew the mistaken conclusion that they had not been defeated by the Polish Army, but by the forces of the capitalist world - Britain and France - who were perceived as having directed the war behind-the-scenes. They were taken aback by the strength of the forces of counterrevolution and convinced they had been overcome by the capitalist powers. The Soviet-Polish War and its Legacy (Bloomsbury, 2023) reveals that - in the aftermath of the catastrophe at Warsaw -Lenin, Stalin and other senior Bolsheviks were convinced that another war against Poland and its capitalist backers was inevitable with this perpetual fear of war shaping the evolution of the early Soviet state. It also further encouraged the creation of a centralised and repressive one-party state and provided a powerful rationale for the breakneck industrialisation of the Soviet Union at the end of the 1920s. The Soviet leadership's central preoccupation in the 1930s was Nazi Germany; this book convincingly argues that Bolshevik perceptions of Poland and the capitalist world in the decade before were given as much significance and were ultimately crucial to the rise of Stalinism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in Military History
Peter Whitewood, "The Soviet-Polish War and its Legacy: Lenin's Defeat and the Rise of Stalinism" (Bloomsbury, 2023)

New Books in Military History

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2025 74:00


This detailed study traces the history of the Soviet-Polish War (1919-20), the first major international clash between the forces of communism and anti-communism, and the impact this had on Soviet Russia in the years that followed. It reflects upon how the Bolsheviks fought not only to defend the fledgling Soviet state, but also to bring the revolution to Europe. Peter Whitewood shows that while the Red Army's rapid drive to the gates of Warsaw in summer 1920 raised great hopes for world revolution, the subsequent collapse of the offensive had a more striking result. The Soviet military and political leadership drew the mistaken conclusion that they had not been defeated by the Polish Army, but by the forces of the capitalist world - Britain and France - who were perceived as having directed the war behind-the-scenes. They were taken aback by the strength of the forces of counterrevolution and convinced they had been overcome by the capitalist powers. The Soviet-Polish War and its Legacy (Bloomsbury, 2023) reveals that - in the aftermath of the catastrophe at Warsaw -Lenin, Stalin and other senior Bolsheviks were convinced that another war against Poland and its capitalist backers was inevitable with this perpetual fear of war shaping the evolution of the early Soviet state. It also further encouraged the creation of a centralised and repressive one-party state and provided a powerful rationale for the breakneck industrialisation of the Soviet Union at the end of the 1920s. The Soviet leadership's central preoccupation in the 1930s was Nazi Germany; this book convincingly argues that Bolshevik perceptions of Poland and the capitalist world in the decade before were given as much significance and were ultimately crucial to the rise of Stalinism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

New Books Network
László Borhi, "Survival under Dictatorships: Life and Death in Nazi and Communist Regimes" (Central European UP, 2024)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025 47:49


A complex array of individual responses to the abuse of power by the state is represented in this book in three horrific episodes in the history of East-Central Europe. The three events followed each other within a span of about ten years: the deportation and murder of Hungarian Jews in Nazi death and labor camps; the Arrow Cross terrorist rule in Budapest; and finally the Stalinist terror in Hungary and East-Central Europe. In Survival under Dictatorships: Life and Death in Nazi and Communist Regimes (Central European UP, 2024), László Borhi explores the relationship between the individual and power, attempting to understand the mechanism of oppression and terror produced by arbitrary, unbridled power through the experience of normal people. Despite the obvious peculiarities of time and place, the Hungarian cases convey universal lessons about the Holocaust, Nazism, and Stalinism. In the author's conception, the National Socialist and Stalinist experiences are linked on several levels. Both regimes defended their visions of the future against social groups whom they saw as implacable enemies of those visions, and who therefore had to be destroyed for sake of social perfection. Furthermore, the social practices of National Socialism were passed on. And although Stalinism was imposed by a foreign power, some of the survival skills for coping with it were rehearsed under the previous hellish experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in History
László Borhi, "Survival under Dictatorships: Life and Death in Nazi and Communist Regimes" (Central European UP, 2024)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2025 47:49


A complex array of individual responses to the abuse of power by the state is represented in this book in three horrific episodes in the history of East-Central Europe. The three events followed each other within a span of about ten years: the deportation and murder of Hungarian Jews in Nazi death and labor camps; the Arrow Cross terrorist rule in Budapest; and finally the Stalinist terror in Hungary and East-Central Europe. In Survival under Dictatorships: Life and Death in Nazi and Communist Regimes (Central European UP, 2024), László Borhi explores the relationship between the individual and power, attempting to understand the mechanism of oppression and terror produced by arbitrary, unbridled power through the experience of normal people. Despite the obvious peculiarities of time and place, the Hungarian cases convey universal lessons about the Holocaust, Nazism, and Stalinism. In the author's conception, the National Socialist and Stalinist experiences are linked on several levels. Both regimes defended their visions of the future against social groups whom they saw as implacable enemies of those visions, and who therefore had to be destroyed for sake of social perfection. Furthermore, the social practices of National Socialism were passed on. And although Stalinism was imposed by a foreign power, some of the survival skills for coping with it were rehearsed under the previous hellish experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

The Burn Bag Podcast
Is Russia Fascist? Putinism, the Russian Far-Right, and the Global Illiberal Trend with Professor Marlene Laruelle

The Burn Bag Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2025 49:00


In this episode, A'ndre welcomes Professor Marlene Laruelle, a leading expert on Russian politics and nationalism, for a deep dive into the evolution of far-right politics in Russia. The discussion begins with a foundational exploration of fascism—how it is defined, how it differs from broader far-right politics, and whether Russia's current trajectory aligns with historical fascist movements. Professor Laruelle traces the development of Russian far-right ideology from the Soviet collapse to the present day, analyzing its intersections with Soviet-era communism and Tsarist-era nationalism. She examines how elements of Stalinism persist in Putinism and how Russian nationalism has evolved under Putin's leadership.The conversation also expands beyond Russia, addressing Moscow's role in exporting far-right ideology to Eastern Europe and the broader rise of far-right politics across the continent. Professor Laruelle considers whether these trends reflect a broader rejection of the global liberal order or if they are driven by country-specific dynamics. A'ndre and Professor Laruelle then discuss whether growing illiberalism in Europe could signal a deeper shift towards authoritarianism. Finally, they explore whether the rise of far-right politics in the United States mirrors trends in Europe and Russia, or if these movements are shaped by unique national contexts.NOTE: This episode was recorded on December 17, 2024.

The Antifada
E267: Ex-Pat Zerg Rush w/ Nise_Yoshimi

The Antifada

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2024 80:48


Sean and Andy are joined by Sean, prolific poster and blogger and short fiction writer, to talk about the changes he has seen over the last decade as an expat worker in both mainland China and Hong Kong. What shifts in politics, the economy and social life has he seen? What is the material basis for Xi Jinping's anti-corruption campaign? In what ways is the 'reform and opening up' period of 'market Stalinism' similar to Tony Blair's New Labour Britain? What does the imperial and post-imperial gaze on Hong Kong and the east more generally say about western precepts of China and Chinese capitalism? Is a new social explosion in China on its way or are we all, even in the west, lying flat for the foreseeable future?To support our work, become a patron today at www.patreon.com/theantifada Follow Sean on the shit app: https://x.com/nise_yoshimiCheck out his excellent blog: https://lateralthinkingtechnology.wordpress.com/

New Discourses
Communism 2.0: Industrial Communism | James Lindsay

New Discourses

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2024 133:59


The EVILution of Communism Workshop, Session 2 Communism is a religious view that has evolved and adapted over the last two centuries, including right up to the present day. Understanding the developments and threats in our present world requires understanding what Communism really is, especially in its Marxist variants, and how it has developed and changed over the years. In response to this need, James Lindsay of New Discourses held a four-lecture workshop series on the EVILution of Communism in Dallas, Texas, at the start of August 2024. The second and third lectures in this series focus on what might be considered two tracks of twentieth-century Communism, both arising in different contexts, East and West, after the failure of Karl Marx's nineteenth century agitational evangelism. In this second lecture, the Eastern track is the focus, tracing the development of the Soviet Union through Vladimir Lenin's Bolshevik Party as a vanguard. Here, James Lindsay characterizes Eastern Marxism as a broadly state-industrial project, referring to Leninism, Stalinism, and Maoism variously as "Industrial Communism" and "State Communisms" for reasons he lays bare. The general theme is turning the state into an industrial apparatus for the socialist transformation of man himself, in addition to society and nature. In the end, the Eastern model of Marxism (Leninism, Stalinism, general Sovietism, and Maoism) failed everywhere it was attempted, leading to one of the greatest tragedies of human history. The other three lectures in this series can be found here: Session 1: Communism 1.0: Theoretical Communism: https://newdiscourses.com/2024/10/communism-1-0-theoretical-communism/ Session 3: Communism 2.5: Social Communism (Coming soon!) Session 4: Communism 3.0: Corporate Communism (Coming soon!) Notes (PDF): https://newdiscourses.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/DallasWorkshop24-Evilution-of-Communism.pdf New book! The Queering of the American Child: https://queeringbook.com/ Support New Discourses: https://newdiscourses.com/support Follow New Discourses on other platforms: https://newdiscourses.com/subscribe Follow James Lindsay: https://linktr.ee/conceptualjames © 2024 New Discourses. All rights reserved. #NewDiscourses #JamesLindsay #communism

Mark Levin Podcast
The Best Of Mark Levin - 7/27/24

Mark Levin Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2024 65:28


This week on the Mark Levin Show, the transformation has begun in the Democrat party to make it as if Joe Biden never existed and to reinvent Kamala Harris, because we have a president with dementia who should be removed under the 25th amendment along with a Vice president covering it up. The corrupt Democrat party and the corrupt media already stole the 2020 election from the voters and now they are on Phase 2 to steal 2024 and install Kamala Harris as president. Harris is a radical Democrat with no actual record of being a prosecutor except where she withheld exculpatory evidence among other corrupt activities. Democrats are campaigning on Kamala propaganda because they have no reality of facts to support the new persona they are creating. Kamala Harris is an outspoken Marxist who believes in equity over equality and that everyone should have the same outcome no matter how hard they work. Democrats are celebrating Stalinism in their party and the media is giddy to promote it. Harris let the southern border turn into a disaster and does not believe illegal immigration is a crime, which is why Democrats deflect the border czar title as Republican propaganda. Harris has exposed herself as a radical extreme Marxist, so the left will lie about her just like they lied about Biden and so many other things.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mark Levin Podcast
Mark Levin Audio Rewind - 7/26/24

Mark Levin Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2024 114:20


On Friday's Mark Levin Show, Kamala Harris is an outspoken Marxist who believes in equity over equality and that everyone should have the same outcome no matter how hard they work. Democrats are celebrating Stalinism in their party and the media is giddy to promote it. Harris let the southern border turn into a disaster and does not believe illegal immigration is a crime, which is why Democrats deflect the border czar title as Republican propaganda. Harris has exposed herself as a radical extreme Marxist, so the left will lie about her just like they lied about Biden and so many other things. Also, Kamala Harris despises Israel and Benjamin Netanyahu and the proof is in her actions, not what we're told to believe or who she is married to. Harris cannot and will not condemn Hamas and has ties to CAIR, an Islamic terrorist front group. Later, Mark is joined by Dave McCormick, candidate for Senate from Pennsylvania, to talk about his experience at the Trump rally and being so close to the assassination attempt, the disappointing failures of the FBI and Secret Service, and also his race for Senate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices