Podcasts about trotsky

CannCon and Ashe in America press into Chapter 14 of The Creature from Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin, titled The Best Enemy Money Can Buy, and the story gets darker fast. This week covers the actual coup that brought the Bolshevik minority to power in Russia, the New York financiers hiding behind Red Cross credentials, and the gap between the official humanitarian story and what really happened. The hosts unpack the two separate revolutions of 1917, why Lenin and Trotsky were not even in Russia when the first one occurred, and how a well funded minority faction ended up controlling an entire nation almost overnight. They also open the door into a side trip through World War II and the financing of both sides of that conflict, though the chapter is not finished this week. Expect uncomfortable parallels to modern events and plenty of genuine disbelief from the hosts.

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: The old “establishment” non-conservatives of the Republican Party get the chastisement they deserve from Scott McKay at The American Spectator: John Cornyn Is Owed No Revenge at the Expense of His Own Party. An absolute MUST READ and kudos to Senator Cruz for sparking this issue.Who are these self-entitled people willing to let win to salve their own overblown egos?: James Talarico Denies Jesus Is the Only Way, Says Allah Leads to Same Truth – blasphemous, essentially says the Son of God lied. This is as serious as it can get. Talarico pushed to end “tough-on-crime approach” in Texas James Talarico is an outright DSA sympathizing communist; his own words prove it Talarico shares communist revolution desire of Trotsky with DSA socialists Meanwhile, Tump's MAGA Inc. comes with with $10 million for Paxton & Elon Musk's PAC spending big for Paxton as are others.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.What to Know About the GOP's Unusual Midterm Convention – starts tomorrow in Dallas, runs through Thursday night. Reuters lies in this piece staying Trump “falsely called Democrats “communists” this year…” Falsely? That is opinion being published as news.Congratulations Regan Hutsell! The Houston woman was crowned Miss America 2027 – only the 4th Texan to win.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.  www.PrattonTexas.com

The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: Today, Jonathan Turley posted a column that echoes my coverage yesterday: Talarico brings a touch of Trotsky to the Texas Senate race.I wrote and covered yesterday: Democratic Socialists are, in their own words, dedicated to establishing the USA as communist state. DSA members and adherents are soldiers of the Cold War on the Soviet side, they are traitors to our country. More are noticing that James Talarico has long expressed DSA values even agreeing that our free capitalist system needs replacing with communism. No wonder the Chinese Commies love him. Another story: Talarico's ‘proud capitalist' about-face collides with resurfaced call to ‘dismantle' capitalism.HD37: Texas Democrat House candidate sponsored march with socialists, tied in tightly to the communist DSA.Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.Baker Hughes rig count shows Texas up one drilling rig this week.Massive Jobs Blowout: U.S. Economy Added 162,000 Jobs in August.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates.www.PrattonTexas.com

Joseph Stalin was the dictator of the Soviet Union from 1928 until he died in 1953. He was responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of people; tortured additional millions; annihilated cities and entire countries; and caused suffering that lasted for a half century after he died. Most of his victims were from his own country. But he also spread misery and fear around the world.

The extreme right and left wing unite at their extremes in totalitarianism and a god complex. Yet the battle between autocracies and democracies continues like some externalized projection of an internal split in the human psyche; as if the ancient archetypes of good and evil, light and dark, creation and destruction, hubris and nemesis are fighting out a cosmic battle on an earthly and human plane. If we are possessed by archetypes so deeply unconscious as to be capable of destroying us, then the beginning of an answer, as in all depth psychology, is to make the unconscious conscious, and awaken.

Ramón Mercader expected to easily kill Leon Trotsky, silently and instantly. He had rehearsed the blow for months, practiced the angle, tailored a pocket into his raincoat to conceal the shortened ice axe. On August 20, 1940, he stood behind Trotsky -- who was the principle leader of the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russian but exiled by Stalin after losing a power struggle -- in the study of his fortified villa in Coyoacán, Mexico, raised the weapon, and shut his eyes as the blade fell. What followed was not silence but a scream so raw that it froze the room. Trotsky did not collapse. He rose from his chair, seized the assassin's wrist, bit down on his hand, and forced the weapon loose. Blood streaming down his face, he stumbled into the dining room and gave his final order: "He must not be killed. He must be made to talk." He died twenty-six hours later. Thirty years after that, on his own deathbed, Mercader told his wife: "Trotsky is waiting for me on the other side. And he is still screaming." Today's guests are H. Keith Melton and Nigel West, authors of The Assassination of Leon Trotsky: Espionage, Scandal, and the Crime of the Century, the product of fifty years of investigation that took the authors to Moscow, into declassified Soviet intelligence files, and into the homes of the operatives' families. We discuss how Stalin's campaign against Trotsky was not a single plot but a global war of extermination that destroyed his entire family before it destroyed him, how a GPU mole named Sylvia Callen served as the personal secretary to the head of the American Trotskyist movement for nine years without detection, and how the first assassination attempt sprayed over three hundred rounds into Trotsky's bedroom and somehow failed to kill anyone. We look at how the assassin's convent-educated mother directed the backup plot that succeeded, why Ramón Mercader maintained his false identity inside a Mexican prison for a decade despite relentless interrogation, and how new medical evidence suggests Trotsky might have survived the attack if his doctors had operated differently. The authors argue that Trotsky's assassination was not a historical anomaly but a template for state-directed political murder that continues to echo from the Litvinenko poisoning to the Skripal attack today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Josh Ireland, author of The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy, Part One: The narrative opens with the 1936 executions of original Bolsheviks Zinoviev and Kamenev under Stalin's orders. Ireland explores the contrasting lives and decades-long rivalry of Leon Trotsky (born Lev Bronstein) and Joseph Stalin (born Ioseb Jughashvili). While Trotsky was a brilliant, aristocratic orator who organized the 1905 revolution and commanded the Red Army in an armored train, Stalin was a quiet, meticulous bureaucrat who patiently built a vast network of political alliances. Following Lenin's death, Stalin systematically isolated Trotsky, eventually expelling him from the Politburo in 1927 and driving him into global exile, culminating in his arrival in Mexico. (1)

Hour Three of A&G features... A full review of the Woke-pocalypse... Jack on GLP-1's! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour Three of A&G features... A full review of the Woke-pocalypse... Jack on GLP-1's! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coyoacán, 1940. Un calor sofocante precede a una de las ejecuciones políticas más calculadas del siglo XX. En este episodio de Fuera de Plano analizamos el asesinato de León Trotsky, el arquitecto de la Revolución Rusa convertido en el enemigo número uno de Stalin. Desvelamos la implacable persecución que acabó con su familia, la creación del asesino perfecto Ramón Mercader y la increíble odisea del piolet que puso fin a una era. Un viaje al corazón de un duelo a muerte que partió en dos a la Unión Soviética.Escúchanos en las principales plataformas digitales y visita www.fueradeplanopodcast.es para más contenido. ¡Gracias por acompañarnos en este viaje por el pasado!

In part two of our deep dive into China (and part four of our socialist organization series), we break down how Mao attempted to dialectically sublate a national front and a united front. We explore the structural inclusion of the "patriotic national bourgeoisie" into the block of four classes (symbolized by the stars on the Chinese flag) and contrast it with classical Soviet developmental theory and orthodox Marxism.We also dive into:- The historical debate between Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao, Lenin, and Trotsky.- Why modern "Hoxhaists" and Left Communists consider New Democracy to be revisionist.- The evolution of class structures under Deng Xiaoping and Jiang Zemin's "Three Represents" doctrine (allowing billionaires into the Party).- The reality of modern China's development: Is it a transitioning socialist project, or an hyper-competent form of state capitalism and developmental liberalism?Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell for Episode 5, where we pivot to National Frontism and National Bolshevism.Journal ArticlesDirlik, A. (1970). The ideological foundations of the Chinese Revolution. Journal of Contemporary History, 5(3), 39–54.Dittmer, L. (1977). Line struggle: Notes on its organizational context and theoretical development. Modern China, 3(3), 303–312.Fogel, J. A. (1980). Ai Siqi, establishment intellectual by Joshua A. Fogel. Modern China, 6(1), 23–47.Hammond, E. R. (1978). Marxism and the mass line [Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Berkeley]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.Korolev, A. (2017). De-ideologized mass line, regime responsiveness, and state-society relations. China Review, 17(2), 7–36.Lyman, S. V. (1970). The Chinese Communist Party in the United Front, 1937–1945 [Doctoral dissertation, University of California, Berkeley]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.Mazur, M. G. (1995). The United Front of the 1940s: A social and cultural perspective. Modern China, 21(4), 431–456.Selden, M. (1971). The Yenan Way in revolutionary China. The China Quarterly, (45), 263–294.Steiner, H. A. (1951). Current mass line tactics in Communist China. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 277(1), 422–436.Teiwes, F. C. (1978). The origins of rectification: Inner-party purgation in the 1930s. The China Quarterly, (74), 181–201.Tokuda, N. (1971). The mass line during the Yenan period. The China Quarterly, (47), 1–18.Townsend, J. R. (1967). Political participation in Communist China. University of California Press.Womack, B. (1980). The phase of de-Maoization in China. China Report, 16(1), 7–21.Womack, B. (1991). Mao Zedong and the sinification of Marxism. The China Quarterly, (126), 1–15.Young, G. (1980). On New Democracy and the transition to socialism. Modern China, 6(1), 3–22.Books & Primary SourcesCoble, P. M. (2023). The collapse of Nationalist China: How Chiang Kai-shek lost China's civil war. Cambridge University Press.Elbaum, M. (2018). Revolution in the air: Sixties radicals turn to Lenin, Mao and Che. Verso Books.Hirata, K. (2024). Making Mao's steelworks: Industrial Manchuria and the transnational origins of Chinese socialism. Cambridge University Press.Karl, R. E. (2010). Mao Zedong and China in the twentieth-century world: A concise history. Duke University Press.Li, H. (2024). Fighting on the cultural front: U.S.-China relations in the Cold War. Columbia University Press.Lin, C. (2019). Mass line. In C. Sorace, I. Franceschini, & N. Loubere (Eds.), Afterlives of Chinese Communism: Political concepts from Mao to Xi (p. 122). ANU Press.Lovell, J. (2019). Maoism: A global history. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group.Lowe, D. M. (1966). The function of "China" in Marx, Lenin, and Mao. University of California Press.Mao, Z. (1940). On New Democracy. Marxists Internet Archive.Mao, Z. (1977). A critique of Soviet economics. Monthly Review Press.Moufawad-Paul, J. (2016). Continuity and rupture: Philosophy in the Maoist terrain. Zero Books.Schram, S. R. (Ed.). (2005). Mao's road to power: Revolutionary writings 1912–1949: Vol. VII. New Democracy, 1939–1941. M.E. Sharpe.Zheng, Q. (Ed.). (2020). An ideological history of the Communist Party of China (Vol. 2) (L. Sun & S. Bryant, Trans.). Royal Collins Publishing Group.Send us Fan Mail Musis by Bitterlake, Used with Permission, all rights to BitterlakeSupport the showCrew:Host: C. Derick VarnIntro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.Intro Video Design: Jason MylesArt Design: Corn and C. Derick VarnLinks and Social Media:twitter: @varnvlogblue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.socialYou can find the additional streams on YoutubeCurrent Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic,Julian, Drea, Free Beer 

The Russian Revolution was the greatest event in history. Lenin, Trotsky, and the rest of the Bolsheviks led the working class to take power and hold it for the first time in history. October was living proof that the oppressed do not need their oppressors; that a better world is possible. It inspired a worldwide revolutionary wave in its wake, and remains a beacon of hope to the oppressed today.No party has sunk deeper roots among ordinary people than the Bolsheviks, and no victory has ever been more decisive or transformative than the one the Bolsheviks led them to achieve.This is why the ruling class will never forget the Bolsheviks, and it's why we must seek to study them. The Russian Revolution of 1917 still contains the most urgent lessons for revolutionaries today.In this presentation from the Western Canadian Marxist Summer School, Joel Bergman explains the lessons communists can draw from this inspiring event, in order to change the world today.

When Jews plunged into the world of politics en masse at the beginning of the 20th century, a variety of new options were available to them. Two of the leading figures who proffered novel, but opposing political avenues to the Jewish masses were Dr. Chaim Zhitlowsky and Leon Trotsky. Zhitlowsky, a founder of the Russian Socialist Revolutionary party, offered a synthesis of socialism and Yiddish nationalism. Trotsky, a leading Russian Social Democrat, formulated a strict version of internationalism that left no room for Jewish national aspirations. Many Jews, however, did not view their political choices in such stark terms. Instead, they saw both men as leaders and thinkers who pointed the way to Jewish national liberation and working-class revolution, a Jewish homeland, as well as a flourishing life in the diaspora. In this lecture, Tony Michels will explore the political ideas of Trotsky and Zhitlowsky, and how Jews engaged with them during the first half of the 20th century. This program is the first in a series of programs held in conjunction with YIVO's current digitization of the Jewish Labor and Political Archives (JLPA). Consisting of nearly 200 collections encompassing 3.5 million pages of archival documents that were collected by the Bund Archives, the JLPA forms the world's most comprehensive body of material pertaining to Jewish political activity in Europe and the United States. This lecture originally took place on April 28, 2025. 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

When Jews plunged into the world of politics en masse at the beginning of the 20th century, a variety of new options were available to them. Two of the leading figures who proffered novel, but opposing political avenues to the Jewish masses were Dr. Chaim Zhitlowsky and Leon Trotsky. Zhitlowsky, a founder of the Russian Socialist Revolutionary party, offered a synthesis of socialism and Yiddish nationalism. Trotsky, a leading Russian Social Democrat, formulated a strict version of internationalism that left no room for Jewish national aspirations. Many Jews, however, did not view their political choices in such stark terms. Instead, they saw both men as leaders and thinkers who pointed the way to Jewish national liberation and working-class revolution, a Jewish homeland, as well as a flourishing life in the diaspora. In this lecture, Tony Michels will explore the political ideas of Trotsky and Zhitlowsky, and how Jews engaged with them during the first half of the 20th century. This program is the first in a series of programs held in conjunction with YIVO's current digitization of the Jewish Labor and Political Archives (JLPA). Consisting of nearly 200 collections encompassing 3.5 million pages of archival documents that were collected by the Bund Archives, the JLPA forms the world's most comprehensive body of material pertaining to Jewish political activity in Europe and the United States. This lecture originally took place on April 28, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

When Jews plunged into the world of politics en masse at the beginning of the 20th century, a variety of new options were available to them. Two of the leading figures who proffered novel, but opposing political avenues to the Jewish masses were Dr. Chaim Zhitlowsky and Leon Trotsky. Zhitlowsky, a founder of the Russian Socialist Revolutionary party, offered a synthesis of socialism and Yiddish nationalism. Trotsky, a leading Russian Social Democrat, formulated a strict version of internationalism that left no room for Jewish national aspirations. Many Jews, however, did not view their political choices in such stark terms. Instead, they saw both men as leaders and thinkers who pointed the way to Jewish national liberation and working-class revolution, a Jewish homeland, as well as a flourishing life in the diaspora. In this lecture, Tony Michels will explore the political ideas of Trotsky and Zhitlowsky, and how Jews engaged with them during the first half of the 20th century. This program is the first in a series of programs held in conjunction with YIVO's current digitization of the Jewish Labor and Political Archives (JLPA). Consisting of nearly 200 collections encompassing 3.5 million pages of archival documents that were collected by the Bund Archives, the JLPA forms the world's most comprehensive body of material pertaining to Jewish political activity in Europe and the United States. This lecture originally took place on April 28, 2025. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

For those of you who have visited the International Spy Museum, you may be familiar with one of our most prized artifacts, the ice ax used to assassinate Leon Trotsky in 1940. Trotsky was the operational mastermind of the Russian Revolution of 1917, and when Vladimir Lenin died, many assumed Trotsky would succeed him as the central figure of the revolution. Joseph Stalin had other plans. What followed was a bitter rivalry that ended in Trotsky's demise. Our guest today, H. Keith Melton, not only tracked down the murder weapon but, alongside his colleague Nigel West, wrote the most comprehensive account of the plot and the assassination to date. H. Keith and Nigel join guest host Dr. Mark Jacobson to discuss their book, The Assassination of Leon Trotsky: Espionage, Scandal, and the Crime of the Century, ahead of their live program coming up on August 6, here at the International Spy Museum. Subscribe to Sasha's Substack, HUMINT, to get more intelligence stories: https://sashaingber.substack.com/ For more information about the International Spy Museum, visit:  https://www.spymuseum.org/ And if you have feedback or want to hear about a particular topic,  you can reach us by email at spycast@spymuseum.org. This show is brought to you by N2K Networks, Goat Rodeo, and the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. This episode was produced by Flora Warshaw and the team at Goat Rodeo. At the International Spy Museum, Mike Mincey and Memphis Vaughan III are our video editors. Emily Rens is our graphic designer. Joshua Troemel runs our SPY social media. Amanda Ohlke is our Director of Adult Education and Mira Cohen is the Vice President of Programs.

Execution in Wisconsin: Only the working class can stop police state terror / US bombards Iran for 13th straight night as White House plans “major” escalation / Jacobin falsifies Trotsky and historical record to promote popular front in Argentina

Episode 398 of RevolutionZ discusses how a revolution that topples a targeted regime can nonetheless fail to meet its grass roots aims even while celebrating victory. It continues a sequence of episodes aimed to assess Marxism Leninism as an ideology that might or might not usefully guide contemporary revolutionary practice. Having presented Classical Marxism and Leninism in the prior two episodes, this time we look hard at Bolshevik practice in Russia not as an academic exercise, but as a stress test for Marxism-Leninist revolutionary strategy, and for what working-class power is supposed to mean in real workplaces and communities. We start with a simple problem: if the goal is liberation, what counts as “winning”? Using voices from Volin, Bakunin, Luxemburg, Goldman, Castoriadis, and of course Lenin and Trotsky among others, we track how the 1917 upheaval surged from below and how the Bolsheviks, in the words of their own chroniclers, scrambled to catch up. Then we see how the trajectory  intentionally, self consciously bent until Soviets and factory committees that expressed mass initiative became subordinated, workers' control was absorbed into centralized state machinery, and even leftist dissent was treated as sabotage rather than feedback. From militarization of labor and one-man management to the destruction of internal factions, and again in the words of Lenin and Trotsky, the pattern became steadily clearer: discipline replaced solidarity, bureaucracy replaced self-management, and “party dictatorship” was justified as the only path to socialism. The episode finally culminates with the Makhnovist challenge and the Kronstadt rebellion of 1921, where demands for free Soviets, free speech for left currents, and an end to party privilege were met with force and a tightening of repression. At the close of the Sixties many who participated cared about the Russian Revolution, socialism, anarchism, worker self-management, and particularly the recurring problem of revolutions reproducing hierarchy. Responding to those concerns I wrote What Is To Be Undone, the book which this episode's chapter was excepted from. Some will hear this episode and feel it is too critical. Some others will feel it is too gentle. Is it one, the other, or neither? I hope it will appear as an article shortly to facilitate in depth reactions. People will also feel such emotions, perhaps even more so, about the next two episodes that will assess Leninism and then Classical Marxism in light of this episode's account of Marxist Leninist practice. I hope advocates of the Marxist Leninist ideology will engage with the material, leave comments, and perhaps even write articles in reply. Support the show

Episode 397 of RevoluionZ takes a careful walk through classical Leninist strategy, presenting it as sympathetically as we can so that the real strengths and real weaknesses show themselves without caricature. The context is Marxism-Leninism as an ideology--Classical ideologies as a way to read social conditions, determine goals, choose strategy, and treat organization as a complex revolutionary weapon rather than a neutral container. We start with Lenin the strategist: theory guides him, but he fits his tactics to concrete conditions. That means as Lenin urges, learning to retreat when needed, combining legal and illegal work, and being willing to maneuver, compromise, and even participate in reactionary parliaments when it helps reach workers and expose the system's limits. We ask the uncomfortable question hidden inside his famous “zigzags” offense: who decides on what basis which compromises are smart and which ones corrode the project from the inside? From there we track how the vanguard party, democratic centralism, and “iron discipline” emerged, then moved through 1905, imperialism and World War I, and the 1917 crisis of peace, bread, land, and liberty. We look at what was advocated for after power is taken, consider the turn toward state capitalism as a transitional tactic, consider the tightening of centralized rule, the resolution of debates around worker democracy, and the export of the Bolshevik model through the Third International. All of this is considered using the actual words and choices of Lenin, Trotsky, and a few supporters and critics.If these questions feel relevant right now, that's the point. After resisting authoritarianism, what ideology and organizing methods can help us build something better than a return to business as usual? Last episode presented Classical Marxist theory. This episode presents Leninist strategy. Next episode will assess Bolshevik practice and then we will go back to strategy and finally to its roots in theory and finally consider a couple of alternatives. It is a long sequence and each episode is itself long but also accessible. Each is also offered a bit later as an article for further consideration. Then again choosing one's tools for a profound task is not a trivial task. These episodes are not tweets. I hope you will have time for them and thus for carefully thinking through the tasks we now face. Support the show

Episode 396 of RevolutionZ presents Classical Marxism as Marxist Leninists typically utilize it. It is part of a sequence of episodes aimed at  helping to assess classical ideologies to determine whether activists should opt for one or reject them all and move on to something better. Marxism can feel like a master key: one theory that explains why society is stuck, who holds power, and how history finally breaks open. We put that promise on the table as we read classical Marxist theory including long eloquent and revealing quotations from Marx and Engels all at an intentionally modestly academic pace, because the details matter if we want an ideology that can guide effective day to day, month to month, and year to year strategy rather than only inspire slogans.We walk through the classic building blocks: scarcity and the 19th-century context that shaped Marx's project, dialectics as change driven by internal contradictions, and historical materialism's insistence that social life rests on production and reproduction. From there we trace how classical Marxism connects human nature to social relations, treats consciousness as rooted in practice, and argues that knowledge proves itself in action. We also name a tension between the narrower “classical” picture and the richer humanist strain in Marx that centers alienation and human potential.Then we apply the classical Marxist conceptual framework to capitalism: exploitation and surplus, the corporation and the state working in tandem, imperial expansion, and recurring crises of overproduction. Classical Marxism claims these pressures forge the working class into a revolutionary force, culminating in a transition through proletarian rule toward a classless communist society where freedom expands and alienation ends. That Marxist storyline is attractive, but we end this presentation where the real work starts: are Classical Marxism's concepts and claims accurate and complete enough to guide us through changing the world around us. What strategy and practice does this theory actually produce? How do we assess it all?What comes after Trump-era politics? After we erase the stain of his imprint, what follows? Do we continue on to  not only stop fascism but also fundamentally change current societies and history? If we should, and I hope we agree on that, do we have concepts, methods, and aims sufficient to guide that journey without imposing new failures and without allowing our baggage from having been twisted and fed for all our lives by living under capitalist, misogynist, racist. and authoritarian, conditions? Do we have at hand an ideology sufficient to that admittedly immense task? Next up will be to present Leninist strategy as propounded by, well, Lenin and Trotsky, and used by Leninist parties over and over and over, as yet another episode precursor to evaluating and resolving where to look for viable and worthy theory, strategy, tactics, and aims for current movements that seek to win a fundamentally better future.The label WITBU in this episode's title, refers to the book the content was excerpted from, What Is To Be Undone? This episode and those to follow in this "WITBU sequence" seek to discover whether what we need to undo is past deviations from Marxism Leninism, as some claim, or redoubled advocacy for for Marxism Leninism as some urge.Support the show

Today Justin talks with Josh Ireland. Josh has a master's degree in history from the University of York. After graduating, he worked as an editor at Headline and Quercus, two of Great Britain's leading publishing companies. Josh has ghostwritten numerous books for A-list celebrities, sports stars, politicians, oligarchs, and adventurers, including five Sunday Times bestsellers. He's also the author of two previous nonfiction titles under his own name. Josh is here todY to discuss his third and newest book,The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy which is available now from Penguin Random House. Connect with Josh: joshireland.co.uk Twitter/X: @JoshJohnIreland Check out the book, The Death of Trotsky, here. https://a.co/d/08n7PeB3 Connect with Spycraft 101: Get Justin's latest book, Murder, Intrigue, and Conspiracy: Stories from the Cold War and Beyond, here. spycraft101.com IG: @spycraft101 Shop: shop.spycraft101.com Substack: spycraft101.substack.com Patreon: Spycraft 101 Find Justin's first book, Spyshots: Volume One, here. Check out Justin's second book, Covert Arms, here. Download the free eBook, The Clandestine Operative's Sidearm of Choice, here. Kruschiki The best surplus military goods delivered right to your door. Use code SPYCRAFT101 for 10% off! https://kruschiki.com/ Clandestine Laboratories Your new favorite fragrance is here. I'm partial to Novochoc. https://www.clandestinelaboratories.com/fragrances Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Renata Price (Crit Build, video essayist, critic, games writer) and I find out that the core of the anarchist tradition is that power is always illegitimate, unless it proves itself to be a ninety-nine question interview in disguise. Join Renata and I as we discuss attempting to break new ground in the medium of video essays with Crit Build, how Red vs Blue changed her life, too much caffeine, the Kuleshov effect, new slurs, click-through rates, dot zone domains, Trotsky, re-learning to sing, & Caves of Qud. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠99 Questions on Instagram!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠99 Questions on BlueSky!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠r/99questionspod on Reddit!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠--ASK ME A QUESTION! The 99 Question Hotline!--732-592-9838 (aka REAL-WAX-VET)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠99questionspod@gmail.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠99Q Merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Will Lehman's nomination for UAW president: A milestone in the fight for rank-and-file power / Free Ercan Akpolat, the Turkish mayor of the historic Prinkipo island where Trotsky lived! Stop the political witch hunt by the Erdoğan regime! / US-Iran deal on the verge of breakdown 48 hours after being signed

Harpal Brar | 1 May 2026 Stalin made regular efforts to counter the tendency of Soviet scientists to adopt a servile attitude towards their equivalents in the more backward imperialist west. Contrary to the myths peddled by Khrushchev and Trotsky and repeated endlessly by anticommunist historians, Josef Stalin was a selfless, modest and devoted revolutionary, and a lifelong student of Marxist-Leninist science. ---------------------------------------------------- Subscribe! Donate! Join us in building a bright future for humanity! www.thecommunists.org www.lalkar.org www.redyouth.org Telegram: t.me/thecommunists Twitter: twitter.com/cpgbml Soundcloud: @proletarianradio Rumble: rumble.com/c/theCommunists Odysee: odysee.com/@proletariantv:2 Facebook: www.facebook.com/cpgbml Online Shop: https://shop.thecommunists.org/ Education Program: https://thecommunists.org/education-programme/ Each one teach one! www.londonworker.org/education-programme/ Join the struggle www.thecommunists.org/join/ Donate: www.thecommunists.org/donate/

Russia has long pursued its critics beyond its borders, and in The Death of Trotsky, award-winning author Josh Ireland recounts how Stalin's secret police hunted Trotsky across Europe before he was assassinated in Mexico with an ice axe. Ireland vividly brings to life both Trotsky and his killer while illuminating the turbulent political landscape of the 1930s. To learn more about Josh Ireland visit: https://www.joshireland.co.uk/ Watch on Youtube: https://bit.ly/4omqtru Listen on Spotify: Listen on Apple:

Stalin's study of history and diplomacy informed the Soviet Union's careful handling of foreign affairs and in particular its dealings with the imperialist powers. Contrary to the myths peddled by Khrushchev and Trotsky and repeated endlessly by anticommunist historians, Josef Stalin was a selfless, modest and devoted revolutionary, and a lifelong student of Marxist-Leninist science. -------------------------------------------------- Subscribe! Donate! Join us in building a bright future for humanity! www.thecommunists.org www.lalkar.org www.redyouth.org Telegram: t.me/thecommunists Twitter: twitter.com/cpgbml Soundcloud: @proletarianradio Rumble: rumble.com/c/theCommunists Odysee: odysee.com/@proletariantv:2 Facebook: www.facebook.com/cpgbml Online Shop: https://shop.thecommunists.org/ Education Program: https://thecommunists.org/education-programme/ Each one teach one! www.londonworker.org/education-programme/ Join the struggle www.thecommunists.org/join/ Donate: www.thecommunists.org/donate/

James Tunney, LLM, is an Irish barrister and author of The Mystery of the Trapped Light: Mystical Thoughts in the Dark Age of Scientism plus The Mystical Accord: Sutras to Suit Our Times, Lines for Spiritual Evolution; also TechBondAge: Slavery of the Human Spirit, Human Entrance to Transhumanism: Machine Merger and the End of Humanity, and AI-Govnerveance: Care and Possession in Dustopia. His most recent book is Trotsky vs Jesus: Battle of the AI-Millennium. His website is https://www.jamestunney.com/ James explores the concept of theological anthropology — the understanding of human nature derived from beliefs about God — and its implications for Christianity and the modern world. He discusses the significance of the incarnation of Jesus Christ, arguing that it affirms the dignity of the human body and offers a spiritual framework for understanding suffering, morality, and human purpose. Tunney also examines contemporary challenges such as transhumanism, artificial intelligence, and secularization, suggesting that traditional theological perspectives may provide insight into humanity's future. 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:47 Defining theological anthropology 00:07:36 Humanity created in the image of God 00:15:36 The incarnation and the dignity of the human body 00:20:38 AI, transhumanism, and the future challenge to humanity 00:28:30 The civilizational significance of the event of Golgotha 00:35:00 Reason, theology, and moral philosophy 00:44:15 Secularization and the historical struggle over religion 00:58:38 Spiritual awakening, virtue, and the social role of religion 01:19:40 Conclusion New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in “parapsychology” ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980). He is also the Grand Prize winner of the 2021 Bigelow Institute essay competition regarding the best evidence for survival of human consciousness after permanent bodily death. He is Co-Director of Parapsychology Education at the California Institute for Human Science. (Recorded on Thursday, March 5, 2026) For a complete, updated list with links to all of our videos, see https://newthinkingallowed.com/Listings.htm. Check out the New Thinking Allowed Foundation website at http://www.newthinkingallowed.org. There you will find our incredible, searchable database as well as opportunities to shop and to support our video productions – plus, this is where people can subscribe to our FREE, weekly Newsletter and can download a FREE .pdf copy of our quarterly magazine. To order high-quality, printed copies of our quarterly magazine: NTA-Magazine.MagCloud.com Check out New Thinking Allowed’s AI chatbot. You can create a free account at awakin.ai/open/jeffreymishlove. When you enter the space, you will see that our chatbot is one of several you can interact with. While it is still a work in progress, it has been trained on 1,600 NTA transcripts. It can provide intelligent answers about the contents of our interviews. It’s almost like having a conversation with Jeffrey Mishlove. If you would like to join our team of volunteers, helping to promote the New Thinking Allowed YouTube channel on social media, editing and translating videos, creating short video trailers based on our interviews, helping to upgrade our website, or contributing in other ways (we may not even have thought of), please send an email to friends@newthinkingallowed.com. To download and listen to audio versions of the New Thinking Allowed videos, please visit our new podcast at https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/new-thinking-allowed-audio-podcast/id1435178031. Download and read Jeffrey Mishlove’s Grand Prize essay in the Bigelow Institute competition, Beyond the Brain: The Survival of Human Consciousness After Permanent Bodily Death, go to https://www.bigelowinstitute.org/docs/1st.pdf. You can help support our video productions while enjoying a good book. To order a copy of New Thinking Allowed Dialogues: Is There Life After Death? click on https://amzn.to/3LzLA7Y (As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.) To order the second book in the New Thinking Allowed Dialogues series, Russell Targ: Ninety Years of ESP, Remote Viewing, and Timeless Awareness, go to https://amzn.to/4aw2iyr To order a copy of New Thinking Allowed Dialogues: UFOs and UAP – Are We Really Alone?, go to https://amzn.to/3Y0VOVh To order a copy of Charles T. Tart: Seventy Years of Exploring Consciousness and Parapsychology, go to https://amzn.to/4oOUJLn To order Trotsky vs Jesus: Battle of the AI-Millennium by James Tunney, go to https://amzn.to/46v9Ylb To order AI Govnerveance: Care and Possession in Dustopia by James Tunney, go to https://amzn.to/3ZUeC8D

"For our demands most moderate are, We only want the earth." - James Connolly, 1907James Connolly is often portrayed as simply an Irish nationalist. This couldn't be further from the truth. The leader of the Easter rising, he was a revolutionary Marxist. His study of Marx and Engels guided his fight for an Irish socialist republic, independently bringing him to similar conclusions as Lenin and the Bolsheviks. From the question of national liberation, to international socialism, and the struggle for working class unity, Connolly's legacy offers invaluable lessons for revolutionaries today.In this presentation, Ben Curry (from the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International) explains the impact of Connolly's life and ideas. Connolly's unfinished work - for an Irish socialist republic, and a socialist world - is up to us to complete. Armed with his ideas, as well as those of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Trotsky, the working class will win.This presentation was recorded live in Toronto on May 19, 2026.Further reading:James Connolly and the Easter RisingIreland: Republicanism and Revolution Buy the book!Join the Revolutionary Communist Party

SCHEDULE THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW-5-25-2026.1789 NEW YORK.Guest Author Josh Ireland discusses his book The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy. The Russian Revolution began with Bolshevik fanatics using violence to impose their will on the masses. Irelandexplains the emerging rivalry between Trotsky and Stalin amidst the brutal purge of original revolutionaries. (1/16)In The Death of Trotsky, Josh Ireland describes how the intellectual Trotsky and bureaucratic Stalin competed for power following Lenin's death. Stalin maneuvered patiently to isolate Trotsky, who missed Lenin's funeral while recovering from a mysterious and poorly timed illness. (2/16)Josh Ireland explains that Trotsky was expelled from the Politburo after labeling Stalin the "gravedigger of the revolution." He began a global exile, eventually finding sanctuary in Mexico at the invitation of muralist Diego Rivera. (3/16)Josh Ireland details how, in Mexico, Trotsky faced constant threats from Stalin's assassins. Despite the fortified walls of his compound, the NKVD relentlessly monitored his correspondence and successfully infiltrated his inner circle with undercover agents. (4/16)Josh Ireland recounts how the Mercader family, led by the radicalized Caridad, was recruited by the NKVD during the Spanish Civil War. Her son Ramon was trained as a ruthless agent capable of carrying out high-stakes assassinations. (5/16)Josh Ireland describes how Ramon Mercader seduced Sylvia Ageloff to penetrate Trotsky's inner circle under a false identity. Meanwhile, a chaotic machine-gun raid by Stalinist gunmen failed to kill Trotsky, leading to even tighter security measures. (6/16)Josh Ireland recounts how Ramon Mercader used a mountaineer's ice pick to fatally wound Trotsky inside his study. Captured by guards, Ramon maintained a web of lies to conceal his true role as a Soviet operative. (7/16)Josh Ireland explains that following Trotsky's death, Ramon served twenty years in a Mexican prison before returning to Moscow as a hero. Trotsky's wife, Natalia, lived a diminished final chapter after losing her entire family. (8/16)Guest Author Edward J. Larson discusses his book Declaring Independence: Why 1776 Matters. The unprovoked burning of Norfolk, Virginia, by the Royal Navy in January 1776 served as a catalyst for independence. This violence convinced many colonists that reconciliation with the British Crown was impossible. (9/16)In Declaring Independence, Edward J. Larson describes how Henry Knox executed a daring winter transport of heavy artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston. This logistical feat allowed Washington to fortify Dorchester Heights, forcing the British to evacuate the city. (10/16)Edward J. Larson recounts how Washington attempted to defend New York against a massive British armada. The Howe brothers tried to negotiate a peace deal, but American commitment to independence remained firm despite the overwhelming force. (11/16)Edward J. Larson explains that George Mason drafted the Virginia Declaration of Rights while Washington realized he must preserve his army through retreat. The revolution shifted toward establishing independent state governments based on popular sovereignty. (12/16)Edward J. Larson details how, during a grueling retreat through New Jersey, Thomas Paine's The American Crisisrevitalized colonial spirits. British and Hessian atrocities against civilians further alienated the population and strengthened the resolve for independence. (13/16)Edward J. Larson recounts how Abigail Adams urged her husband to "remember the ladies" during the debates over independence. Revolutionary ideals of equality began to raise significant questions regarding the status of women and enslaved people. (14/16)Edward J. Larson describes how Washington led a desperate Christmas crossing of the Delaware River to surprise the Hessians at Trenton. The subsequent victory at Princeton provided the moral triumph needed to sustain the struggling Continental Army. (15/16)Edward J. Larson explains that the formal signing of the Declaration of Independence marked a permanent break with monarchy. New state constitutions prioritized popular sovereignty, establishing the rule of law as the foundation of the Republic. (16/16)

Josh Ireland describes how Ramon Mercader seduced Sylvia Ageloff to penetrate Trotsky's inner circle under a false identity. Meanwhile, a chaotic machine-gun raid by Stalinist gunmen failed to kill Trotsky, leading to even tighter security measures. (6/16)1914

Josh Ireland explains that following Trotsky's death, Ramon served twenty years in a Mexican prison before returning to Moscow as a hero. Trotsky's wife, Natalia, lived a diminished final chapter after losing her entire family. (8/16)1919

Josh Ireland recounts how Ramon Mercader used a mountaineer's ice pick to fatally wound Trotsky inside his study. Captured by guards, Ramon maintained a web of lies to conceal his true role as a Soviet operative. (7/16)1917

Josh Ireland details how, in Mexico, Trotsky faced constant threats from Stalin's assassins. Despite the fortified walls of his compound, the NKVD relentlessly monitored his correspondence and successfully infiltrated his inner circle with undercover agents. (4/16)1906

Josh Ireland explains that Trotsky was expelled from the Politburo after labeling Stalin the "gravedigger of the revolution." He began a global exile, eventually finding sanctuary in Mexico at the invitation of muralist Diego Rivera. (3/16)1906

In The Death of Trotsky, Josh Ireland describes how the intellectual Trotsky and bureaucratic Stalin competed for power following Lenin's death. Stalin maneuvered patiently to isolate Trotsky, who missed Lenin's funeral while recovering from a mysterious and poorly timed illness. (2/16)1902

Guest Author Josh Ireland discusses his book The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy. The Russian Revolution began with Bolshevik fanatics using violence to impose their will on the masses. Irelandexplains the emerging rivalry between Trotsky and Stalin amidst the brutal purge of original revolutionaries. (1/16)1902

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

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

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

10. Infiltrating Trotsky's Compound Through Seduction Guest: Josh Ireland Summary: Ramon Mercader seduces Sylvia Ageloff to penetrate Trotsky's fortress in Mexico City. Despite the heavy guard and fortifications, Ramon gains the trust of the household by posing as a politically disinterested playboy. (10)1923 PRESIDIUM

11. Planning the Assassination with a Mountaineer's Ice Pick Guest: Josh Ireland Summary: Following a failed armed raid, the NKVD tasks Ramon with murdering Trotsky. They select an ice pick for the attack to ensure a silent kill that carries a brutal, symbolic impact. (11)1924

12. The Aftermath of Trotsky's Death and the Assassin's Legacy Guest: Josh Ireland Summary: Trotsky dies a day after the attack, while Ramon serves twenty years in a Mexican prison. Caridad lives her final years in bitter exile, and Stalin barely registers the mission's success. (12)MAY 1925 MOSCOW

SHOW SCHEDULE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 3-27-2026.1925 STALIN AND TROTSKY, MOSCOW1. Iran's Nuclear Status and the NPT Framework Guest: Henry Sokolski Summary: Sokolski analyzes Iranian hardliners' threats to withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty. He explores the military risks of targeting nuclear sites like Dimona and the strategic complexities of attacking national electric grids. (1)2. Taiwanese Nuclear Policy and Barksdale Drone Incursions Guest: Henry Sokolski Summary: Taiwan considers restarting nuclear plants to mitigate energy desperation. Meanwhile, jam-resistant drone swarms at Barksdale Air Force Base suggest potential Chinese interference intended to delay American responses to nuclear-related operations. (2)3. The SAVE Act and the Debate Over Voter Eligibility Guest: Richard Epstein Summary: Epstein discusses the SAVE Act, which requires documentary proof of citizenship for voting. He weighs the balance between preventing election fraud and the potential burdens placed on legitimate voters by strict identification. (3)4. The Removal Dispute of Judge Pauline Newman Guest: Richard Epstein Summary: Epstein critiques the suspension of 98-year-old Judge Pauline Newman, arguing her colleagues lack cause for removal. He characterizes the move as "manipulative shenanigans" driven by internal politics rather than intellectual incompetence. (4)5. Gas Prices and the Start of Pennsylvania Trout Season Guest: Jim McTague Summary: McTague highlights rising fuel costs and a slowing retail economy in Lancaster County. He contrasts the "amateur hour" of opening day trout fishing with the tranquil, native-stocked streams of Central Pennsylvania. (5)6. Italian Soccer Pressure and Meloni's Cabinet Reshuffle Guest: Lorenzo Fiori Summary: Fiori previews the Azzurri's high-stakes match against Wales and explains Prime Minister Meloni's firing of controversial officials. He also stresses the importance of authentic Parmesan and the beauty of Sardinian heritage. (6)7. NASA Restructuring and the Pivot to a Moon Base Guest: Bob Zimmerman Summary: NASA's new administrator pauses the Lunar Gateway to focus on building a permanent lunar base by 2033. Zimmerman contrasts these government plans with the rapid commercial success and valuation of SpaceX. (7)8. Observing Comet Nuclei and the Outer Planets Guest: Bob Zimmerman Summary: Astronomers witness a rare reversal in a comet's rotation as its nucleus sublimates. Zimmerman reviews new imagery of Saturn and Neptune, arguing for more orbiters to explore the solar system's significant "gaps". (8)9. The Revolutionary Background of the Mercader Family Guest: Josh Ireland Summary: Ireland details the radicalization of the Mercader family, led by the charismatic Caridad. He explains how her son Ramon was recruited by the NKVD during the Spanish Civil War for future espionage. (9)10. Infiltrating Trotsky's Compound Through Seduction Guest: Josh Ireland Summary: Ramon Mercader seduces Sylvia Ageloff to penetrate Trotsky's fortress in Mexico City. Despite the heavy guard and fortifications, Ramon gains the trust of the household by posing as a politically disinterested playboy. (10)11. Planning the Assassination with a Mountaineer's Ice Pick Guest: Josh Ireland Summary: Following a failed armed raid, the NKVD tasks Ramon with murdering Trotsky. They select an ice pick for the attack to ensure a silent kill that carries a brutal, symbolic impact. (11)12. The Aftermath of Trotsky's Death and the Assassin's Legacy Guest: Josh Ireland Summary: Trotsky dies a day after the attack, while Ramon serves twenty years in a Mexican prison. Caridad lives her final years in bitter exile, and Stalin barely registers the mission's success. (12)13. Vegas Transformation: Sports, Tech, and Nuclear History Guest: Jeff Bliss Summary: Bliss explores the Las Vegas strip's evolution into a sports capital and the introduction of Zooks robo-taxis. He notes the area's grim history with atmospheric nuclear testing and resulting radiation claims. (13)14. Political Turmoil and the Homeless Crisis in Los Angeles Guest: Jeff Bliss Summary: Bliss reports on the visual horrors of homeless encampments and the political pressure on Mayor Karen Bass. He also examines the "jungle primary" system and stalled recovery in Pacific Palisades. (14)15. The Enlightenment Foundations of American Civic Education Guest: Jacob Howland Summary: Howland discusses Thomas Jefferson's focus on applied science and the role of liberal education in a republic. He emphasizes Eva Brann's belief that classroom seminars cultivate the habits necessary for civil debate. (15)16. The Crisis of Activism in Modern Higher Education Guest: Jacob Howland Summary: Howland critiques universities for prioritizing the training of social activists over traditional knowledge transmission. He argues that regarding the professorship as a political podium cheats students of a real, broad education. (16)

10. Stalin built power through patience and bureaucratic alliances, while the charismatic Trotsky viewed him as a "gray blur". Trotsky's failure to grasp practical politics was exemplified by his decision to skip Lenin's funeral, allowing Stalin to position himself as the revolution's rightful heir. (10)1924

11. Stalin systematically marginalized Trotsky by suppressing his speeches and removing his allies from the Kremlin. By labeling Trotsky a "gravedigger of the revolution," Stalin used him as a spectre of failure to justify total control and internal purges of his own peers. (11)1928 ALMAY-ALTAI WITH NATALYA

12. Trotsky's exile in Mexico was defined by a fatalistic awareness that Stalin's assassins would eventually succeed. Despite the protection of his entourage and famous hosts like Diego Rivera, he realized no individual could withstand an empire's mobilized secret police. (12)1928-29

SHOW SCHEDULE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW 3-26-261920 TROTSKY AND THE ARMORED TRAIN1. John Batchelor and Anatol Lieven discuss how the Middle East conflict impacts the global economy through energy and fertilizer shortages. They explore whether major powers like Moscow and Washington are losing focus on the war in Ukraine due to the escalating crisis in the Persian Gulf. (1)2. Rising oil prices have significantly increased Russian confidence and revenue, providing an extra $150 million daily. However, a potential U.S. ground war in Iran could force a choice between defending Ukraine or the Gulf, potentially allowing China to decisively intervene in either theater. (2)3. Economist John Cochrane warns that government subsidies for high gas prices compound oil shocks into inflation. Comparing current trends to 1979, he argues that price controls lead to shortages, while free-market incentives are necessary to encourage production and efficient consumption. (3)4. Conrad Black notes that while Canadians support regime change in Iran, they view themselves as spectators regarding oil impacts. He emphasizes that closing the Strait of Hormuz constitutes a war on the world, though Canada lacks the naval resources to assist in reopening it. (4)5. This discussion focuses on the unreliability of AI, noting its tendency to "hallucinate" and apologize for errors. Experts suggest the future belongs to those with imagination who can test AI relentlessly, warning of a class divide between AI-savvy workers and those left behind. (5)6. Scientific testing reveals that AI agents can go rogue, potentially compromising private information like bank statements. Despite these risks, participants believe humans maintain an advantage through innovation, as AI merely scrapes existing data rather than creating original, competitive thoughts. (6)7. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman outlines a mission to establish a permanent moon base by the early 2030s. The plan utilizes commercial providers like SpaceX and Blue Origin to secure the "high ground" and prepare for future Mars exploration before China can dominate the region. (7)8. The lunar race intensifies as China plans multiple settlements to achieve solar system hegemony. NASA aims to leap ahead using nuclear electric propulsion and competitive private contracts, focusing on redundancy and safety to ensure a sustained American presence on the lunar surface. (8)9. Josh Ireland examines the violent roots of the Russian Revolution, where founders were executed for "Trotskyism". He explores the personal rivalry between Trotsky and Stalin, two outsiders whose shared passion for Marxist theory transformed into a decades-long conflict that reshaped world history. (9)10. Stalin built power through patience and bureaucratic alliances, while the charismatic Trotsky viewed him as a "gray blur". Trotsky's failure to grasp practical politics was exemplified by his decision to skip Lenin's funeral, allowing Stalin to position himself as the revolution's rightful heir. (10)11. Stalin systematically marginalized Trotsky by suppressing his speeches and removing his allies from the Kremlin. By labeling Trotsky a "gravedigger of the revolution," Stalin used him as a spectre of failure to justify total control and internal purges of his own peers. (11)12. Trotsky's exile in Mexico was defined by a fatalistic awareness that Stalin's assassins would eventually succeed. Despite the protection of his entourage and famous hosts like Diego Rivera, he realized no individual could withstand an empire's mobilized secret police. (12)13. Guest Cliff May defends the war with Iran as a necessary "war of choice" to deter decades of aggression,. He emphasizes preemptive action against gathering threats and discusses Iran's crippled regional proxies,. (13)14. Guest Mary Anastasia O'Grady examines Cuba's desperate plea for private investment amidst an energy crisis. She warns of the regime's history of exploiting investors and argues that progress requires total democratic regime change,. (14)15. Guest Veronique de Rugy analyzes the $300 billion cost of the Iran war, detailing legislative paths like reconciliation to bypass Senate filibusters,. She highlights the risks of rising inflation and massive national debt,. (15)16. Guest Max Meizlish explores Iran's use of "market asymmetry" and information warfare to manipulate global energy prices,. By denying peace progress, Iran spikes oil costs, providing a significant financial boon to Russia,. (16)

9. Josh Ireland examines the violent roots of the Russian Revolution, where founders were executed for "Trotskyism". He explores the personal rivalrybetween Trotsky and Stalin, two outsiders whose shared passion for Marxist theory transformed into a decades-long conflict that reshaped world history. (9)1920

PREVIEW FOR LATER. Guest: Josh Ireland. Ireland explores the rivalry between Stalin and Trotsky. He details Stalin's patient bureaucratic alliances, contrasting his calculated approach with Trotsky's charismatic but ultimately less effective leadership style for listeners. (2)1881 EXECUTION OF THE PEOPLE'S WILL