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Recorded on June 8th: Alyson and Breht record an emergency podcast on the current riots in LA, and resistance across the country, to mass deportations. Together they highlight recent events, discuss the function of mass deporations in a decaying capitalist system, analyze the spontaneous and militant community response, how terrorizing undocumented workers is a form of labor discipline, the fascist tactic of scapegoating the powerless for the crimes and chaos of the powerful, the role of AI in both displacing labor as well as bolstering the repressive state apparatus, and much more.
Learn more about Red Menace and Rev Left Radio: www.revleftradio.com
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As we wrap up our Best Of Series, get ready for brand new episodes coming soon...
Learn more and support the show at: RevLeftRadio.com -
Saknas det avsnitt?
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[Originally released Oct 2020]
Alyson and Breht summarize and discuss the fundamental ideas, concepts, and arguments within Marxism. We want this episode to stand as a resource for *everyone* interested in Marxism - from those who are brand new to the Marxist left all the way to veterans of the Left who simply want a concise refresher.
If you know someone who is moving leftward but still struggling with understanding Marxism, please point them toward this episode!----------------------------------------------------
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Feb 3, 2021
In this episode of Red Menace, Alyson and Breht introduce the core concepts of Marxist political economy by an analysis of the history of political economy, core economic concepts within Marxism, and much more! Make sure to subscribe to Red Menace on your favorite podcast app, and leave us a positive review! Outline for this episode with timestamps Political Economy:[5:00] Definition: Political economy as the study of economics as played out in reality. Economics in relation to society, production, culture, politics, etc.
[12:28] History: Adam Smith’s development of economics in the wealth of nations, alongside Mill’s principles of political economy.
[20:05] So what does Marxism have to do with political economy?
[33:31] Critique of capitalist economics today
The Details and Concepts [35:30] the Means of Production and Productive Forces
[43:20] Class as a relation to Production
[47:00] Value, Use, and Exchange
[58:05] Surplus Value and Wages
[61:09] Money, Capital, and the M-C-M Cycle
[68:35] Commodity Fetishism Closing Questions Questions:[74:43] Why does this matter? If Marxism is about revolution, what's the deal with all this abstract economic analysis?
[78:13] Marxian economics vs Marxism: what's the difference, is there an issue with the former?
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From the Taiping and Boxer Rebellions, to the Chinese Revolution and Civil War, through the Long March and the rise of Mao Zedong, to the Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, all the way to Deng's Reform and China today, Professor of East Asian and Global History Dr. Ken Hammond walk us through 200 years of Chinese history to highlight in detail how modern China was forged through centuries of class struggle, resistance, rebellion, and revolution.
After listening to this mega-episode you will have a profound, and deeply inspired, understanding of the rich modern history of China, and be much better able to understand its present and future.This series originally aired on Guerrilla History in the Spring of 2024
Support Guerrilla History HERE
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Dec 15, 2019
David Swanson, Marxist organizer and host of Radical Reflections, joins Breht to talk about the history and legacy of the famous guerrilla warfare organization: the Irish Republican Army, known colloquially as the IRA. Together, they dive into the history and politics of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), exploring its role in the struggle against British imperialism and for Irish national liberation. The discussion covers the roots of the conflict, the tactics and theory of guerrilla warfare, the political evolution of the IRA, and its broader relevance to anti-colonial movements around the world. A historical and revolutionary analysis of one of the most well-known resistance movements of the 20th century.
Here is our episode on the Easter Uprising of 1916, as mentioned in the intro: https://revolutionaryleftradio.libsyn.com/irish-insurrection-the-easter-rising-of-1916
Outro music: 'The Internationale' by Pol MacAdaim.
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Oct 19, 2024
Alyson and Breht reflect on the life and death of the Palestinian resistance leader Yahya Sinwar.
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Jun 4, 2018
In this episode, Breht is joined by Yueran Zhang, a PhD candidate in Sociology at Harvard University, to discuss the Chinese Revolution and the legacy of Mao Zedong. Together, they explore the historical context of China's revolutionary transformation, socialist construction, contradictions in post-revolutionary society, and how Maoist thought continues to shape political struggles today. A nuanced and rigorous conversation grounded in historical materialism.
Here are the recommendations Yueran gave at the end of the episode:
- Mao's China and After: http://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Maos-China-and-After/Maurice-Meisner/9780684856353
Rise of the Red Engineers: https://www.eastwestcenter.org/publications/rise-red-engineers-cultural-revolution-and-origins-chinas-new-class
The Cultural Revolution at the Margins: http://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674728790
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Feb 20, 2024
On this episode of Red Menace, Alyson and Breht had some things come up such that they couldn't record their planned episode on Marx's 18th Brumaire (coming soon!), so instead they have a deep, organic and wide-ranging conversation on mysticism; together they explore humanities religious and spiritual traditions and the mystical strain within them, discuss atheism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Sufism, mystical experiences, the role of suffering, holy union and oneness, the dissolution of subject/object duality, the role of psychedelics historically and experientially, dialectics, and whether or not any of this has any relevance for political struggle.
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED May 22, 2023
Professors James Crossley and Robert J. Myles join Breht to discuss their fascinating work "Jesus: A Life in Class Conflict". Together, they discuss their application of historical materalism to the life of Jesus, the difficulty of studying and sourcing the ancient past, the gospels and what they offer (as well as how they differ from one another), the mode of production and major classes of Jesus' era, John the Baptist and his ideological influence on the Jesus Movement, Jewish Millenarianism, Jesus' crucifiction, the Jesus Movement after Jesus' execution (and purported resurrection), and much more!Robert's website: https://www.robertjmyles.com/
James' website: https://censamm.org/about/people/crossley
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Outro Beat Prod. by flip da hood
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Sep 27, 2023
In this crossover conversation, Jared from Millennials Are Killing Capitalism joins Breht to dive deep into Friedrich Engels’ Principles of Communism—a crucial draft that laid the groundwork for the Communist Manifesto. Together, they unpack the text’s key insights, from the historical development of class struggle to the revolutionary role of the proletariat.
This episode explores Engels’ clear, accessible articulation of communist principles, examines the dialectical materialist worldview that underpins the document, and connects these foundational ideas to today’s struggles under late capitalism. Along the way, Jared and Breht reflect on the enduring relevance of Engels’ thought, challenge liberal misreadings of Marxism, and offer a grounded, revolutionary take on what it means to fight for communism in the 21st century.
Whether you’re new to socialist theory or looking to revisit its roots, this episode provides both historical clarity and political urgency.
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Outro Beat Prod. by flip da hood
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Dec 15, 2022
Breht responds to the criticism that Marxism is just Christianity mixed with the Enlightenment concept of Progress; that it is basically just a religious faith...
Listen to the full episode here:
https://redmenace.libsyn.com/desert
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or here: https://www.patreon.com/TheRedMenace
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https://revleftradio.com/
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Feb 28, 2021
Breht is joined by Dr. Daniel M. Ingram, author of "Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha", to discuss what Enlightenment is in the Buddhist tradition, what it feels like from the inside, what it can and cannot offer the individual and society, spirituality and mysticism on the fascist right, perennialism, the adaptability of capitalism, tips and advice for starting a spiritual journey, and so much more!
Check out Daniel's website: https://www.integrateddaniel.info/
His book "MTCB" (free): https://www.mctb.org/Dharma Overground: https://www.dharmaoverground.org/
The EPRC: https://theeprc.org/
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Support Rev Left and get access to bonus episodes: www.patreon.com/revleftradio
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Outro Beat Prod. by flip da hood
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Dec 10, 2024
Alyson and Breht finally dive into the German Revolution of 1918!
This pivotal yet often overlooked revolutionary moment saw the collapse of the German Empire at the end of World War I, the rise of workers' and soldiers' councils, and intense ideological and political struggles shaping the future of socialism, liberalism, and fascism in Europe.
Together they discuss this rather ambigious revolution, give a detailed overview of events, and reflect on what lessons we can learn from it. From the toppling of the Kaiser, to the brutal fight between social democrats and communists (including the horrible murders of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht), to the rise of the Freikorp and the Weimar Republic (and beyond), they help listeners understand the importance, the successes, the failures, and the tragedies, of this often neglected revolution.
Check out the 3-part series on YT mentioned in the episode:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7y0zyKXzhwzrZ0raG4HpT8ZdXx9USoW3
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Support Rev Left and get access to bonus episodes: www.patreon.com/revleftradio
Make a one-time donation to Rev Left at BuyMeACoffee.com/revleftradio
Follow, Subscribe, & Learn more about Rev Left Radio: https://revleftradio.com/
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Jan 2, 2025
Capitalism, imperialism, monopoly—far from being separate concepts that just happen to take shape parallel to one another or to overlap from time to time, these terms all really refer to the exact same overall process. We call it capitalism because it’s not always practical to call it “monopoly capitalism in its imperialist stage” or something like that, but really, capitalism is, as we’ll see, inevitably monopolistic and imperialist.
The process of capitalism’s historical evolution from its so-called, and somewhat fabricated stage of free-enterprise to monopoly capitalism, and then further into what we refer to as imperialism, was outlined both theoretically and empirically by Vladamir Lenin well over a century ago in his classic text, Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism. The connection between monopoly and imperialism might not seem quite straightforward to you at first, and an understanding of imperialism itself as a process grounded in political economy may seem somewhat counterintuitive—especially if you’re used to thinking of imperialism and empire in the more popular sense of the words. But that’s why we’ve brought on two guests to walk us through this crucial text and help us make sense of it all.
In this episode, we unpack Lenin’s Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism. This episode is an excellent introduction to the text but it also takes deep dives and gets granular at times, picking apart the nuances and various interpretations of the text. We explore the historical context in which Lenin wrote this book and then trace capitalism’s history from its early stages into its monopoly form. We explore how finance capital emerged and became similarly concentrated, how this merging of concentrated finance and industrial capital began to spread out from capitalist countries into the periphery and began to carve up the world, and how this process led to what we now understand to be capitalism’s final and highest stage: imperialism. And, of course, we apply the text to a variety of current events and explore how we can apply Lenin’s ideas in ways that help us grow and strengthen our socialist movements globally.
Learn more about Upstream HERE
Learn more about Rev Left and Red Menace HERE
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Mar 18, 2018
In this engaging episode, Breht sits down with philosopher and author J. Moufawad-Paul, the mind behind the influential books "The Communist Necessity" and "Continuity and Rupture" among others. Together, they delve deep into JMP's profound exploration of communism and Maoism, unpacking key concepts like revolutionary necessity, historical continuity, and theoretical rupture.
This wide-ranging discussion tackles pivotal questions of Marxist theory: Why is communism not merely an ideological preference, but a necessity born from the contradictions of capitalism? How does Maoism represent both a continuity with Marxist-Leninist traditions and a significant rupture, signaling a critical evolution in revolutionary theory and practice? And importantly, what can contemporary revolutionaries and activists learn from this dialectical understanding of revolutionary history?
Tune in to deepen your grasp of Marxism, enrich your theoretical toolkit, and learn about the nuances of marxism-leninism-maoism.
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Make a one-time donation to Rev Left at BuyMeACoffee.com/revleftradio
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Outro Beat Prod. by flip da hood
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Aug 1, 2023
When you think about the philosophies and practices of Buddhism and Marxism, you might not immediately think that they have much in common. However, you might be surprised at how much overlap and complementary resonance there actually is between these two rich and beautiful traditions.We’ve brought on Breht O’Shea, a Buddhist practitioner and Marxist political educator based out of Omaha, Nebraska. Breht is the host of the podcast Revolutionary Left Radio and co-host of the podcasts Red Menace, Guerrilla History, and, most recently, Shoeless in South Dakota.
In this conversation, we explore how both Buddhism & Marxism offer helpful pathways to liberation and provide a spot-on analysis of the root causes of suffering. We also explore some of the potential tensions between Buddhism and Marxism, as well as what each tradition can learn from the other. And we end with a powerful invitation to embark on the path of the Bodhisattva Revolutionary to both end the internal and structural causes and conditions of suffering and to bring forth the systemic changes necessary for the transition to a socialist and eventually communist economy based on liberation, equity, and justice for all.
This interview was inspired by an episode of Revolutionary Left Radio titled Dialectics & Liberation: Insights from Buddhism and Marxism where Breht read a speech he gave at Arizona State University on the topic of dialectical materialism, Buddhism, and Marxism. Definitely check that episode out when you’re done listening to this — it’s a great complement to this conversation.
Thank you to Carolyn Raider for this episode’s cover art and to Mount Eerie for the intermission music. Upstream theme music was composed by Robert Raymond/Lanterns.
Further Resources:
Upstream: Revolutionary Leftism with Breht O'Shea (In Conversation) Dialectics & Liberation: Insights from Buddhism and Marxism, by Breht O’Shea on Revolutionary Left RadioFor more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Oct 23, 2023
UPSTREAM INTERVIEW W/ BREHT AND ALYSON:
What Is To Be Done? This is the question so profoundly posed by the Russian Revolutionary and Bolshevik leader, Vladimir Lenin, in his landmark text of the same name. Although it was written well over a century ago, this text, the questions it asked, and the paths forward that it provided, are just as relevant today as they were a hundred years ago. And just as urgent.
What roles do spontaneity and disciplined organization have in leftist movements? Can we focus simply on economic reform, or do our actions need a larger political framework to structure, guide, and propel them?
Why does it feel like even though so many of us are motivated to work towards structural change, that things continue to get worse? Why does it seem like potential revolutionary struggles in the West always seem to stall and fail to move from a singular moment to a protracted movement?
These are old and familiar questions — a lot of ink has been spilled and speeches made exploring them — and in this Conversation, we’ve brought on two guests who've not only thought about these questions in depth, but who have some pretty compelling answers that draw from revolutionary theory and practice in both their personal lives and from the deep well of wisdom bequeathed by theorists Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Mao.
Breht O’Shea is the host of the podcast Revolutionary Left Radio and a co-host of Guerrilla History. He’s been on the show multiple times so you may already be familiar with his voice. Alyson Escalate, who has also been on the show, is the co-host, along with Breht, of Red Menace, a podcast that explains and analyzes revolutionary theory and then applies its lessons to our contemporary conditions.
Further Resources:
Red Menace – What Is To Be Done? - V.I. Lenin Revolutionary Left Radio – Politics in Command: Analyzing the Error of Economism Red Menace – The Wretched of the Earth - Frantz Fanon: On Violence and Spontaneity Red Menace – Understanding Settler Colonialism in Israel and the United States Revolutionary Left Radio on Instagram Upstream – Buddhism and Marxism with Breht O'Shea (In Conversation) Upstream – Trans Liberation and Solidarity with Alyson Escalante (In Conversation) Upstream – Revolutionary Leftism with Breht O'Shea (In Conversation) -
ORIGINALLY RELEASED May 20, 2021
In this episode, we speak with Nick Estes, author of Our History Is the Future, about the powerful throughline connecting the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee, the 1973 AIM occupation, and the 2016 resistance at Standing Rock. Far from isolated events, these are chapters in a living history of Indigenous struggle against settler colonialism, ecological devastation, and capitalist expansion. Estes brings a revolutionary lens to history; one that is rooted in land, memory, and the radical refusal to disappear. This isn’t just a conversation about the past though, it’s a call to understand that the continued fight for Indigenous sovereignty is the fight for a livable future.
Listen to the full episode of Guerrilla History here: https://guerrillahistory.libsyn.com/nick-estes
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ORIGINALLY RELEASED Feb 17, 2025
Dr. Rory Dickson is a professor of Islamic Religion and Culture and author of several publications on Sufism, the mystical path within Islam. He joins Breht to have an incredibly deep conversation about the Sufi poet Rumi, his life and work, Rumi's relationship to his teacher Shams of Tabriz, the concepts of fana (annihilation of the self) and baqa (subsistence in God), the spiritual practices of Sufism, non-duality and perennialism, "dying before you die", Buddhist enlightenment, the Quran, Serving the People in politics and religion, the role of Divine Love in spiritual transformation, transcending the ego, Bodhicitta and the Heart of the Bodhisattva, the counter-cultural aspects of the historical dervishes, The Masnavi (aka the "Persian Quran"), Christian Mysticism, the evolution of human consciousness, the linguistics of translation, and much, much more!
Check out Rory's book "Dissolving into Being: The Wisdom of Sufi Philosophy"
Recommendations for Further Exploration:
Rumi's World: The Life and Work of the Great Sufi Poet
The Sufi Path of Love: The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi
Check out our related episodes with Dr. Adnan Husain:
Sufism: Islamic Mysticism and the Annihilation of Self in God
St. Francis of Assisi: Patron Saint of Ecology & Brother to All Creation
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Outro Music: Something's Out There by Neva Dinova
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- Visa fler
