Why the Pentagon Lost in Afghanistan
Today's episode covers the rapid fall of key cities in Afghanistan to the Taliban & the consequences of 20 years of brutal U.S. occupation of the country. Brian & guest Mike Prysner also discuss how socialists struggle against imperialist war & organize enlisted soldiers to resist. Brian is joined by Mike Prysner, an anti-war activist, producer of The Empire Files & co-host of the podcast "Eyes Left". Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.
12 Aug 20211h 19min
Marxist Economics 101: Food, Farming and Capitalism (Part 1)
Brian and Prof. Wolff begin a multi-part series on agriculture under capitalism. Under this system, the most basic necessity of life -- food -- is turned into a source of profit dominated by a smaller and smaller number of agribusiness corporations. Environmental destruction and enormous waste are built into the capitalist agriculture system while hundreds of millions around the globe still go hungry. Richard Wolff is the co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work and the author of many books, the latest being “The Sickness is the System: When Capitalism Fails to Save Us from Pandemics or Itself”. You can check out his work at rdwolff.com. Richard and Brian also discuss two important books on the topic in this episode: "Creating an Ecological Society: Toward a Revolutionary Transformation" by Fred Magdoff and "Animal, Vegetable, Junk" by Mark Bittman. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.
11 Aug 202130min
Covid & Capitalism: Millions Of Families In The U.S. Facing Imminent Eviction
On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther Iverem, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss the battle over the fate of millions of people in the United States facing eviction as the movement for housing rights gains momentum. Meanwhile, the new COVID wave worsens, the Taliban seized a series of key cities in Afghanistan, and more. We'll also we'll hear from special guest Eugene Puryear about his recent trip to Ghana to attend a historic congress launching a new socialist organization with major support from the country's youth. Eugene Puryear is a host for BreakThrough News. Be sure to check out his daily podcast: The Punch Out. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.
10 Aug 202157min
Capitalist Media Monopolies Are the Enemy of Democracy
We continue a series of discussions about the basics of Marxism, focusing today on the corporate-owned media. The majority of the media in the United States is owned by five giant corporations -- What does this tell us about the so-called “free press”? Richard Wolff is the co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work and the author of many books, the latest being “The Sickness is the System: When Capitalism Fails to Save Us from Pandemics or Itself”. You can check out his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.
5 Aug 202138min
People's Struggle Forces Biden to Extend Eviction Moratorium
Today's episode covers the struggle to stop the impending massive wave of evictions. After public outrage and protest, including a sit-in outside Congress led by Rep. Cori Bush, Biden relented and extended the eviction moratorium. Brian is joined by Lee Camp, host of the TV show Redacted Tonight and author of the book Bullet Points & Punch Lines. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.
4 Aug 202141min
Fightback! 8 Million families facing eviction and foreclosures
On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther Iverem, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss how the Democratic Party leadership in Congress and the Biden administration are failing to act in the face of impending mass evictions. They also discuss the grassroots movement against evictions -- including the sit-in outside Congress by Rep. Cori Bush, the latest from the Olympics, the surge in Covid infections, Peru’s new left wing government, and more. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.
3 Aug 202155min
China's Foreign Policy: Complete Series + Bonus Content (1949-Today)
As the U.S. war machine ramps up aggression towards China, understanding the history of the country's engagement with the world is more crucial than ever. This multi-part series takes an in-depth look at the history of China's foreign policy since the 1949 revolution brought the Communist Party to power. This series is now seamlessly combined into this one episode file, with bonus content including immersive archival recordings and original music. Brian is joined by Kenneth Hammond, a Professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University and an activist with the organization Pivot to Peace. Part 1: 1949-1959 - Starts at 0:00:00 Part 2: 1959-1965 - Starts at 0:57:18 Part 3: 1965-1975 - Starts at 1:50:40 Part 4: 1975-1989 - Starts at 2:38:15 Part 5: 1989-1995 - Starts at 3:40:09 Part 6: 1995-2010 - Starts at 4:02:07 Part 7: 2011-2021 - Starts at 5:00:52 Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.
31 Juli 20216h 8min
China's Foreign Policy Part 7, 2011-2021: US "Pivots to Asia" and Xi Jinping Takes the Reins
Today's episode is the seventh in a multi-part series that takes an in-depth look at the history of China's foreign policy. During the Obama administration, US imperialism adopts the "Pivot to Asia" strategy and makes China its top target. At the same time, Xi Jinping becomes China's president and navigates China's rise. Brian is joined by Kenneth Hammond, a Professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University and an activist with the organization Pivot to Peace. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.
29 Juli 20211h 5min
