Cosmopod

Steve Bloom ruminates on the meaning and practice of democratic centralism, arguing that respect for minority positions is key to building a truly disciplined revolutionary formation. Reading: Felix Bauer

On this episode of Cosmopod, Isaac and Jack talk with Jarrod Shanahan about his new book, Every Fire Needs a Little Bit of Help: A Decade of Rebellion, Reaction, and Morbid Symptoms. From Occupy to Black Lives Matter to the George Floyd Rebellion, Shanahan reflects on a decade of struggle, and shares his experiences with and analysis of Trumpism and the alt-right. We explore lessons from mass movements, the fate of abolitionist politics, pop culture’s apocalyptic turn, the connections between today’s cultural landscape and the 1970s, the legacies of Noel Ignatiev, and what it means to build revolutionary organization in a time of crisis. References: Don Hamerquist - A Brilliant Red Thread Elizabeth Henson - Phantom Pheminists The film Betrayed (1998)

Carlos Campos Jr. analyzes the disunity of electoral campaigns pursued by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), argues for the strategic infrastructural integration of the organization's state-level electoral efforts, and provides a tentative plan for doing so. Reading: Felix Bauer

Rudy joins Jeremy Rich for a discussion on the Democratic Republic of the Congo from the late 80s to the present. We cover the decay of Mobutu's regime, the changes in the 90s, how the Rwandan Civil War prompted an invasion and the first and second Congo Wars, the factions involved in these wars including the special role of Rwanda and Paul Kagame. We discuss the transitions of power, from Mobutu, to the Kabilas, and to the present president Tshisekedi; the role of the U.S. and China, the recent rise in "rebel" activity and the outlook for the future. References: Orgs - Friends of the Congo (www.friendsofthecongo.org). Twitter: Gaeten-Dauphin Nzowo (@GNzowo) and Benedicte Njdoko (@babisema) Readings on the 1990-2020s: Jason Stearns's The War That Doesn't Say Its Name; writings by Kristof Titeca and Judith Verweijen. Cold War in DRC: Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja, Patrice Lumumba; Piero Gleijses's books Visions of Freedom and Conflicting Missions; Pedro Monaville's Students of the World; James H. Smith's The Eyes of the World: Mining the Digital Age in the Eastern DR Congo

Rudy sits down with Hank Kennedy, author of From Champion of the Oppressed to Truth, Justice, and the American Way: Who Took the Socialism Out of Superman? to discuss the surprising political journey of Superman, tracing his evolution from a Depression-era defender of the oppressed to a complex symbol shaped by changing American ideologies. We dive into the roots of Superman's creation by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, how Superman originally tackled social injustices head-on and follow his evolution from his early anti-authoritarian stances to his shifting roles in WWII, the Cold War, and beyond -including his emergence as a “SuperRepublican” in the 1980s and a more progressive figure in the 21st century. We also talk about the broader role of comics as a political tool in the left, and how they correspond to the Zeitgeist and culture.

We join Gabriel Tupinambá from the Subset of Theoretical Practice for a discussion on the Japanese Marxist Kojin Karatani. We discuss what Karatani's project is, why we should care about it, before focusing on his magna opus The Structure of World History. We discuss his approach to modes of exchange, and why it is a novel lens, how communism fits on his scheme before mentioning some weak points. We end up with a discussion of how Gabriel´s reading of Karatani has affected his organizing.

Ira and Rudy sit down with Sam Gindin to discuss the evolving nature of global capitalism through the lens of U.S. hegemony, neoliberalism, and emerging geopolitical shifts. We begin by analyzing Gindin's The Making of Global Capitalism, examining how the U.S.-led global order was constructed and whether it's synonymous with neoliberalism. From there, we delve into current trends—protectionism, supply chain reshoring, and regionalization—to ask whether these signal a break from neoliberal norms or a transformation into something new. We also assess the stability of U.S. dominance in a world where multipolarity is rising, before bringing the conversation home: how these global dynamics impact domestic labor and the potential for cross-border solidarity among labor and socialist movements.

Isaac and Jack are joined by David Campbell and Jarrod Shanahan to discuss their new book City Time: On Being Sentenced to Rikers Island, an ethnography of Rikers Island based on the author’s experiences as inmates on Rikers. We discuss the unwritten social codes that order life on Rikers, the social function of jails (and some surprising similarities to the New Deal), the differences between urban jails and rural prisons, the relationship between inmates and jail staff, and the labor struggles that play out in jails and prisons. Resources: NY’s Prison Guard Strike Has Roots in Decades of Racialized Deindustrialization Andrea R. Morrell - Prison Town Making the Carceral State in Elmira, New York  Truthout interview about the Wildcat Strike Hard Crackers "Stick-Up on Rikers Island" piece by David Campbell. Kim Kelly - Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor Revolutionary Affinities: Toward a Marxist-Anarchist Solidarity https://stopcop.city/ https://www.abcf.net/ https://intlantifadefence.wordpress.com/ https://x.com/ab_dac https://www.patreon.com/davidcampbelldac

Rudy joins Oisín Gilmore and David Landy, authors of Fragments of Victory Fragments of Victory: The Contemporary Irish Left for a discussion on the unique political history of the Republic of Ireland. We talk about why the country never developed a strong social democratic tradition, the dominance of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the economic turmoil of the Celtic Tiger crash, and Ireland’s distinctive response to austerity compared to Southern Europe. We then move to the major social movements—water charges, abortion rights, and housing—highlighting their impact and legacy. The discussion also covers the role of trade unions, the evolution of the Irish left from Labour’s decline to the rise of Sinn Féin and Trotskyist parties, and the influence of figures like Clare Daly and Mick Wallace. Finally, the episode reflects on the recent election results and what they mean for the future of Ireland’s left-wing politics.

Rudy joins Carlos of Licht & Luft for a discussion on the Licht & Luft project and the broader German left, with a focus on Die Linke. We discuss the decision to organize within Die Linke, the political debates within the organization including the focus on economistic demands or on more political demands, a read on the recent elections, the issue of Zionism, before turning to discussing BSW & Sahra Wagenknecht's project. We finish with a discussion on European solidary and the extraparlamentarian left in Germany. References: https://lichtundluft.org/2024/12/15/die-linke-und-palaestina-teil-1-die-lage-der-partei/ https://lichtundluft.org/2025/01/12/die-linke-und-palaestina-teil-2-von-der-hottentottenwahl-lernen/ https://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1524/firewall-and-hot-air/ https://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/978/die-linke-rotten-politics-and-rotten-terms/

Rudy talks with Moe Taylor, author of North Korea, Tricontinentalism, and the Latin American Revolution, 1959–1970 to explore the overlooked role of North Korea in the revolutionary internationalist movement of the 1960s, particularly its influence on Latin America and the Global South. We highlight how the DPRK, alongside Cuba and Vietnam, contributed to Tricontinentalism -a movement distinct from Soviet and Chinese approaches to internationalism. The conversation delves into North Korea’s attraction to Cuba, its navigation of the Sino-Soviet split, and its support for Latin American revolutionary movements. The discussion also examines Guyana’s unique position in the Cold War, from Cheddi Jagan’s ousting with U.S. backing to Forbes Burnham’s later embrace of “cooperative socialism,” influenced by North Korea’s emphasis on discipline and self-reliance. The episode concludes by analyzing why this period of North Korean influence waned, while still maintaining ties with Guyana and African nations into the 1980s.

Isaac, Cliff, and Jay interview Chad Pearson, author of the book Capital's Terrorists: Klansmen, Lawmen, and Employers in the Long Nineteenth Century. We discuss the armed, violent employer associations of the turn of the century, from the Klan to the Pinkertons. While most of our episodes look at the organization and self-activity of the oppressed, here we look at the organizers, activists, and agitators of the propertied. We discuss the ideological underpinnings of American vigilantism and the legacy of violence in American history.

Rudy joins Miguel Gómez, author of La CNT y la Nueva Economía: Del colectivismo empresarial a la planificación de la economía confederal (1936-1939) for a discussion on the most prominent Spanish anarchist union, the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo. We talk about the origins of the CNT, its base, its history under the Primo de Rivera dictatorship and its reactions to the formation of the Spanish Republic. We then talk about the currents within the CNT, and their ideas for what the economy should look like after the revolution, before turning to the time where they were able to put those ideas into practice during the Civil War. Finally, we discuss the intellectual highpoint of the CNT's economic program: the ideas about cooperative socialism proposed in 1938.

Amelia, Carlos and Rudy sit down for the follow-up episode on the Mexican revolution to discuss the consolidation of the revolutionary state with a focus on the figure of Lázaro Cárdenas. They discuss the origins of yellow unionism and agrarian reform in Mexico, the presidency of Plutarco Calles and the Cristero War, and the radical period in the 1930s which led to mass expropriations, the nationalization of oil and a radical international policy. Bibliography: B. Carr - Marxism & Communism in Twentieth-Century Mexico J. Cockroft - Mexico, Class Formation, Capital Accumulation, and the State G. Correa-Cabrera, R. A. Ragland - Workers, parties and a “New Deal:” A comparative analysis of corporatist alliances in Mexico, and the United States, 1910–1940 E. Ginzberg - Revolutionary Ideology and Political Destiny in Mexico, 1928-1934: Lazaro Cardenas and Adalberto Tejeda A. Knight - The Mexican Revolution: A Very Short Introduction T. Rath - Cardenismo, Revolutionary Citizenship, and the Redefinition of Mexican Militarism, 1934–1940 M. K. Vaughan - Cultural Politics in Revolution: Teachers, Peasants, and Schools in Mexico, 1930-1940 M. K. Vaughan, S. Lewis (ed.) - The Eagle and the Virgin: Nation and Cultural Revolution in Mexico, 1920–1940

James and Rudy join Aidan Beatty, author of The Party is Always Right: The Untold Story of Gerry Healy and British Trotskyism for a discussion on Gerry Healy. We discuss the figure of Gerry Healy, and his contextualization within the British left in the interwar and post-WW2 period and the evolution of his organization up to its dissolution by its own members. We also discuss the strict internal regime of the organizations he lead, the Socialist Labour League and the Workers Revolutionary Party, relating them to wider practices or accusations of cult-like behavior on the left. Warning: this episode includes some minor references to the sexual harassment cases in the SLL/WRP.

Eric and Rob join Abdi for a discussion on Somalia from the colonial period to the present. They discuss the formation of the Somali people, the long and conflictual relationship to Ethiopia, British and Italian colonization and Somali independence before moving on to the scientific socialist period under Siad Barre. They discuss the achievements of this period, the origins of the Ogaden War conflict, and the abandonment of the USSR and of Socialism. They then discuss the disintegration of the Somali state, the long civil war, and the Islamic Court Union period, before giving some thoughts on the present.

Peter Olney is a labor organizer of over half a century, long-time organizing director at the ILWU, and researcher on labor strategy. John Womack is a Harvard historian of the labor movement and the Mexican Revolution. In this episode they sit down with Ira and Rudy to discuss Peter and John’s 2023 book Labor, Power, and Strategy. They discuss the controversial approach of organizing workers in the choke points of production, what it will take to rebuild the labor movement, and new opportunities for working class internationalism.

Eric, Andrew and Rudy join for a discussion on the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party in the two regions where it held power: Syria and Iraq, covering the history of both countries from the dissolution of the Ottoman empire up to the Hama Rebellion in Syria and the Kuwait War in Iraq. Among other topics we discuss the more military and sectarian character of the party in Syria, the 'left' and 'right' wings of Ba'athism, the figures of Salah Jadid, Hafez Assad and Saddam Hussein, the relationship between Ba'athism and Communism in Syria and Iraq, and what Ba'athism actually was as well as its relationship to Nasserism. S. Aburish - Saddam Hussein: The Politics of Revenge H. Batatu - The old social classes and the revolutionary movements of Iraq N. van Dam - The Struggle for Power in Syria: Politics and Society under Asad and the Ba'th Party R. A. Hinnebusch - Syria: Revolution from Above  E. Kienle - Ba'ath vs Ba'ath: The Conflict Between Syria And Iraq, 1968-1989 M. Khadduri - Independent Iraq 1932-1958: A Study in Iraqi Politics  M. Khadduri - Republican Iraq: A Study in Iraqi Politics since the Revolution of 1958  M. Khadduri - Socialist Iraq: A Study in Iraqi politics since 1968 T. Ismael - The Communist Movement in Syria and Lebanon  T. Ismael - The rise and fall of the Communist Party of Iraq 

Rudy and Andreas join Tony Collins, author of Raising the Red Flag. Marxism, Labourism, and the Roots of British Communism, 1884–1921 for a discussion on the origins of the British Marxist movement from the creation of the Social Democratic Federation to the foundation of the Communist Party. We cover some of the important groups of the British Left at the time, the labor militancy before and during and after the First World War, and the founding of the Communist Party of Great Britain detailing which groups did not join the party. We discuss the weaknesses of the CPGB in the issues of Colonialism and its relationship to the Labour party before finishing with a discussion of how past issues can be reflected in the present.

Tony Unger sets the record straight on Rhode Island DSA’s political experiences with the Democratic Party and need for class independence.  Read By: Christina Carman Intro Music: ворожное озеро Гроза vwqp remix Outro Music: We are Friends Forever performed by Felix Dzerzhinsky Guards Regiment.