Dead Pundits Society

After an extended intro by Adam, we're joined by Matt Karp who wrote a great essay a few months ago called "The Politics of a Second Gilded Age" (https://jacobinmag.com/2021/02/the-politics-of-a-second-gilded-age). Listen to this episode in its entirety by becoming a patron: http://www.patreon.com/deadpundits

Brad Chester from DSA's Collective Power Networks joins us today to account for his crimes against the independent socialist movement -- jk, but a piece he published in Feb of 2021 dares to ask the question, "Does our obsession with an independent worker's party hurt the socialist movement today?" This question leads to a number of fascinating debates concerning electoral politics, socialist strategy, and so on. You can find his essay here: https://dsaorganizer.org/2021/02/09/breaking-bad-how-obsession-with-an-independent-workers-party-hurts-the-socialist-electoral-project/ *** Support this project of political education by becoming a patron: http://www.patreon.com/deadpundits ***

Eric Blanc joins us to talk about a recent essay he wrote assessing the break that founded the UK Labour Party, of which there are tremendous resonances with the socialist movement in the U.S., today. ***Support this podcast by becoming a patron today: http://www.patreon.com/deadpundits *** Tune in for this wide-ranging and informative discussion. You can find the essay here: https://jacobinmag.com/2021/02/labour-party-uk-lessons-socialists Thanks, Patrons!

Adam Hilton is back on DPS to talk about his book on the Democratic Party. Also, we talk a lot about... you guessed it, the Democratic Party. *** Become a patron of DPS today: http://www.patreon.com/deadpundits *** Find his book here: https://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/16211.html

Micah Uetricht joins us to talk about Mike Davis's project and, accordingly, how his writings map on to some interesting rifts inside the socialist movement today. Find Micah's essay here: https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/mike-davis-old-gods-set-night/ *** Support this project of political education by becoming a patron today: http://www.patreon.com/deadpundits ***

This is part 2 of my Ed Rooksby Tribute. Enjoy. Jonah Wedekind put together this incredible bibliography of Ed's work: https://rooksbyism.wordpress.com/bibliography/ *** Become a patron to support this project of political education today: http://www.patreon.com/deadpundits ***

Ed Rooksby passed away this weekend after a prolonged and public struggle with Long Covid. I've ventured yet another eulogy for a close friend of the show and re-aired an interview I conducted with him from a couple years ago. Please enjoy as s tribute to the incredible intellect of this man. He will be missed terribly. Part two will follow later this week. His blog can be found here: https://edrooksby.wordpress.com/ *** This show is able to function entirely due to support from listeners like you. Please help continue this project of democratic socialist education by subscribing here: http://www.patreon.com/deadpundits ***

Max Shanly joins us to talk about the history of the Labour Party and how subsequent generations have produced the conditions that both allowed the Corbyn project to flourish and resulted in its demise. Many of these valuable lessons about party democracy are applicable to the US context as well, so listen up! ** Support this project by becoming a patron: http://www.patreon.com/deadpundits *** The book under consideration is Leo Panitch and Colin Leys, Searching for Socialism: The Project of the Labour New Left from Benn to Corbyn (https://www.versobooks.com/books/3161-searching-for-socialism)

** This episode has been reposted, as an earlier version was truncated for some reason... ** Joining us today is Sam Gindin, who gives a master class on the origins of our modern capitalist system along the way of paying tribute to his late friend and mentor, Leo Panitch. "Still a Marxist After All" (2009) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ot4UgatUDE *** Support DPS and become a patron: http://www.patreon.com/deadpundits ***

Steve Maher, assistant editor of The Socialist Register, joins us to talk about the life, work, and legacy of Leo Panitch. Check out the updated version of The Socialist Challenge Today, which was co-authored by Maher, as well as Sam Gindin and Leo Panitch: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1473-the-socialist-challenge-today *** Support this project by becoming a patron: http://www.patreon.com/deadpundits ***

this week's A-Side features a chat with Eric Levitz, staff writer at New York Magazine. We're discussing the "Force the Vote" controversy as outlined in his article, "The Left’s Most Naïve Cynics Have Turned on AOC" (https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/12/jimmy-dore-aoc-medicare-for-all-strategy.html) *** Support this podcast by becoming a patron: HTTP://www.patreon.com/deadpundits ***

Elements inside the Democratic Party establishment raised a mutiny against AOC last week and we should probably talk about it... Joining us to do just that is Alex Samman, staff writer at The American Prospect. We break it down and try to suss out just what the hell is going on. ***Support this project by becoming a patron today: HTTP://www.patreon.com/deadpundits *** See his article here: https://prospect.org/politics/establishment-strikes-back-aoc-versus-centrist-democrats/

I am utterly gutted by the recent passing of Leo Panitch, who was the editor of The Socialist Register and a mentor to so many people like me, so I did what odd-ball podcast hosts do and I turned to the mic to get out my feelings about his legacy and what he meant to me. After a 25-minute eulogy, I replay a B-Side chat that I did with Leo back in 2017. I tricked him into talking about his life by asking him questions about people who were near and dear to him, like Ralph Miliband, Tony Benn, Jeremy Corbyn, and so on. Rest well, Leo. And may the rest of us re-engage with his work and legacy. *** Support this socialist media project by becoming a patron today: HTTP://www.patreon.com/deadpundits ***

Thomas Frank joins us to dig into the history of populism in the U.S. and tell us why it matters in today's political moment. *** Support DPS by becoming a patron today: HTTP://www.patreon.com/deadpundits *** Find out more about his book here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250220110

On this week's B-Side, we're joined by Moira and Conrad of DSA's Class Unity Caucus. We discuss its formation, the context that it came up in, as well as its goals in the coming years. *** Become a patron of DPS to unlock our entire back catalog of B-Sides and subscriber-only content: HTTP://www.patreon.com/deadpundits *** Find more info about Class Unity here: https://classunity.org/