World Socialist Radio

Reflections on the centenary of the 1926 British General Strike. Millions of workers joined the strike in solidarity with coal miners facing wage cuts and worsening conditions, but despite its enormous scale, the strike ultimately failed to produce lasting political or social transformation. The general strike demonstrates a broader lesson about the limits of reformist labour politics and trade unionism under capitalism. Large-scale worker militancy alone is insufficient without a clear socialist objective and political organisation. Meaningful social change requires a conscious movement for socialism, rather than temporary industrial protest.Taken from the May 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: ‘Pushing P (Instrumental)’ by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

The original moon race captured imaginations because it seemed to represent a dramatic leap into the future, even though it was fundamentally driven by Cold War rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union. By contrast, today’s moon missions present a far more muted and divided public response, with many people more concerned about economic hardship and crises on Earth than space exploration. Scientists and commentators themselves disagree about whether crewed lunar and Mars missions are worthwhile or merely expensive vanity projects.Modern space exploration is shaped less by scientific curiosity than by capitalist competition and geopolitical rivalry, particularly between the US and China. Governments and corporations are motivated by strategic and economic interests, including access to lunar resources and potential military advantages, rather than purely humanitarian or scientific goals. NASA’s efforts to justify the enormous cost of Artemis are contrasted with urgent global social problems such as poverty and hunger. This episode concludes on a pessimistic note, warning that the militarisation and commercial exploitation of space could extend the destructive logic of capitalism beyond Earth itself.Taken from the May 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: ‘Pushing P (Instrumental)’ by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

In modern capitalism, so-called “Davids” (like startups) often win by using strategies backed by huge financial power, such as venture capital. Companies deliberately sell at a loss to undercut competitors, drive them out, and dominate the market—after which they worsen their service or raise prices, a process described as “enshittification.” These outcomes aren’t exceptions but built into capitalism itself: success tends to come not from better products but from access to capital and market control. What looks like an underdog victory is often just another form of concentrated power, meaning consumers and workers ultimately lose out as competition disappears and conditions deteriorate.Taken from the April 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: ‘Pushing P (Instrumental)’ by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

This episode argues that a small global elite of billionaires effectively operates within a “closed world” of power, where wealth translates into disproportionate influence over politics, economies, and decision-making. Rather than governments or democratic institutions being in control, real power lies with those who own and control major corporations and financial systems, allowing them to shape policies and outcomes in their own interests. This concentration of power is presented as a structural feature of capitalism, not an accident.It also suggests that this system perpetuates inequality and limits meaningful change, since those at the top benefit from maintaining the status quo. Even when reforms are proposed, they tend to leave underlying power relations intact. Only a fundamental transformation of ownership and control, away from private wealth and toward common ownership, can break this closed circle of elite power.Taken from the April 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: ‘Pushing P (Instrumental)’ by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

This episode uses the example of Tourette’s syndrome to challenge how capitalist society understands personal responsibility. It argues that capitalism assumes individuals are fully rational and in control of their actions, so behaviour – especially speech – is judged as intentional and morally accountable. However, conditions like Tourette’s, where speech can be involuntary, expose a flaw in this assumption: society often ignores medical or material explanations and still treats actions as deliberate. This creates a contradiction where conformity is praised as virtue, but inability to conform is condemned as moral failure, even when control is limited.It also critiques how capitalism polices language and constructs ideas of acceptable behaviour. While opposing genuinely harmful speech is valid, the article argues that moral judgement should depend on whether real agency exists. Treating involuntary and deliberate actions the same undermines both justice and understanding. More broadly, it claims capitalism only tolerates disability when it can be framed as “inspirational” or manageable; when it cannot, individuals are excluded or condemned. Ideas of responsibility under capitalism are inconsistent and fail to account for the social and material conditions shaping human behaviour.Taken from the April 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: ‘Pushing P (Instrumental)’ by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

The episode critiques the economic ideas associated with Green Party leader Zack Polanski, arguing that his proposals – such as wealth taxes, public ownership, and increased government spending – reflect a reformist belief that capitalism can be reshaped to serve people and the environment. This is an illusion, similar to earlier Labour policies, because capitalism is fundamentally driven by profit-making. According to the author, governments – regardless of intentions – must prioritise profits to keep the system functioning, or risk economic downturns and being forced into policy reversals. As a result, simply electing “better leaders” cannot overcome the structural constraints of capitalism.Taken from the March 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: ‘Pushing P (Instrumental)’ by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

Peter Mandelson exemplifies a lifelong “careerist” within the Labour Party. His political trajectory was driven more by personal advancement than by principled commitment to socialism. He rose through the party not from grassroots activism but via roles in communications and media management, becoming a key architect of “New Labour.” This episode uses Mandelson as a case study to criticise Labour, arguing that figures like him demonstrate how the party is dominated by professional politicians focused on power and status, rather than pursuing genuine socialist change.Taken from the March 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: ‘Pushing P (Instrumental)’ by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

This episode argues that ideas about “race” and “nation” are largely social and political myths rather than clear scientific or natural realities. It connects the myths of race and nation to political and economic interests, particularly under capitalism. Ruling groups often promote ideas of racial or national unity to distract ordinary people from their shared class interests. By encouraging workers to identify with a nation or racial group, elites can divide the working class and prevent them from recognising their common position as exploited labourers. From this perspective, nationalism and racism function as ideological tools that maintain existing social systems, while a socialist viewpoint emphasises the common interests of people worldwide rather than divisions based on race or nationality.Taken from the March 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: ‘Pushing P (Instrumental)’ by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

This episode uses a recent film about nuclear war as a starting point to discuss the continuing danger of nuclear weapons. It notes that films and stories about a leader pressing a “big red button” highlight how catastrophic nuclear conflict would be, but the real concern is that such destructive power is concentrated in the hands of political leaders and military systems. Even though the popular image of a literal button is exaggerated, governments still maintain complex systems that could launch nuclear weapons very quickly, making the risk of accidental or deliberate war a persistent threat.The continued existence of nuclear weapons is linked to the structure of the global system of competing nation-states under capitalism. Military competition and geopolitical rivalry encourage countries to maintain and modernise nuclear arsenals despite the catastrophic risks. As long as this system persists, the threat will remain; therefore, a socialist society based on global cooperation and common ownership would remove the conditions that produce nuclear arms and the possibility of their use.Taken from the March 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: 'Pushing P (Instrumental)' by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

An account of how state repression is always accompanied by deceptive attempts to control the narrative and preserve legitimacy.Taken from the February 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: 'Pushing P (Instrumental)' by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

A letter to the editor. Environmental destruction is rooted in the global money-based economic system, where production is driven by profit rather than human need. It claims that businesses must expand and compete to survive, leading to overproduction, resource depletion, and pollution. Even well-intentioned reforms—such as green technologies, regulations, or ethical consumer choices—are presented as insufficient, because they operate within the same system that prioritises growth and profitability over ecological balance. As long as money and markets dominate decision-making, the planet’s resources will continue to be exploited unsustainably.The writer proposes replacing the money system entirely with a global society based on common ownership and production for use. In this model, goods and services would be produced directly to meet human needs, without buying, selling, or profit. This, they argue, would allow rational planning of resources, reduce waste, and enable sustainable interaction with the environment. The letter concludes that only such a fundamental transformation—rather than reforms within capitalism—can effectively address the ecological crisis and ensure long-term planetary survival.Taken from the February 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: 'Pushing P (Instrumental)' by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

This episode critiques superficial “girl-boss” empowerment narratives, arguing that flashy media representations of strong women mask the harsher realities many women face under capitalism—persistent pay gaps, gendered expectations, and widespread violence. Research on women’s advancement reveals a structural double bind: behaving in socially approved “feminine” ways may earn status but rarely real authority, while assertive behaviour can bring power at the cost of social acceptance. Feminist thinkers and historians are therefore drawn to questioning the roots of patriarchy, from debates about prehistoric societies to modern analyses of gender and property. Drawing on Angela Saini’s work, the piece highlights how patriarchal systems developed alongside expanding state power, militarisation, and rigid gender roles that channelled men into war and women into reproductive and domestic labour.Women’s bodies and reproductive capacities become central to understanding both ancient and modern systems of control. Historically, women were among the earliest enslaved populations and were positioned as “human factories” to sustain armies and economies; today, similar pressures persist through pronatalist policies and political movements that seek to regulate women’s choices about work, family, and reproduction. As birth rates decline globally, capitalist states increasingly frame women’s fertility as an economic necessity, often disregarding women’s autonomy and wellbeing. Genuine liberation requires challenging the wider economic structures that depend on gendered exploitation, arguing that feminist struggles against patriarchal power are inseparable from broader efforts to dismantle class domination.Taken from the February 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: 'Pushing P (Instrumental)' by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

This episode argues that Venezuela’s economic and social crisis reflects the limits of reformist political projects that try to improve capitalism rather than replace it. It traces how governments associated with Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro pursued policies such as nationalisation, welfare expansion, and price controls while still operating within a capitalist framework dependent on oil exports and global markets. When oil prices fell and economic pressures intensified, these reforms proved unable to stabilise the economy, leading to inflation, shortages, and worsening living standards. These outcomes reveal structural weaknesses in attempting to manage capitalism through state reforms alone.Both supporters and critics of the Venezuelan government misunderstand the deeper problem. Defenders frame Venezuela as a victim of external pressure or sabotage, while opponents blame “socialism,” yet both sides overlook that the country remained fundamentally capitalist. Lasting change cannot come from reformist policies or state-led capitalism but requires a more fundamental transformation of the economic system itself.Taken from the February 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: 'Pushing P (Instrumental)' by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

A fraudster exploits a moment of uncertainty by pretending to be a familiar figure, relying on the victim’s embarrassment and hesitation to question their own memory. The example shows how easily social cues, expectations, and politeness can override critical thinking, revealing how recognition is not purely about memory but also about social pressure and assumed roles.The episode then expands to examine how capitalist society encourages shallow and fragmented social interactions, where people are primarily understood through their economic or social functions rather than as full individuals. This environment makes people more vulnerable to manipulation and alienation, weakening genuine human connection. A socialist society, organised around cooperation and shared purpose, would reduce these distortions, allowing people to relate to one another more openly and authentically, without the mistrust and confusion fostered by competitive social structures.Taken from the January 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: 'Pushing P (Instrumental)' by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

The Socialist Party of Great Britain refuses to support the newly founded political organisation “Your Party,” launched in November 2025 under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana. “Your Party” promotes a reformist programme that seeks gradual change within capitalism through taxation, nationalisation, and expanded public services, rather than advocating the abolition of capitalism itself. This approach has repeatedly failed, citing historical examples such as the Syriza government in Greece, because capitalist economic pressures ultimately block meaningful reform. Although the party’s rhetoric speaks of fundamental transformation, in practice it will pursue modest reforms that leave capitalism intact, making it incapable of achieving genuine socialism — which, they argue, requires conscious majority support to replace the entire economic system.Taken from the January 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: 'Pushing P (Instrumental)' by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

This episode reflects on life before smartphones and social media, describing how children in the 1990s experienced the world directly, without digital pressures such as FOMO (fear of missing out), sexting, cyberbullying, and addictive “attention economy” features designed to maximize engagement. It highlights growing concerns about the mental health impacts of ubiquitous device use among young people and discusses recent policy responses such as Australia’s ban on major social media platforms for under-16s and widespread bans on phone use in schools, though evidence of real benefits remains mixed. It also notes how pervasive smartphone ownership even among very young children blurs safety with surveillance, and that regulatory efforts may simply push kids toward less regulated, potentially worse online spaces.Taken from the January 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: 'Pushing P (Instrumental)' by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

This episode argues that fascism and fascists are symptoms of deeper social and economic decay under capitalism — not just isolated groups of extremists or caricatures of “jackbooted thugs.” It dismisses simplistic responses like beating up racists on the streets, noting that violence alone won’t change the underlying conditions that breed fascist sentiment. Instead, it emphasises that many people drawn to fascist politics are alienated, fearful, and frustrated by their position in society under a profit-driven system, and that their attraction to nationalism and hatred stems from this sense of powerlessness rather than coherent political ideas.The real answer to fascism isn’t merely opposing its street-level activism but challenging and transforming the social conditions that give rise to it — particularly the inequalities and crises inherent in capitalism. Working-class education, solidarity, and unity against nationalism and division are needed to undercut fascist appeal. Only broad social change, rather than repression of individuals, can address the root causes of fascist movements.Taken from the February 1993 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: 'Pushing P (Instrumental)' by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

Recent media attention has focused on the Socialist Rifle Association (SRA), a US-based left-wing organisation promoting firearms training and “working-class armed self-defence,” after a Democratic Senate candidate in Maine was criticised for past posts encouraging people to join it. Reports suggest growing gun ownership among LGBTQ and left-liberal Americans driven by fear of political repression, while a Cato Institute FOIA request revealed the SRA is under FBI investigation. The SRA presents itself as a left-wing counterpoint to right-wing gun culture, framing firearms as tools for community defence and resistance to authoritarianism. However, this trend reflects not a coherent ideological shift but widespread anxiety produced by capitalism – economic insecurity, political polarisation, violent policing, and commodified security – conditions that push different social groups to arm themselves defensively.This episode criticises the SRA’s use of revolutionary rhetoric, particularly selective quotations from Marx and implied links to Leninist traditions, arguing these ideas are taken out of their historical and theoretical context. Marx’s later view emphasised democratic, majority-led self-emancipation rather than armed minorities or vanguards, and the piece contends that firearms cannot resolve capitalism’s structural causes of insecurity and division. Drawing on historical examples and socialist theory, it argues that armed groups – left or right – reproduce capitalism’s logic of coercion and offer consumerist, individualised responses to systemic problems. Socialism cannot be achieved or defended by militias or vigilantes, but only through conscious, democratic, and mass political organisation; the SRA is therefore a defensive reaction to social breakdown rather than a genuine revolutionary alternative.Taken from the January 2026 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: 'Pushing P (Instrumental)' by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

This episode situates debates over transgender identity within a Marxist analysis of capitalist society, arguing that rigid gender roles are historically constructed and reinforced by capitalism’s need to reproduce labour power. It draws on Marx’s base-and-superstructure framework to explain how patriarchal and gender norms originate in earlier modes of production and persist under capitalism to serve economic ends, assigning individuals culturally defined roles tied to reproductive labour. From this perspective, gender identity is not simply derived from biology but is shaped by social expectations that help sustain the capitalist system.Taken from the December 2022 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: 'Pushing P (Instrumental)' by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0

This episode article uses recent public comments by authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, and the broader enthusiasm among billionaires and tech elites for life-extension research, to highlight the hubris of the rich attempting to “cheat death.” It points out the absurdity of autocrats and Silicon Valley figures treating ageing as a technical problem to solve, despite biological limits and deep inequalities in who could even access such treatments. The speaker underscores that while elites fantasise about immortality through organ transplants, genetic tweaks, or radical longevity regimens, these efforts are constrained by hard biological realities.Taken from the December 2025 edition of The Socialist Standard.World Socialist Radio is the official podcast of The Socialist Party of Great Britain. We have one single aim: the establishment of a society in which all productive resources – land, water, factories, transport, etc. – are taken into common ownership, and in which the sole motive for production is the fulfilment of human needs and wants.To read more news, views, and analysis please visit: worldsocialism.org/spgbor, for a free three-issue subscription to The Socialist Standard: spgb.net/podcastFeaturing music: 'Pushing P (Instrumental)' by Tiga Maine x Deejay Boe. Source: Free Music Archive, licensed under Creative Commons CC BY 4.0