Proles Pod
In the narrative for Part Two of “The Stalin Eras”, Justin and Jeremy detail Soviet society and all that comes with it under Stalin’s leadership from 1930-1934. This narrative, titled “Stewards of the Human Soul”, covers the varied personal experiences of Soviet citizens from the center to the periphery of the USSR, the winding down of rapid industrialization and collectivization, the controversial anti-religious and anti-kulak campaigns, the so called “show trials” on industrial sabotage, the true nature of internal opposition, and the astonishing results of the first five year...
info_outline Ep 65 - The Stalin Eras: Part One Discussion (1917-1929)Proles Pod
Breht O’Shea, host of Revolutionary Left Radio, joins to guide a discussion based on the events covered in the narrative for Part One (which you should listen too first, if you haven’t already!). In this discussion, the gang led by Rae and Jeremy answer wide ranging questions about the nature of Stalin’s rise to prominence in the party, Lenin’s death, the dreaded NEP Men, the first five year plan, and the trials, tribulations, and triumphs in everyday life of Soviet citizens. The Stalin Eras, inspired by the classic RevLeft Radio episode “Stalin: A Marxist-Leninist...
info_outline Ep 64 - The Stalin Eras: Part One Narrative (1917-1929)Proles Pod
In the narrative for Part One of “The Stalin Eras”, Rae and Jeremy detail Joseph Stalin’s life within the context of Soviet history through the monumental years of 1917-1929. This narrative, titled “Reconstruction In One Country”, covers Soviet history from the early days of the October Revolution, through the Civil War and Imperialist interventions, the Volga Famine, Stalin’s rise in party leadership, the New Economic Program, ultimately ending with the start of rapid industrialization/collectivization, and the of Soviet Union’s first five year plan. Stay tuned for...
info_outline Ep 63 - The Stalin Eras: An Introduction (1878-1917)Proles Pod
In this introductory episode we cover the who, what, where, and why of “The Stalin Eras”, a multi-part series on the life and times of Joseph Stalin. In addition, we also lay the foundations of young Stalin’s life: from his humble birth in 1878 to his revolutionary career leading into the October Revolution of 1917. This first narrative of the series, “From Soso to Stalin”, begins with his childhood, before movin into his time in church school followed by seminary, and finally his early days as a labor leader and journalist for the Party leading into the October...
info_outline Ep 62 - A Very Special ProlesPod: Behind The Iron CurtainProles Pod
As we are VERY busy working on the Stalin Eras series which premiers as early release for paid subscribers on September 18, and for the main feed September 23, we did not feel that we could do a typical episode justice. Instead, we decided to put together an episode of short clips from almost all of our bonus content that is available to paid subscribers over on the page. There are timestamps below in case you have already heard some of the content or want to easily reference/skip something. The bits on media (particularly the X-Men 97 episode) contain spoilers, so be mindful of that also....
info_outline Ep 61 - Foundations of LeninismProles Pod
Join the Proles and friend of the pod, Joel, for our first ever episode focused solely on a theory text. If you’ve been following along with the TheoryBeats project on Patreon, you already know the text. It is the the monumental "Foundations of Leninism" by Joseph Stalin. Rae takes the lead on this one. We’ll take you through each of the nine sections of this text, unpacking the history and context while making connections to other thinkers, theorists, and movements both historically and today. You can find the full text freely available to read at: Thank you to our (actual and...
info_outline Ep 60 - Ukraine: Descent to FascismProles Pod
CW: This episode contains frank discussions of murder, torture, and sexual assault of both adults and children, primarily in the context of anti-semitic pogroms against Jewish people. Please proceed carefully through the episode or skip it entirely if any of these things may be difficult for you to hear. Justin picks up where Jeremy left off to cover the development of OUN/UPA, Stepan Bandera's insecure self-promotion, and how the Ukrainian Nationalists were no better than the Nazis. Slava Ukraini bad. As last time, we try to bring some levity to the discussion, but it is a disgusting...
info_outline Ep 59 - Ukraine: Birth of a NationalismProles Pod
CW: This episode contains frank discussions of murder, torture, and sexual assault of both adults and children, primarily in the context of anti-semitic pogroms against Jewish people. Please proceed carefully through the episode or skip it entirely if any of these things may be difficult for you to hear. To signal the depravity of racist language in quotes used in this episode we have used a bleep instead of "contextually stating" the slur or "n-wording" it. Jeremy leads us in a discussion of the early history of what we now know as Ukraine, all the way through the early twentieth...
info_outline EP 58 - Indigenous Resistance in the Ecuadorian AmazonProles Pod
For this episode we’re joined by guest expert Beth Pitts for a journey into the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon. We’re talking about the past, present, and future of indigenous resistance in Ecuador to begin to think about what their struggle can teach us, the benefits and limitations of taking legal action against the imperial nation-state, and the ways in which we can broaden our understanding of the frontline of struggle. For our full interview with members of the Siekopai Remolino community, head over to the . (Don’t worry; we translated it into English.) For information on the...
info_outline Ep 57 - Taiwan: A Short Long HistoryProles Pod
Charles Xu joins the show to give us a whirlwind tour of the history of Taiwan starting from about 15,000 years ago to the late 1980s to explain to us the origins of the current tensions between China and the West (led by the United States of America, ofcourse) that has been recklessly escalating to a war! The history covered here is covered in much more detail on the Qiao Collective website which hosts their outstanding . Charles Xu is a member of the Qiao Collective. The Qiao Collective is a diaspora Chinese media collective challenging U.S. aggression in China. Sign up at ...
info_outlineIn this one, the Proles sat down with Daniel and Professor Sarah Raymundo to discuss the colonial history and current concerns of our comrades, who are engaging in a broad-based revolutionary struggle right now.
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Suggested Reading:
Books & Documents
Collection of Documents from the CPP
Guerrero. Philippine Society & Revolution, 1970 (updated and shorter format in Tagalog, Maikling Kurso sa Lipunan at Rebolusyong Pilipino 2005).
—Foundation for Resuming the Philippine Revolution: Selected Writings, 1968-1972. (Includes the First Great Rectification Movement document, “Rectify Errors and Rebuild the Party”)
—Defeating Revisionism, Reformism and Opportunism: Selected Writings, 1968-1974. (Includes numerous articles criticizing the old revisionist leadership of the previous PKP)
—Building Strength Through Struggle: Selected Writings, 1972-1977. (Has two very important documents, “Our Urgent Tasks” and “Specific Characteristics of Our People’s War”)
—Detention and Defiance Against Dictatorship: Selected Writings, 1977-1986. (Writings while founding chairman of the CPP, Jose Maria Sison, was in solitary confinement and jail, including “Basic Principles of Marxism-Leninism: A Primer” and “Brief History of the Kabataang Makabyan”)
Liwanag. Reaffirm Our Basic Principles and Rectify Errors, 1992. (The major document putting into motion the Second Great Rectification Movement)
Constitution and Program of the CPP, 2016.
“Communique of the 2nd Congress of the CPP.”
Central Committee of the CPP. “Celebrate the Party’s 50th Anniversary.”
—“Boldly Intensify Guerrilla Warfare: 50th Anniversary of the New People’s Army.”
Sison. “Great Achievements of the CPP in 50 Years of Waging Revolution,” 2018 (A document summarizing the historical achievements of the CPP as well as a current rectification campaign to combat conservatism, bureaucratism, sectarianism and ultra-democracy)
Pambansa Demokratikong Paaralan (PADEPA is a collection of lessons and readings for mass activists in the National Democratic Movement put together by the revolutionary movement in the Philippines)
History Books on the Philippines and the CPP
Agoncillo. The Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the Katipunan, 1956.
—Malolos: The Crisis of the Republic, 1960.
—History of the Filipino People, 1960.
Constantino. The Making of a Filipino: A Story of Philippine Colonial Politics, 1969.
—The Philippines: A Past Revisited, 1975.
—The Philippines: A Continuing Past, 1978.
Lanzona. Amazons of the Huk Rebellion: Gender, Sex and Revolution in the Philippines, 2009.
McCoy. Policing America’s Empire: The United States, the Philippines and the Rise of the Surveillance State, 2009.
Richardson. Komunista: The Genesis of the Philippine Communist Party: 1902-1935, 2011 (pdf copy of his 1984 dissertation can be found here).
Rosca, Sison. Jose Maria Sison: At Home in the World, 2004.
Simbulan. When the Rains Come, Will not the Grass Grow Again? The Socialist Movement in the Philippines, 2018
—The Modern Principalia: The Historical Evolution of the Philippine Ruling Oligarchy, 2007.
Sison, “The Role of the Communist International in the Formation of the Communist Party of the Philippine Islands,” 2019.
Contemporary Studies of the Philippines and the National Democratic Movement
Francisco-Menchavez. The Labor of Care: Filipina Migrants and Transnational Families in the Digital Age, 2018.
Lindio-McGovern. Filipino Peasant Women: Exploitation and Resistance, 1997.
Rodriguez. Migrants for Export: How the Philippine Sate Brokers Labor to the World, 2010.
San Juan, Jr. U.S. Imperialism and Revolution in the Philippines, 2007.
Scipes. KMU: Building Genuine Trade Unionism in the Philippines, 1996.
Tuazon. The Moro Reader: History and Contemporary Struggles of the Bangsamoro People, 2008.
Media
Communist Party of the Philippines
Ang Bayan (the Party’s twice a month publication)
National Democratic Front of the Philippines (the most consolidated, revolutionary alliance of underground mass organizations in the Philippine revolution)
Liberation (the official publication of the NDF)
News Media
Altermidya (People’s Alternative Media Network is a network of independent and progressive media outfits, institutions and individuals)
Bulatlat (One of the original online news publications in the Philippines covering the struggles of the toiling masses and mass movement)
Pinoy Weekly (An online and print publication that publishes weekly stories of the marginalized sectors of society. It also has print editions world wide)
Legal Mass Movement National Democratic Alliances
Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN is a multisectoral formation struggling for national and social liberation against imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism. Founded on the determination and strength of the majority of oppressed classes, BAYAN is an alliance composed mainly of organizations of workers and peasants.)
Kilusang Mayo Uno (Facebook page only. KMU is an independent labour center promoting genuine, militant and patriotic trade unionism. It is genuine because it recognizes the struggle between labor and capital and upholds the legitimate interests of the working class; militant because it relies on the workers collective struggle in defending trade union and democratic rights; and patriotic because it seeks to end imperialist domination and control over the Philippines.)
Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Facebook page only. KMP is a democratic and militant movement of landless peasants, small farmers, farm workers, rural youth and peasant women)
GABRIELA (Facebook page only. It is nationwide alliance of 200 women's organizations that cut across sectors and regions, plus chapters and support groups of Pinays and non-Pinays in various continents of the world.)
Migrante International (Alliance for migrant and overseas workers to promote migrants’ rights and dignity against all forms of discrimination, exploitation and abuse in the work place and in the community and resist all anti-migrant policies.)
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Outro music:
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