Proles Pod

A podcast about history, politics, and culture... without the liberalism

Ep 86 - Anti-Capitalist Sci-Fi Decoded: Andor, Hunger Games, and Severance 07/29/2025

Ep 85 - Reform or Revolution (Part II of II) 07/15/2025

Ep 84 - Reform or Revolution (Part I of II) 07/15/2025

Ep 83 - Iran: Draw a Line 06/29/2025

Ep 82 - Guatemalan Guerrillas 06/11/2025

Ep 81 - One Big Blanket and Other Hilarious Anti-Communist Arguments 05/28/2025

Ep 80 - MMT, Austerity, and Imperialism 05/14/2025

Ep 79 - Soviet Cartoons & Raising Socialist Children 04/30/2025

Ep 78 - The Stalin Eras, Part 6: Conclusions 04/16/2025

Ep 77 - The Stalin Eras, Part 5: Criticisms and Contradictions 04/02/2025

Ep 76 - The Stalin Eras, Part 4: Discussion (1939-1953) 03/21/2025

Ep 75 - The Stalin Eras, Part 4.5: Long Live Comrade Stalin (1943-1953) 03/05/2025

Ep 74 - The Stalin Eras, Part 4: Enemy at the Gates (1939-1942) 02/12/2025

Ep 73 - January: 2025 Is It Over Yet? 01/28/2025

Ep 72 - Palestine Will Be Free 01/14/2025

Ep 71 - The Stalin Eras, Part 3: Discussion (1935-1939) 12/09/2024

Ep 70 - The Stalin Eras, Part 3.5: War Is Already Here (1936-1939) 12/01/2024

Ep 69 - The Stalin Eras, Part 3: Triumphs, Trials, and Tribulations (1935-1936) 11/25/2024

Ep 69 - The Stalin Eras, Part 3: Triumphs, Trials, and Tribulations (1935-1936) In the narrative for Part Three of "The Stalin Eras”, Tony and Jeremy detail Joseph Stalin’s life within the context of Soviet history through the years 1935-1936. This narrative, titled “Triumph and Tribulations” highlights the USSR as a rising star to both the global proletariat and colonized peoples, the utter triumph of socialist construction during the Great Depression, the highly progressive 1936 Soviet Constitution, and finally the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War! Stay tuned for the next episode which will continue the narrative through from 1936-1939 focusing mostly on the controversial Moscow Trials, the Great Purge, the climax of the Spanish Civil War, and apocalyptically - the beginning of World War II. The Stalin Eras, inspired by the classic RevLeft Radio episode “Stalin: A Marxist-Leninist Perspective, mixes both narrative history (ala Blowback) and discussion (like classic Prolespod) to provide the most comprehensive English overview of the life and impact of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in podcast format. Whether you’re a socialist history enthusiast, someone who’s just curious to learn more than what you got in school about the Soviet Union, or even a total hater who just wants to rage, this series has something for everyone. Support the show at www.patreon.com/prolespod Recommended Additional Reading Recommended Additional Listening Sources Stalinist Values: The Cultural Norms of Soviet Modernity, 1917–1941 The Bloomsbury Handbook of the Spanish Civil War Broué, P. (1990). Party opposition to Stalin (1930-1932) and the first Moscow trial. In J. W. Strong (Ed.), Essays on revolutionary culture and Stalinism. Selected papers from the Third World Congress for Soviet and East European studies. Craig, G. A. (1951). Documents on German Foreign Policy 1918–1945. Series D (1937–1945). Volume III. Germany and the Spanish Civil War 1936–1939. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office. Volodarsky, B. (2015). Stalin's agent. The life and death of Alexander Orlov. London and New York: Oxford University Press. /episode/index/show/prolespod/id/34128726

Ep 68 - An Intermission 11/11/2024

Ep 67 - The Stalin Eras, Part 2: Discussion (1930-1934) 11/04/2024

Ep 67 - The Stalin Eras, Part 2: Discussion (1930-1934) In the discussion for Part Two of “The Stalin Eras”, the gang responds to questions from Jen (aka Big Nasty), host of How the Red Was Won and overall badass comrade. The years in focus are, again, 1930-1934, and based upon the previous episode (which you should listen to if you haven't already). We talk Stalin's sigma male grindset, writing letters to the man himself, the rise of fascism, and the contradictions facing the USSR at this time. The Stalin Eras, inspired by the classic RevLeft Radio episode “Stalin: A Marxist-Leninist Perspective, mixes both narrative history (ala Blowback) and discussion (like classic Prolespod) to provide the most comprehensive English overview of the life and impact of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in podcast format. Whether you’re a socialist history enthusiast, someone who’s just curious to learn more than what you got in school about the Soviet Union, or even a total hater who just wants to rage, this series has something for everyone. Support the show and get bonus content at Recomended Resources on "Holodomor" as Genocide Question Academics who do not consider the Ukraine famine of 1932-1933 to be a genocide include: J. Arch Getty, Stephen Wheatcroft, Mark Tauger, R.W Davies, Hiroaki Kuromiya, Ronald Grigor Suny, Stephen Kotkin to name a few. Recommended Additional Reading Recommended Additional Listening Episode Sources The Lesser of Two Hells by Alvin D Coox Practicing Stalinism by J Arch Getty Excesses Are Not Permitted byJ Arch Getty Origins of the Great Purges by J Arch Getty I Change Worlds by Anna Louise Strong I Was Stalin's Bodyguard by Achmed Amba The Pattern Of Soviet Power by Edgar Snow Revolution on my Mind by Jochen Hellbeck Stalin's Library by Geoffrey Roberts The Great Conspiracy by Michael Sayers & Albert E Kahn Conjuring Hitler by Guido Giacomo Preparata Molotov Remembers, Conversations with Felix Chuev Black Bolshevik by Harry Haywood Teachers of Stalinism by E Thomas Ewing Stalin: From the Caucasus to the Kremlin, Christopher Read, 2017, Routledge Publishing Next to Stalin by A.T. Rybin Betrayal of an Ideal by G.A. Tokaev Soviet Famine 1930–1933: "The Law of Spikelets" Myth Explained by Polistrum In Search of New Facts: Interwar Japanese Military Intelligence Activities in the Baltic States and Finland: 1918–1940 by Shingo Masunaga, Wrestling with Aspects of Interwar Stalinism by William J. Chase, Why I resigned from the Trotsky Defense Committee by Mauritz Alfred Hallgren, 1937, International Publishers Muder at the Kemerovo Mines by Ernst Fischer Trial of the Major War Criminals before the International Military Tribunal (Nuremberg, 1949), Vol. 29 The Goebbels Diaries: 1942-1943 by Joseph Goebbels, “Secret Hitler-Benes Negotiations in 1936-37.” bt Gerhard L. Weinberg The Road to Terror. Stalin and the Self-Destruction of the Bolsheviks by J. Arch Getty and Oleg V. Naumov Russian Soviet Archives U.S. Archives, Library of Congress Czech Republic Archives Vienna Bureau of the Austrian Chancellor The Red Book, Leon Sedov, 1936, Byulletin Oppositsii, Nos.52-53, October 1936 The Prophet Outcast: Trotsky, (1929–1940), Isaac Deutscher, 1963, Vintage Russian Library The Russian Enigma, Ante Ciliga, 1940, Pluto Press “Red Wreckers in Russia.”,by John D Littlepage My Life, byLeon Trotsky Leon Sedov: Son, Friend, Fighter, Leon Trotsky Harvard Trotsky Archive, Houghton Library, Harvard University The Great Terror. A Reassessment by Robert Conquest Bukharin and the Bolshevik Revolution 1888-1938 by Stephen Cohen The Kirov Murder and Soviet History by Matthew Lenoe Many, many diaries published on /episode/index/show/prolespod/id/33765992

Ep 66 - The Stalin Eras, Part 2: Stewards of the Human Soul (1930-1934) 10/28/2024

Ep 66 - The Stalin Eras, Part 2: Stewards of the Human Soul (1930-1934) 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 plan. Stay tuned for the next episode which will feature a full length discussion with guest host Jen of How the Red Was Won. Jen joins to guide an in-depth discussion about the era covered in this narrative episode. The Stalin Eras, inspired by the classic RevLeft Radio episode “Stalin: A Marxist-Leninist Perspective, mixes both narrative history (ala Blowback) and discussion (like classic Prolespod) to provide the most comprehensive English overview of the life and impact of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in podcast format. Whether you’re a socialist history enthusiast, someone who’s just curious to learn more than what you got in school about the Soviet Union, or even a total hater who just wants to rage, this series has something for everyone. Support the show and get bonus content at Recomended Resources on "Holodomor" as Genocide Question Academics who do not consider the Ukraine famine of 1932-1933 to be a genocide include: J. Arch Getty, Stephen Wheatcroft, Mark Tauger, R.W Davies, Hiroaki Kuromiya, Ronald Grigor Suny, Stephen Kotkin to name a few. Recommended Additional Reading Recommended Additional Listening Episode Sources The Lesser of Two Hells by Alvin D Coox Practicing Stalinism by J Arch Getty Excesses Are Not Permitted byJ Arch Getty Origins of the Great Purges by J Arch Getty I Change Worlds by Anna Louise Strong I Was Stalin's Bodyguard by Achmed Amba The Pattern Of Soviet Power by Edgar Snow Revolution on my Mind by Jochen Hellbeck Stalin's Library by Geoffrey Roberts The Great Conspiracy by Michael Sayers & Albert E Kahn Conjuring Hitler by Guido Giacomo Preparata Molotov Remembers, Conversations with Felix Chuev Black Bolshevik by Harry Haywood Teachers of Stalinism by E Thomas Ewing Stalin: From the Caucasus to the Kremlin, Christopher Read, 2017, Routledge Publishing Next to Stalin by A.T. Rybin Betrayal of an Ideal by G.A. Tokaev Soviet Famine 1930–1933: "The Law of Spikelets" Myth Explained by Polistrum In Search of New Facts: Interwar Japanese Military Intelligence Activities in the Baltic States and Finland: 1918–1940 by Shingo Masunaga, Wrestling with Aspects of Interwar Stalinism by William J. Chase, Why I resigned from the Trotsky Defense Committee by Mauritz Alfred Hallgren, 1937, International Publishers Muder at the Kemerovo Mines by Ernst Fischer Trial of the Major War Criminals before the International Military Tribunal (Nuremberg, 1949), Vol. 29 The Goebbels Diaries: 1942-1943 by Joseph Goebbels, “Secret Hitler-Benes Negotiations in 1936-37.” bt Gerhard L. Weinberg The Road to Terror. Stalin and the Self-Destruction of the Bolsheviks by J. Arch Getty and Oleg V. Naumov Russian Soviet Archives U.S. Archives, Library of Congress Czech Republic Archives Vienna Bureau of the Austrian Chancellor The Red Book, Leon Sedov, 1936, Byulletin Oppositsii, Nos.52-53, October 1936 The Prophet Outcast: Trotsky, (1929–1940), Isaac Deutscher, 1963, Vintage Russian Library The Russian Enigma, Ante Ciliga, 1940, Pluto Press “Red Wreckers in Russia.”,by John D Littlepage My Life, byLeon Trotsky Leon Sedov: Son, Friend, Fighter, Leon Trotsky Harvard Trotsky Archive, Houghton Library, Harvard University The Great Terror. A Reassessment by Robert Conquest Bukharin and the Bolshevik Revolution 1888-1938 by Stephen Cohen The Kirov Murder and Soviet History by Matthew Lenoe Many, many diaries published on /episode/index/show/prolespod/id/33629637

Ep 65 - The Stalin Eras, Part 1: Discussion (1917-1929) 10/21/2024

Ep 64 - The Stalin Eras, Part 1: Reconstruction In One Country (1917-1929) 10/14/2024

Ep 64 - The Stalin Eras, Part 1: Reconstruction In One Country (1917-1929) 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 the next episode which will feature a full length discussion with guest host Breht O’Shea of Revolutionary Left Radio. Breht joins to guide an in-depth discussion about the era covered in this narrative episode. The Stalin Eras, inspired by the classic RevLeft Radio episode “Stalin: A Marxist-Leninist Perspective, mixes both narrative history (ala Blowback) and discussion (like classic Prolespod) to provide the most comprehensive English overview of the life and impact of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in podcast format. Whether you’re a socialist history enthusiast, someone who’s just curious to learn more than what you got in school about the Soviet Union, or even a total hater who just wants to rage, this series has something for everyone. Support the show here: Thematic Introduction Source: "Forword" of Stalin: A New World Seen Through One Man by Henri Barbusse Episode Sources I Change Worlds by Anna Louise Strong Stalin: A New World Seen Through One Man by Henri Barbusse The Great Conspiracy: The Secret War Against Soviet Russia The Great Soviet Encyclopedia Stalin: From the Caucasus to the Kremlin by Christopher Read Small Comrades: A Revolutionizing Childhood in Soviet Russia 1917-1932. Recommended Additional Reading Silencing the Past by Michel-Rolphe Trouillot Recommended Additional Listening /episode/index/show/prolespod/id/33427607

Ep 63 - The Stalin Eras: An Introduction (1878-1917) 10/09/2024

Ep 62 - A Very Special ProlesPod: Behind The Iron Curtain 09/09/2024

Ep 62 - A Very Special ProlesPod: Behind The Iron Curtain 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. We tried to collect a mixture of humorous clips, serious clips, and thoughtful clips. Some of this content was recorded before Rae and Martín got decent microphones, so many apologies for the terrible audio quality on some of their parts. We have all dedicated a lot of time and energy to this podcast and first and foremost we hope that you are enjoying it and finding it helpful in your lives. It takes a lot to bring bi-weekly content, as well as a constant stream of bonus content, and our hope is that we can eventually move away from full-time wage labor toward full-time revolutionary education and entertainment but we cannot do that without your help. If it is within your means, please find a tier that interests you over at the page and smash that subscribe button. If you are unable to support financially, that's okay. We get it! We also have a free tier with study guides to accompany the main feed episodes, as well as occasional exclusive content and announcements. If you're an absolutely dedicated comrade, it really helps us reach more people if you post reviews on any of the sites like , , or any other place that it might be available, and comment on our ! Check out the Stalin Eras trailer, which drops today, and make sure to follow so that you can get notifications when the genre-bending episodes premier! It will be Soviet history as you've never heard it before... 0:35.5 - 3:11.5 Introduction 3:17.8 - 4:56.3 5:10.7 - 6:47.1 6:54.4 - 9:39.7 9:53.2 - 13:56.8 14:03.5 - 15:35.6 15:44.8 - 17:28.7 17:40.9 - 19:18.6 19:29.7 - 23:13.0 23:31.5 - 24:46.9 25:04.0 - 28:03.0 28:04.8 - 28:48.4 29:12.6 - 32:25.8 32:42.6 - 36:04.7 36:33.3 - 37:22.4 37:42.3 - 40:38.8 *SPOILERS* 40:54.0 - 48:36.8 49:08.0 - 57:28.7 57:49.4 - 1:00.1 /episode/index/show/prolespod/id/32975857

Ep 61 - Foundations of Leninism 08/26/2024

Ep 60 - Ukraine: Descent to Fascism 08/12/2024

Ep 59 - Ukraine: Birth of a Nationalism 07/29/2024

EP 58 - Indigenous Resistance in the Ecuadorian Amazon 07/15/2024

Ep 57 - Taiwan: A Short Long History 07/01/2024

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