Rev Left Radio

Rev Left Radio explores politics, philosophy, history, and struggle through a Marxist lens. We play our humble role in advancing a systematic analysis of the ever-changing world rooted in dialectical and historical materialism and a principled vision for the human species rooted in egalitarianism, solidarity, compassion, enlightenment, and human flourishing.

Manufacturing Syria: HTS, Rojava, Iran, and the Consequences of Regime Change 01/30/2026

Manufacturing Syria: HTS, Rojava, Iran, and the Consequences of Regime Change Syria is entering a new and terrifying phase. In this episode Breht is joined by a panel of scholars and activists (, , , and ) to take a clear-eyed look at what’s unfolded over the last year and how it fits into the longer arc of the Syrian civil war, including the rapid collapse of the Assad-era order and the emergence of a new regime centered around HTS and Ahmad al-Sharaa (Jolani). Together, they break down the latest waves of mass violence and displacement across the coast, Suwayda, Aleppo, and Rojava, and ask what these events reveal about the new Syria. From there, they turn to the Kurdish question. They discuss the SDF, the long history of US imperial instrumentalization of Kurdish forces, the recurring pattern of abandonment, and the growing pressure now facing Rojava amid shifting regional and international priorities. They also examine ongoing kidnappings and sect-based killings, the breakdown of accountability, and what the allegations surrounding Syrian security institutions tell us about the direction of the new order. Finally, they zoom out to the information war. They map the propaganda narratives being pushed in Western and Zionist media, and offer practical “tells” for separating genuine reporting from information operations. Then, they close by asking what Syria teaches us about the current political moment: imperial strategy, proxy warfare, sectarian fragmentation, and what real solidarity demands. Access a full list of all the sources used for this episode Donate to Jalyssa on Cash App: Or donate at: Check out Joma's great podcast: Previous Episodes on Syria and Rojava: " ---------------------------------------------------- Support Rev Left and get access to bonus episodes: Make a one-time donation to Rev Left at Follow, Subscribe, & Learn more about Rev Left Radio /episode/index/show/revolutionaryleftradio/id/39916245

Minneapolis on Fire 01/25/2026

The Political Economy of Love: Attention, Affection, & What Capitalism Can't Buy 01/19/2026

Western Marxism and The Imperial Theory Industry 01/14/2026

Solidarity With Children: Love, Autonomy, Parenting, and Innocence 01/12/2026

[BEST OF 2025] From Reagan to Trump: Neoliberalism, Class War, and American Decadence 01/07/2026

[BEST OF 2025] Farce, Finance & Fascism: Margaret Kimberley on Empire in Decay 01/06/2026

On Venezuela... (with Guerrilla History and Red Menace) 01/06/2026

[BEST OF 2025] On The Ground in Gaza: Serving the People in Palestine 01/05/2026

[BEST OF 2025] The Sufi Path of Rumi: Islamic Mysticism and The Journey to Divine Love 01/04/2026

[BEST OF 2025] Anti-Capitalist Parenting: A Dialectical Perspective w/ Breht O'Shea (Upstream Podcast) 01/03/2026

[BEST OF 2025] Anti-Capitalist Parenting: A Dialectical Perspective w/ Breht O'Shea (Upstream Podcast) Jun 25, 2025 One of the most radical things you can do is live your life in direct opposition to the forces that control our society. Not just fighting for policies or organizing your community, although those are certainly important parts of it, but also living with values that oppose the values of our dominant society. And even more importantly, raising the next generation to embody those values—not in a coercive way, but through organic parenting and role modeling that make radicalism irresistible. This is how we raise revolutionaries: instilling community, love, egalitarianism, and a need for justice into children. And this is just what our guest in today's episode has devoted himself to doing. Breht O’Shea is an activist, organizer, political educator, and host of the podcast and co-host of the podcasts and . He is a father of three based out of Omaha Nebraska. In this conversation, Part 3 of our Post Capitalist Parenting series, Breht shares with us insights about parenting that he's learned over the years as a father of three and what Marxism teaches us about parenting. We discuss the classic text by Engels, The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State, which is a dialectical materialist analysis of patriarchy and the family, tracing the emergence of the patriarchal family and it took through various iterations of class society but also exploring what families have looked like under actually-existing socialism and also what it might look like under communism. We also explore the anti-natalist position which attempts to argue that having children is immoral, why this perspective is deeply flawed, what Buddhism can teach us about parenting, and much, much more. Support Breht and Rev Left Radio, and join their community Further Resources , by Kristen Ghodsee Related Episodes: Post Capitalist Parenting Pt. 2: Reimagining the Family w/ Kristen Ghodsee Intermission music: Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on , , , and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. /episode/index/show/revolutionaryleftradio/id/39580230

[BEST OF 2025] On Technofeudalism: Rent Seeking in Late Stage Monopoly Capitalism 01/02/2026

[BEST OF 2025] Dialectics of Nature: Engels on Dialectical Materialism as a Worldview 01/01/2026

Jesus Christ: The Revolutionary Mystic 12/24/2025

Chinese Characteristics of Socialism: Civilizational Factors in CPC Governance 12/18/2025

Eric Mann on Revolutionary Struggle Part 2: Labor Organizing, The Working Class, and Proletarian Internationalism 12/12/2025

Eric Mann on Revolutionary Struggle Part 2: Labor Organizing, The Working Class, and Proletarian Internationalism Breht speaks with veteran organizer, revolutionary strategist, Elder of the movement, and author Eric Mann. Together they discuss Eric's life and work, including his book on George Jackson, the Hard Hat riot against Vietnam protesters, how to organize effectively in the work place, Eric's personal relationship with Howard Zinn, the importance of revolutionary journalism, combatting chauvinism, and SO much more. Check out Part One of Breht's discussion with Eric Opening clip from More Biography of Eric Mann: Eric Mann (born December 4, 1942) is a civil rights, anti-war, labor, and environmental organizer. He has worked with the Congress of Racial Equality, Newark Community Union Project, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the Black Panther Party, the United Automobile Workers (including eight years on auto assembly lines) and the New Directions Movement. He was also active as a leader of SDS faction the Weathermen, which later became the militant left-wing organization Weather Underground. He was arrested in September 1969 for participation in a direct action against the Harvard Center for International Affairs and sentenced to two years in prison on charges of conspiracy to commit murder after two bullets were fired through a window of the Cambridge police headquarters on November 8, 1969. He was instrumental in the movement that helped to keep a General Motors assembly plant in Van Nuys, California open for ten years. Mann has been credited for helping to shape the environmental justice movement in the U.S. He founded the Labor/Community Strategy Center in Los Angeles, California and has been its director for 25 years. In addition, Mann is founder and co-chair of the Bus Riders Union, which sued the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for what it called “transit racism”, resulting in a precedent-setting civil rights lawsuit, Labor Community Strategy Center et al. v. MTA. Get 15% off any book at Left Wing Books ---------------------------------------------------- Support Rev Left and get access to bonus episodes: Make a one-time donation to Rev Left at Follow, Subscribe, & Learn more about Rev Left Radio /episode/index/show/revolutionaryleftradio/id/39362980

Eric Mann on Revolutionary Struggle: The Weather Underground, the Long 1960s, and the Fight for Liberation Today (Part 1) 12/12/2025

Eric Mann on Revolutionary Struggle: The Weather Underground, the Long 1960s, and the Fight for Liberation Today (Part 1) Breht speaks with veteran organizer, revolutionary strategist, and author Eric Mann. In this wide-ranging conversation, Mann reflects on his decades of struggle; from his early work with SNCC and SDS, through his involvement with the Weather Underground and his time as a political prisoner, to his rank-and-file organizing as a UAW autoworker. Along the way, Mann wrestles with the realities of repression and counterinsurgency, the need for disciplined cadre and a Black-led united front against imperialism, and the history of the Marxist Left in the 60's and 70's in the USA as told through his personal experiences. His story is both a living history of the U.S. Left and a revolutionary call for commitment and organization for a new generation of revolutionaries. More Biography of Eric Mann: Eric Mann (born December 4, 1942) is a civil rights, anti-war, labor, and environmental organizer. He has worked with the Congress of Racial Equality, Newark Community Union Project, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the Black Panther Party, the United Automobile Workers (including eight years on auto assembly lines) and the New Directions Movement. He was also active as a leader of SDS faction the Weathermen, which later became the militant left-wing organization Weather Underground. He was arrested in September 1969 for participation in a direct action against the Harvard Center for International Affairs and sentenced to two years in prison on charges of conspiracy to commit murder after two bullets were fired through a window of the Cambridge police headquarters on November 8, 1969. He was instrumental in the movement that helped to keep a General Motors assembly plant in Van Nuys, California open for ten years. Mann has been credited for helping to shape the environmental justice movement in the U.S. He founded the Labor/Community Strategy Center in Los Angeles, California and has been its director for 25 years. In addition, Mann is founder and co-chair of the Bus Riders Union, which sued the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority for what it called “transit racism”, resulting in a precedent-setting civil rights lawsuit, Labor Community Strategy Center et al. v. MTA. Mann is the author of books published by Beacon Press, Harper & Row and the University of California, which include Taking on General Motors; The Seven Components of Transformative Organizing Theory; and Playbook for Progressives: 16 Qualities of the Successful Organizer. He is known for his theory of transformative organizing and leadership of political movements and is acknowledged by many as an veteran organizer on the communist left. ---------------------------------------------------- Support Rev Left and get access to bonus episodes: Make a one-time donation to Rev Left at Follow, Subscribe, & Learn more about Rev Left Radio /episode/index/show/revolutionaryleftradio/id/38374920