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.
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They Called Her Rebel: Speculative Fiction, Revolutionary Art, and the Politics of Imagination
11/20/2025
They Called Her Rebel: Speculative Fiction, Revolutionary Art, and the Politics of Imagination
In this episode, Breht speaks with Jacob Dallas-Main, co-host of and author of ; a dazzling fusion of fantasy, class struggle, and storytelling set in a world of debtors’ camps, collapsing empires, and revolutionary possibility. The two discuss how speculative fiction can illuminate political struggle, not merely as metaphor but as a call to break the boundary between audience and participant. They explore what makes a work of art revolutionary rather than consumable, the dangers of reactionary storytelling in popular culture, declining literacy in the U.S., the threats posed by AI, the need for socialist transformation, and why imagination is a vital force in times of despair. From Le Guin to Kim Stanley Robinson to Lee Mandelo, they trace a lineage of speculative art that refuses cynicism and insists on transformation -- both political and personal. Check out our episode with Kim Stanely Robinson on his book "Ministry for the Future" Subscribe to Workers Lit podcast on youtube ---------------------------------------------------- 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
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UNLOCKED: Mamdani, Marijuana Dependency, and Unconditional Life Acceptance
11/16/2025
UNLOCKED: Mamdani, Marijuana Dependency, and Unconditional Life Acceptance
This is an unlocked patreon episode. To support the show and get access to monthly bonus episodes like this one, join our patreon: In this unlocked Patreon episode, Breht reads and responds to an article in the Tehran Times on the NYC mayoral race and left strategy around Palestine, then he plays and analyzes a in your 20s and 30s, and finally Breht discusses his ongoing grieving process surrounding his Dad's death and the life lessons he's learned in the wake of it. In the process, he articulates what we need in left leaders, cultivating psychological resilience, the importance of sobriety as a baseline, the benefits of behavioral moderation, accepting worse case scenarios in life, the sweetness inherent in grief, dead loved ones visiting you in dreams, and much more. ---------------------------------------------------- Make a one-time donation to Rev Left at Follow, Subscribe, & Learn more about Rev Left Radio
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Heidegger in Ruins: Philosophy, Fascism, and the Politics of Being
11/12/2025
Heidegger in Ruins: Philosophy, Fascism, and the Politics of Being
In this episode, Breht speaks with , author of , about the dark entanglement between Martin Heidegger’s philosophy and his lifelong commitment to National Socialism. Heidegger is often hailed as the most important philosopher of the 20th century, yet his work was deeply shaped by the reactionary politics of his time. Wolin explains how Heidegger’s central ideas -- Being, Dasein, authenticity, rootedness, and the “decline of the West” -- became intertwined with fascist notions of destiny, hierarchy, and belonging. They discuss the long history of attempts to sanitize Heidegger’s record, what the Black Notebooks reveal about his true convictions, the interwar period in Germany and the conservative revolution, Heidegger's spiritual racism, and how the same civilizational despair and longing for renewal echo through today’s far-right political movements. This conversation explores how the search for meaning and authenticity, when divorced from solidarity and democracy, can turn toward reactionary myth-making, hierarchical exclusion, and fascist authoritarianism. Check out Dr. Wolin's articles in the LA Review of 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
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From Reagan to Trump: Neoliberalism, Class War, and American Decadence
11/05/2025
From Reagan to Trump: Neoliberalism, Class War, and American Decadence
In this episode, public school history teacher Gianni Paul joins Breht to trace the historical roots of our current crisis — stagnant wages, mass homelessness, collapsing infrastructure, rising fascism, Gilded Age inequality, and a beaten down working class — back to Reagan’s counter-revolution against the New Deal and the forty-year neoliberal project that followed. Together, they explore how neoliberalism emerged out of the crises of the 1970s, Carter’s role in laying the groundwork before Reagan, the destruction of unions and working-class power, the ideological weaponization of anti-communism, the bipartisan consolidation of neoliberalism under Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden, the ways Reagan and Trump represent two phases of the same class project, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise of capitalist triumphalism, the slow disintegration of America’s middle class into debt and precarity, the explosion of homelessness and hopelessness, the erosion of U.S. imperial dominance alongside the emergence of a multipolar world, and why the U.S. repeatedly chooses reaction over social transformation — raising the question of whether genuine change can still emerge from within the imperial core or whether new possibilities are taking shape elsewhere. Understanding this history is key to understanding why everyday life in America feels increasingly unstable, and what futures remain possible beyond neoliberal decay. Follow Gianni and The People's Classroom on Instagram Check out his full lectures on YouTube ---------------------------------------------------- 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
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Union Organizing, Islamic Faith, and the Collective Vision of Socialism
10/29/2025
Union Organizing, Islamic Faith, and the Collective Vision of Socialism
In this episode, Breht speaks with Aminah Sheikh -- Vice President of the Canadian Freelance Union, member of the Twin Cities DSA Steering Committee, and longtime labor organizer -- about the intersection of Islamic faith, union organizing, and the collective vision of socialism. Aminah shares her journey from growing up in a devout religious household to discovering belonging and political consciousness through the labor movement. She reflects on how organizing gave her safety and solidarity as a Muslim born in the West, and how faith, class struggle, and proletarian internationalism can coexist and reinforce one another. Together, they discuss her work organizing in rural and Indigenous communities, her experiences with the Che Guevara Brigade in Cuba, and her ongoing solidarity with Palestine. The conversation explores how spiritual and socialist traditions both point toward a shared horizon: a world rooted in justice, dignity, and collective liberation. Follow Aminah on X @AminahSheikh Here are some articles written by Aminah as well: On Rosa Luxemburg On The Canadian Right On Militant Trade Unions and Anti-Communist Reaction On Palestine ---------------------------------------------------- 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
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On Fatherhood: Parenting and Marriage in an Era of Uncertainty
10/21/2025
On Fatherhood: Parenting and Marriage in an Era of Uncertainty
Breht is joined by Nick from and JT from and , to have an unstructured conversation about fatherhood, parenting, role modeling, masculinity, marriage, children, and much more! ---------------------------------------------------- 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 Outro Beat Prod. by
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Ceasefire in Gaza, The Monroe Doctrine Under Trump, and a US Economy on the Brink of Collapse
10/14/2025
Ceasefire in Gaza, The Monroe Doctrine Under Trump, and a US Economy on the Brink of Collapse
Alyson and Breht analyze current events, including the ceasefire in Gaza and its implications, the newest round of US imperialist aggression against Venezuela, Regime Change aspirations in Iran and Venezuela, the absolutely horrific state of the American economy, the AI bubble, Free Speech, ICE raids, and more. ---------------------------------------------------- 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
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Discussing Popular Education and Social Movement Work (w/ Ultra-Red)
10/06/2025
Discussing Popular Education and Social Movement Work (w/ Ultra-Red)
In this episode, Alyson joins members of the Ultra-Red collective to discuss their recent trip to Central America where they learned first hand about popular education movements of the past and present. The discussion gets into the history of popular education, existing social movements in Central America today, and what we can learn from these movements in our organizing work. The journal of Ultra-Red can be found here: ---------------------------------------------------- Learn more about, follow, and support Rev Left and Red Menace here:
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The State of the American Left (w/ How The Red Was Won)
10/04/2025
The State of the American Left (w/ How The Red Was Won)
Breht went on to talk about the current state of the left, the contradictions of American trade unions, American geopolitics, and much more! From the original description: You know him. You love him. It's everyone's favorite Breht O'Shea from such fine podcasts as RevLeft Radio, The Red Menace, Shoeless in South Dakota, and more! We talk about what organizing in the USA looks like 2025 - from unions to the socialist orgs, mutual aid, resisting fascism, and raising anti-fascist kids.Part 2 here:
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Menace of our Time: The Long War Against American Communism
10/01/2025
Menace of our Time: The Long War Against American Communism
For over a century, the U.S. ruling class has waged war on communists, anarchists, and radicals. From the Palmer Raids of 1919 to McCarthyism in the 1950s, from COINTELPRO in the Cold War to today’s MAGA rhetoric about “woke communists" and his crackdown on "Antifa Radicals", state repression has always sought to crush revolutionary politics before they could take root; especially in times of capitalist crisis. In this episode, historian joins us to discuss his new book Menace of Our Time: The Long War Against American Communism. We trace how the U.S. developed its arsenal of anti-radical laws and FBI surveillance programs, and how these were deployed against generations of activists, workers, and organizers. We talk about the Communist Party USA’s early growth, its leaders like William Z. Foster and Earl Browder, and its contradictory relationship with Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who both advanced social reforms hated by capitalists and cracked down on communists in his time. Leonard explains how McCarthyism and COINTELPRO not only repressed communists but created a climate where the majority of Americans came to accept mass violations of civil liberties in the name of anti-communism. As Trump and the far right recycle the language of anti-communism to justify repression in 2025, Leonard argues that knowing this history is not just an academic exercise -- it’s a weapon for the struggles ahead. ---------------------------------------------------- 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 Outro Beat Prod. by
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Eric Mann on Revolutionary Struggle: The Weather Underground, the Long 1960s, and the Fight for Liberation Today (Part 1)
09/27/2025
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
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Rev Left Intervention: Help Get Food to Palestinians in Gaza! (REUPLOAD)
09/26/2025
Rev Left Intervention: Help Get Food to Palestinians in Gaza! (REUPLOAD)
Update and Reupload Sept. 25th: The extended family we have been supporting for over a year needs another influx of support as they try to move themselves and their stuff south, as the IOF closes in on their area. Make a direct intervention in the lives of Palestinians enduring genocide: Donate directly to the Rayyan family in Gaza:
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The Russian Revolution of 1917: The Bolshevik March to October
09/23/2025
The Russian Revolution of 1917: The Bolshevik March to October
In 1917, Russia went from a centuries-old monarchy to the world’s first workers’ state in just eight months. From the February Revolution and the fall of the Tsar, to the July Days and the failed Kornilov coup, and finally to the decisive October insurrection, the Bolsheviks and the Soviets navigated setbacks, repression, reactionary coups, bourgeois opportunism, and unprecedented opportunities with remarkable clarity, unmatched strategy, and resolute discipline. Breht is joined by Daniel, host of , to walk through the year that shook the world. Together they trace the month-to-month developments from February to October 1917, bringing new depth and insight to a revolution that toppled an empire, established the world’s first socialist state, and still looms over our present and future. Check out our episode on "What Is To Be Done" by Lenin ---------------------------------------------------- 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 Outro Beat Prod. by 'Bitter Cocona'
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Socializing Sports: Reclaiming The Beautiful Game from Capital & Empire
09/16/2025
Socializing Sports: Reclaiming The Beautiful Game from Capital & Empire
In this episode, Breht speaks with , author of and The . Together they explore what it means to socialize sports; to reclaim the Beautiful Game from billionaire owners, corrupt institutions, and imperial powers, and return it to the people as a democratic, community-owned, and liberatory project. Together, they examine the ways professional sports in the imperial core normalize colonialism, militarism, racism, and capitalism, while grassroots football worldwide has long been a site of resistance, solidarity, and struggle. From the NFL’s “plantation economics” to the vision of supporter-owned clubs, equal pay for women’s teams, and football as a hub of political education and mutual aid, this conversation makes clear that sports are never “just games.” They are battlefields for ideology and community -- as well as an expression of our nature as social beings -- and if reclaimed, they can become engines of solidarity,healthy communities, and socialist culture. Whether you are a sports fan or not, you will get a LOT out of this fascinating and surprisingly wide-ranging conversation! Gaia Labs Behind the Shield documentary on the NFL by Dave Zirin Black Alliance for Peace petition to ban Israel and US ---------------------------------------------------- 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 Outro Beat Prod. by
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On Technofeudalism: Rent Seeking in Late Stage Monopoly Capitalism
09/10/2025
On Technofeudalism: Rent Seeking in Late Stage Monopoly Capitalism
Alyson and Breht critically engage with the concept of "technofeudalism" from a Marxist (and thus historical materialist) perspective, analyzing its origin and recent popularity, critiquing its depoloyment and the implication that it represents a "new mode of production", explaining related concepts like rent-seeking, discussing the role of private equity in the modern American economy, the politics of Yanis Varoufakis, and much, much more. Private Equity Explainer 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:
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Building an Internationalist Left in a New Era of Global Politics (w/ Breht O'Shea – Rev Left Radio)
09/01/2025
Building an Internationalist Left in a New Era of Global Politics (w/ Breht O'Shea – Rev Left Radio)
Breht went onto the International Solidarity Podcast with host Ashwin! "In this latest episode, I'm joined by Breht O'Shea (who many of you will know as the host of and co-host of ) for a pretty wide-ranging discussion. We talk about the state of the left in the global north amidst the Gaza genocide and its inability to effectively do something about it, we talk about broader global shifts taking place at the moment, how the rest of this century is shaping up to look like, the role of spirituality or humanism in our left politics, combatting fear, cynicism, and individualism, the case for hope, and a whole bunch more. Journal of International Solidarity Links Instagram: Substack: Youtube:
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Breht Joins the Trades, Supports the Bolivarian Revolution, and Pops the AI Bubble...
08/27/2025
Breht Joins the Trades, Supports the Bolivarian Revolution, and Pops the AI Bubble...
Breht updates listeners on the fundraiser for the family we are supporting in Gaza, updates listeners on his new job and talks about the challenges and rewards of joining a trade union, explores the economic developments in and around AI (the hype, the bubble, and the infrastructure build-out), and then discusses the US sending troops to Venezuela and the response from Latin America and China. Here is the new link to the Gaza family fundraiser: ---------------------------------------------------- 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: outro music 'Xtruhhturrestreeall' by Spinitch find and support more of their work here:
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Red Star Ministry: Marxism, Theology, & The Human Condition
08/12/2025
Red Star Ministry: Marxism, Theology, & The Human Condition
Alyson and Breht are guests on the , a Christian Communist outlet. Together with the host Christian, they discuss Alyson and Breht's evolving personal relationship with religion and atheism, the Dialectics of Nature and Human Consciousness, Spinozist Philosophy, Marxist Philosophy, Post-Atheism and much more.
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Philosophy Series: Hegel, Marx, & Modern Life (Part 2)
08/08/2025
Philosophy Series: Hegel, Marx, & Modern Life (Part 2)
Part Two: Breht listens to, comments on, and expounds upon a public lecture by from 1989 on Hegel, Marx, and modern American capitalism. Along the way he discusses the central role of reproductive labor, the dialectic of feminism in the US across the last century, identifying with your job under capitalism, reactionary psychology and understanding the joy they take in cruelty, the insane irony of "Make America Great Again" under both Reagan and Trump, the prescience of Professor Roderick, socially necessary labor, and more. Finally, Breht opines at length on a crucial and often overlooked dimension of a truly present, meaningful life. ---------------------------------------------------- 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: outro music 'Mooncakes' by Spinitch find and support more of their work here:
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Philosophy Series: Hegel, Marx, & Modern Life (Part 1)
08/08/2025
Philosophy Series: Hegel, Marx, & Modern Life (Part 1)
Breht listens to, comments on, and expounds upon a public lecture by from 1989 on Hegel, Marx, and modern American capitalism. Along the way he explicates the Hegelian notion of Freedom, Right and Left Hegelianism, the End of History, Communism as the Dawn of History, Cognitive Dissonance among the American People, Moral Critiques of Capitalism, Contradictions within Ideology, Dialectical Inversions of Liberal Pretense, and much more. Part 2 coming soon! outro music 'Antithesnails (spinstrumental)' by Spinitch find and support more of their work here: ---------------------------------------------------- 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:
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The Power of Meditation (Teaser)
08/07/2025
The Power of Meditation (Teaser)
This is a small snippet from a in which Breht discusses a crucial dimension of a well-lived, meaningful existence, and explicates the transformative power of meditation practice,when done sincerley and consistently over time within an established philosophical and religious framework (as opposed to the stripped down, commodified, bastardized version of it often offered in western capitalist societies).
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The Dialectical Inversion of Liberal Values: Freedom, Democracy, and The Contradictions of Capitalism
08/05/2025
The Dialectical Inversion of Liberal Values: Freedom, Democracy, and The Contradictions of Capitalism
These are two snippets from in which Breht dialectically inverts core aspects of liberal philosophy (i.e. freedom and democracy) from a Marxist perspective, and then explains how the contradiction between the relations and forces of production under capitalism create an untenable and abjectly immoral situation wherein profit maximization for a few is always and everywhere prioritized over the wellbeing and flourshing of the vast majority. Transition song 'Antithesnails (spintstumentals) by ---------------------------------------------------- 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:
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Springs of Revolution: The Revolutionary Left of the DSA Struggles to Shape the Organization
07/28/2025
Springs of Revolution: The Revolutionary Left of the DSA Struggles to Shape the Organization
In this episode, Breht sits down with Ahmed and Luisa - two members of the Democratic Socialists of America’s National Political Committee and leaders within the . With the August 2025 DSA Convention approaching, this episode dives into the growing struggle between the organization’s revolutionary left and its more moderate, staff-driven tendencies. Representing a strategic coalition of rank-and-file organizers from across the country -including Red Star, Liberation Caucus, MUG, and Emerge - Springs of Revolution is fighting to remake DSA into a bottom-up, anti-imperialist, and internationally rooted revolutionary organization. From prioritizing local chapters and doubling their funding, to instituting anti-Zionist political commitments and unified electoral strategies, their platform directly challenges the right-wing of the organization and sets out a more radical vision for this evolving organization. We discuss what it means to build DSA into a revolutionary mass force, why Palestine is the “moral compass” of the left, the material lessons of recent uprisings like the George Floyd rebellion and Pro-Palestine Campus Uprisings, and how deep organizing is key to seizing future ruptures. If you’re a delegate heading into convention, a DSA member on the fence, or an outsider wondering what the internal political battles of the U.S. left really look like, this episode is essential listening. Learn more about the platform here: ---------------------------------------------------- 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: Outro Beat Prod. by
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On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among The People
07/21/2025
On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among The People
In this episode of Red Menace, Breht and Alyson dive into Mao Zedong’s pivotal 1957 speech On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People. This foundational text offers insight into Mao’s dialectical approach to politics, particularly in navigating the complex terrain of class struggle within socialist society. Together they explore Mao’s crucial distinction between antagonistic and non-antagonistic contradictions, and how this distinction can guide revolutionary praxis. The discussion includes an analysis of the “unity–struggle–unity” dialectic, the historical context and lessons of the Hundred Flowers and Hundred Schools campaigns, and the subsequent Anti-Rightist backlash. They also examine Mao’s critique of Han chauvinism and draw parallels to white chauvinism in the contemporary U.S., as well as Mao's position on Tibet and the historical legacy of how that conflict played out, and how it is still weaponized today. ---------------------------------------------------- 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:
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Christianity and Communism with Southern Catholic Worker
07/16/2025
Christianity and Communism with Southern Catholic Worker
In this episode, Breht is joined by Alex Zambito, the voice behind the Instagram account Southern Catholic Worker, for a wide-ranging conversation on the intersections of Christianity and revolutionary struggle. Together, they explore Alex’s journey into the Catholic Worker movement, how his Southern roots and spiritual convictions shaped his politics, and what the life and teachings of Jesus Christ - himself a Palestinian born to working people - have to offer a world ravaged by capitalism, empire, and despair. The conversation dives deep into liberation theology, the legacy of figures like John Brown, St. Francis of Assisi, Fanny Lou Hamer, Dorthy Day and Thomas Merton, and the ways theology can inform and animate anti-capitalist resistance. Alex discusses the contradictions between mainstream American Christianity and the gospel's radical call to justice, post-atheism, and the possibilities for a spiritual reawakening amid the decay of late capitalism. ---------------------------------------------------- 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: Outro Beat Prod. by
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Anti-Capitalist Parenting: A Dialectical Perspective w/ Breht O'Shea (Upstream Podcast)
06/25/2025
Anti-Capitalist Parenting: A Dialectical Perspective w/ Breht O'Shea (Upstream Podcast)
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.
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Fascism w/ American Characteristics (The Pokepreet Podcast Ft. Breht O'Shea)
06/23/2025
Fascism w/ American Characteristics (The Pokepreet Podcast Ft. Breht O'Shea)
"In this episode we are joined by Breht O'Shea to talk about fascism and it's peculiarities in the 21st Century." I went on for a second time recently and had a really in-depth and nuanced conversation about fascism, presently and historically; together we discuss how American fascism arising out of the ruins of neoliberalism is qualitatively different than previous fascisms, the role of insecure masculinity in all fascist movements, the implications of a lack of an organized and militant working class to combat it, the feckless liberal (non)response, the Democrats embrace of the "Abundance" agenda, the Palestinian liberation struggle, and MUCH much more. You can find Henri's work at: Support Pokepreet on Patreon: ---------------------------------------------------- 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:
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OTU Under Attack by Landlord Lobby
06/21/2025
OTU Under Attack by Landlord Lobby
In this episode, Breht welcomes on Seth from for an in-studio discussion about OTU's slate of recent successes organizing several tenant unions, and a subsequent new legal assault on the organization by the local landlord lobby. The legal implications of this attack are truly monumental for virtually all forms of organizing. They also discuss how landlordism is a feudal hangover with modern capitalist dynamics, the differences between tenant organizing and labor organizing, tenant organizing as a particularly potent site of struggle, and the material underpinnings of recent superstructural shifts in many people's views of landlords. Local media interviews Seth on the issue: OTU's Drake Court Tenant Union (Local 252) covered in local media: Increasing number of renters turning to tenant unions in the Omaha metro: Fed up tenants: Renters form unions to hold leasing companies accountable: ---------------------------------------------------- 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:
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Still Laundering Black Rage: DEI as Counterinsurgency
06/19/2025
Still Laundering Black Rage: DEI as Counterinsurgency
In this incisive conversation, Breht welcomes poet, scholar, and organizer, filmmaker, and host of the Black Myths Podcast back to the podcast to critically examine the recent attacks on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Anchored by the penetrating analysis in Too Black and Rasul Mowatt’s article, this episode dissects DEI as a capitalist pacification strategy, historically rooted in reaction to radical Black movements and inherently limited in delivering meaningful change. Too Black articulates how DEI serves capitalist interests by redirecting genuine Black rage into symbolic, surface-level victories that do little to alter the underlying structures of oppression. Together, they explore DEI’s historical development, its market-friendly evolution under Nixon, and its role in creating internal class contradictions within oppressed communities. Through the powerful analogy of a "bootleg rehab," Too Black vividly illustrates how superficial reforms pacify demands for revolutionary change without addressing systemic injustices like police violence, economic deprivation, and racialized exploitation. They also unpack the dialectical relationship between DEI initiatives and reactionary anti-DEI backlash, showing how both reinforce capitalist stability and deepen racial and class divides. Finally, Too Black outlines practical approaches for organizers to bypass capitalist traps, emphasizing the need for movements grounded in materialist analysis and authentic community needs. This essential discussion equips listeners with critical insights to recognize, resist, and transcend the limitations of DEI, advancing a revolutionary politics that refuses to settle for symbolic concessions in the face of real suffering. Check out Black Myths Podcast ---------------------------------------------------- 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:
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Farce, Finance & Fascism: Margaret Kimberley on Empire in Decay
06/18/2025
Farce, Finance & Fascism: Margaret Kimberley on Empire in Decay
In this powerful and wide-ranging conversation, —senior columnist at Black Agenda Report and a leader in —joins Breht to dissect the spectacle of American decline and, as usual, Kimberley offers a razor-sharp analysis of late-stage capitalism’s collapse into cruelty, chaos, and confusion. Together, they explore the Democratic Party’s complicity in ushering in this moment, U.S. weapons transfers to Ukraine in support of their proxy war against Russia, and the genocidal assault on Gaza as a revealing - if disturbing - lens into the true nature of the American empire. Kimberley also shares firsthand insights from delegations to Nicaragua, Venezuela, and China, illuminating how the Global South is resisting U.S. domination and reshaping global power. For those feeling the weight of worsening economic conditions, rising fascism, and political demobilization, Kimberley offers hard-won wisdom about organizing in the belly of the beast. We close with discussion about where real hope can still be found. Check out -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow, Subscribe, & Learn more about Rev Left Radio Outro Beat Prod. by
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