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.

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. /episode/index/show/revolutionaryleftradio/id/37140155

Fascism w/ American Characteristics (The Pokepreet Podcast Ft. Breht O'Shea) 06/23/2025

OTU Under Attack by Landlord Lobby 06/21/2025

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: /episode/index/show/revolutionaryleftradio/id/36955595

Farce, Finance & Fascism: Margaret Kimberley on Empire in Decay 06/18/2025

Dialectics of Nature: Engels on Dialectical Materialism as a Worldview 06/16/2025

Teaser: The Role of Labor in Human Evolution 06/15/2025

Uprising in LA: ICE, Mass Deportations, and American Fascism 06/12/2025

New Episodes Coming Soon! 06/12/2025

[BEST OF] The Fundamentals of Marxism: Historical Materialism, Dialectics, & Political Economy 06/11/2025

[BEST OF] The Fundamentals of Marxism: Intro to Political Economy 06/10/2025

[BEST OF] The History of Modern China 06/09/2025

[BEST OF] Irish Republican Army: Anti-Imperialism, Guerrilla Warfare, and National Liberation 06/08/2025

[BEST OF] Yahya Sinwar: Living and Dying for National Liberation 06/07/2025

[BEST OF] The Chinese Revolution: Chairman Mao, Cultural Revolution, & Communist China 06/06/2025

[BEST OF] On Mysticism: Ego, Suffering, & Love 06/05/2025

[BEST OF] Jesus Christ: Historical Materialism, Class Conflict, and the Jesus Movement 06/04/2025

[BEST OF] The Principles of Communism: Friedrich Engels and Communist Political Theory 06/03/2025

[BEST OF] Is Marxism Just Religion by Another Name? 06/02/2025

[BEST OF] Buddhist Enlightenment: Impermanence, No Self, and the Dark Night of the Soul 06/01/2025

[BEST OF] The German Revolution: Radical Potential and Reactionary Backlash in 1918–1919 05/31/2025

[BEST OF] Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism (Upstream) 05/30/2025

[BEST OF] Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism (Upstream) ORIGINALLY RELEASED Jan 2, 2025 Capitalism, imperialism, monopoly—far from being separate concepts that just happen to take shape parallel to one another or to overlap from time to time, these terms all really refer to the exact same overall process. We call it capitalism because it’s not always practical to call it “monopoly capitalism in its imperialist stage” or something like that, but really, capitalism is, as we’ll see, inevitably monopolistic and imperialist. The process of capitalism’s historical evolution from its so-called, and somewhat fabricated stage of free-enterprise to monopoly capitalism, and then further into what we refer to as imperialism, was outlined both theoretically and empirically by Vladamir Lenin well over a century ago in his classic text, Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism. The connection between monopoly and imperialism might not seem quite straightforward to you at first, and an understanding of imperialism itself as a process grounded in political economy may seem somewhat counterintuitive—especially if you’re used to thinking of imperialism and empire in the more popular sense of the words. But that’s why we’ve brought on two guests to walk us through this crucial text and help us make sense of it all. In this episode, we unpack Lenin’s Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism. This episode is an excellent introduction to the text but it also takes deep dives and gets granular at times, picking apart the nuances and various interpretations of the text. We explore the historical context in which Lenin wrote this book and then trace capitalism’s history from its early stages into its monopoly form. We explore how finance capital emerged and became similarly concentrated, how this merging of concentrated finance and industrial capital began to spread out from capitalist countries into the periphery and began to carve up the world, and how this process led to what we now understand to be capitalism’s final and highest stage: imperialism. And, of course, we apply the text to a variety of current events and explore how we can apply Lenin’s ideas in ways that help us grow and strengthen our socialist movements globally. Learn more about Upstream Learn more about Rev Left and Red Menace /episode/index/show/revolutionaryleftradio/id/36763120

[BEST OF] Continuity & Rupture: Maoism and the Science of Revolutionary Communism 05/29/2025

[BEST OF] Buddhism and Marxism w/ Della from Upstream 05/28/2025

[BEST OF] What Is To Be Done? Understanding Communist Strategy 05/27/2025

[BEST OF] Our History Is the Future: The Long Tradition of Indigenous Resistance 05/26/2025

[BEST OF] Islamic Mysticism: Rumi, Sufism, and Authentic Spirituality 05/25/2025

[BEST OF] The Battle of Blair Mountain: The Largest Labor Uprising in U.S. History 05/24/2025

[BEST OF] On Cuba and Haiti: The Fight for Liberation & Self-Determination in the Caribbean 05/23/2025

[BEST OF] W.E.B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America 05/22/2025

[BEST OF] W.E.B. Du Bois: Black Reconstruction in America ORIGINALLY RELEASED Jul 24, 2023 Dr. Gerald Horne, renowned historian, prolific author, and leading scholar of African American history, joins host Breht O'Shea and guest co-host PM Irvin for the inaugural episode of a compelling new series dedicated to exploring the profound life and influential work of W.E.B. Du Bois. A towering figure in American intellectual history, Du Bois was an innovative sociologist, pioneering Marxist socialist thinker, distinguished historian, and a passionate advocate of Pan-Africanist civil rights and liberation. In this richly detailed discussion, Dr. Horne provides his deep historical expertise and sharp analytical insight to illuminate Du Bois’s groundbreaking masterpiece, Black Reconstruction in America. This seminal text revolutionized the historiography of the Reconstruction era by highlighting the central role that African Americans played in striving for democracy and liberation following the Civil War, while powerfully dismantling the myths perpetuated by white supremacist narratives of American history. Listeners will gain a profound appreciation for Du Bois’s rigorous methodology, his penetrating critique of capitalist exploitation and racial oppression, and his visionary perspective on racial solidarity and international struggle. This episode not only marks the beginning of a comprehensive exploration of Du Bois’s prolific intellectual contributions but also serves as a crucial foundation for understanding the historical dynamics that continue to shape racial politics and liberation movements today. Check out our other interviews with Professor Horne over at Guerrilla History: and Also check out Dr. Horne's writings in ---------------------------------------------------- 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/36649745

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