1Dime Radio Debating the Legacy of Marxism (Ft. Conrad Hamilton)
Oct 24, 2025
Conrad Hamilton, a Marxist scholar and postdoctoral research fellow at East China Normal University, dives into the relevance of Marxism in today's world. He argues that Marxism provides a scientific lens on society, discussing its historical impact and critiques of socialist states. The conversation delves into class dynamics, the role of identity politics, and the challenges faced by democratic socialism. Additionally, they explore religion's influence on communist movements and reflect on lessons from historical socialist governance.
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Guelph Roots Shaped Hamilton's Marxism
- Conrad Hamilton recounts growing up near Guelph, Ontario where auto manufacturing and a university shaped local class consciousness.
- He links local Communist Party history and unionized factories to his early attraction to Marxism.
Marxism As A Scientific Lens
- Conrad Hamilton argues Marxism is the closest thing to a scientific method for understanding society and material reproduction.
- He says class divisions explain many masked social conflicts and ideological mystifications.
Proletariat Gained Global Scale
- Marx's proletariat concept remains relevant because industrialization expanded globally and created mass wage labor.
- Hamilton notes China now contains the largest proletarian class in history, reinforcing Marx's category.
