Dive into a lively discussion on the tactics of anti-capitalism, where strategies to smash, tame, escape, and erode capitalism are laid out. The speakers contemplate the relevance of Marxism today and delve into the stark realities of persistent poverty amid technological growth. They dissect the complexities of capitalism’s contradictions and explore how historical lessons can inform future economic models. Prepare for a thought-provoking journey through revolutionary ideas and the fragility of reform in the capitalist landscape.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Soviet Achievements
The Soviet Union rapidly industrialized, raising industrial production to 80% of US levels.
It ensured free education, healthcare, and subsidized basic necessities, unlike the West.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Soviet Citizen Satisfaction
Despite reaching only a fraction of US living standards, Soviet citizens reported high job satisfaction.
Most citizens favored price controls and opposed private property, even by 1990.
insights INSIGHT
Soviet Economic Woes
Centralization wasn't the Soviet Union's core economic problem, the second economy was.
This underground market, with self-serving interests, undermined the socialist sector.
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China's Revolution and the Quest for a Socialist Future
China's Revolution and the Quest for a Socialist Future
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Kenneth J. Hammond
Envisioning Real Utopias
Envisioning Real Utopias
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Eric Olin Wright
Eric Olin Wright's "Envisioning Real Utopias" explores the possibilities of creating more just and equitable societies. It delves into various models of social organization, examining their strengths and weaknesses. The book challenges traditional utopian thinking by focusing on practical steps towards achieving real-world improvements. Wright emphasizes the importance of participatory democracy and economic justice in building a better future. His work offers a nuanced and pragmatic approach to envisioning and working towards a more just world.
How to Be Anti-Capitalist in the 21st Century
How to Be Anti-Capitalist in the 21st Century
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Eric Olin Wright
Socialism Betrayed, Behind the Collapse of the Soviet Union
Socialism Betrayed, Behind the Collapse of the Soviet Union
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Thomas Kenney
Roger Kieran
This is a free preview of the episode "Four Ways to Be Anticapitalist." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast
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Can capitalism be reformed? Or does it have to be smashed? This is an age-old question that has generated much discussion, debate, and disagreement on the left. In this episode of our Patreon reading series, Della joins Robert to discuss these questions within the context of a Jacobin piece written by the late Erik Olin Wright, "How to Be an Anticaptialist Today."
Can capitalism be tamed? Can it be eroded? Can it be escaped? Or must it be smashed? In exploring and answering these questions, Della and Robert cover a wide variety of topics from historical materialism, Marxism, Leninism, anarchism, prefigurative politics, and much, much more. We synthesize learnings from many of our recent episodes, explore how we've developed in our analysis since some of our older episodes, bring in explorations of history and theory, and explore what has changed and shifted in the last decade of capitalism in the West.
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