Bhaskar Sunkara is a democratic socialist, political writer, founding editor of Jacobin, president of The Nation, and author of The Socialist Manifesto. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: – House of Macadamias: https://houseofmacadamias.com/lex and use code LEX to get 20% of your first order – Linode: https://linode.com/lex to get $100 free credit – Onnit: https://lexfridman.com/onnit to get up to 10% off – InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/lex to get 20% off – ExpressVPN: https://expressvpn.com/lexpod to get 3 months free EPISODE LINKS: Bhaskar’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/sunraysunray Jacobin: https://jacobin.com Jacobin’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/jacobin The Nation: https://thenation.com The Socialist Manifesto (book): https://amzn.to/3hKpt2p PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips SUPPORT & CONNECT: – Check out the sponsors above, it’s the best way to support this podcast – Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman – Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman – Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman – LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman – Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman – Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman OUTLINE: Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. (00:00) – Introduction (13:24) – Socialism (31:54) – Communism (58:31) – Class struggle (1:09:33) – Quality of life (1:17:29) – Unions (1:29:57) – Corruption (1:43:15) – Freedom of speech (1:51:38) – War (1:59:24) – Karl Marx (2:13:03) – Socialist vision (2:18:28) – AI and socialism (2:23:26) – Socialist policies (2:48:45) – Billionaires (2:54:43) – Bernie Sanders (3:05:10) – AOC (3:17:11) – 2024 presidential election (3:22:05) – China (3:31:06) – Jacobin (3:38:35) – The Socialist Manifesto (3:45:55) – Advice for young people (3:49:28) – Meaning of life

With the wealth gap widening, some Americans are starting to consider socialism as a viable economic and political model. Supporters of capitalism claim that no other system has been as effective in creating value, increasing prosperity, and producing the wealth that has lifted billions of people out of poverty. The free market, they argue, encourages competition and human ingenuity, values individual choice, and organizes society in a fair and just way. Critics of capitalism, however, paint a different picture. They argue that capitalism is inherently exploitative and that business owners seek profits above all else, leading to the distortion of human worth as one distilled to an individual’s labor power. Further, they claim that a capitalist system is inherently rigged to benefit the wealthy and powerful, and the byproducts of which have created unsustainable waste and decimated the world’s wildlife and natural resources. In light of this emerging divide, we ask this question: Is capitalism a blessing?With John Mackey, Bhaskar Sunkara, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Richard D. Wolff.John Donvan is our moderater. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bhaskar Sunkara, the editor of Jacobin magazine, dives deep into the roots and relevance of socialism today. He shares his immigrant upbringing and how public libraries shaped his Marxist views. Sunkara discusses the rise of the Democratic Socialists of America and the need for radical politics to combat extreme inequality. He critiques historical leftist movements and emphasizes the importance of balancing individual freedoms with workers' rights. The conversation explores socialism's potential to create a more equitable society and the necessity for engaging local communities in political processes.

Adam Conover chats with Bhaskar Sunkara about why the Left isn't winning, comparing socialist ideals to far-right movements, analyzing Bernie Sanders' impact, discussing American vs European politics, online privacy, healthcare systems, union support for Medicare for All, border policies, and leftist group divisions over Israeli offense in Gaza.

Nando Villa guest hosts alongside Bhaskar Sunkara, the editor of Jacobin magazine known for his insightful commentary on socialism. They dive deep into the potential of social democracy in the U.S., contrasting it with democratic socialism. Key topics include the lessons learned from Bernie Sanders' campaigns, the burgeoning consciousness around class issues, and the historical context of social democracy in Scandinavia. The discussion also addresses healthcare disparities and the role of grassroots movements in reviving a politically engaged working class.