The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

The destruction of a major dam in southern Ukraine has caused devastating flooding as a highly-anticipated Ukrainian military offensive gets underway. U.S. officials immediately declared that Russia was responsible but where’s the evidence and does that have any military logic?  Brian Becker is joined by Walter Smolarek, editor of Liberation News. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at https://patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how economists around the world are agonizing over the question – Will the United States enter a recession, and how bad will it be? New economic data shows that the job market remains relatively strong, but under the twisted logic of capitalism this may in fact lead the Federal Reserve to implement policies that could make an economic downturn more explosive. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this patrons-only Q&A seminar, Brian discusses the buildup of nuclear waste, librarians facing prison time, divisions in the ruling class, the possibilities in the Ukraine War, perspectives on China, and more. This episode is a preview of a longer seminar for Patrons in the TSP community. Subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest of this seminar, support the show, register for next time, and access the highly valuable archive of years of socialist analysis.

On today's episode Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how Joe Biden and Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy have unveiled a “debt ceiling” agreement involving major attacks on workers and the environment. The two are now racing to push through Congress a deal that would see stepped up production of fossil fuels, cuts to food stamps, and the rollback of vital services – all while making it easier for the rich to evade taxes and exempting the Pentagon from any spending limits. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Dr. Ken Hammond, historian and activist, joins Brian Becker to discuss China's path to socialism. They explore China's revolution, economic structure, and governance. They delve into the Chinese political system, debunk misconceptions, and analyze the struggle for socialism. They highlight Xi Jinping's commitment to a socialist future and recommend Hammond's comprehensive book on Chinese history.

Prof. Richard Wolff discusses the U.S. microchip trade war against China, highlighting the consequences of major U.S. sanctions and China's retaliation. The podcast explores the implications for the high tech industry, the shift from neoliberalism to protectionism, and the decline of the American Empire in the new Cold War.

In a historic event, on Monday the United Nations commemorated al-Nakba, which means “catastrophe,” and marked the beginning of the apartheid state of Israel and the massacre and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes. Despite what Americans are taught, Israel was not created as a safe haven from oppression — in fact, the origin of Israel has anti-Arab, anti-Semitic, and imperialist roots. Brian is joined by Dr. Nazia Kazi, a professor of Anthropology at Stockton University, and author of the book “Islamophobia, Race, and Global Politics,” which was just updated and re-released. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how the Writers Guild of America is taking on the Hollywood bosses in a strike that is now entering its third week. Writers are fed up with producers making their work more uncertain, intense, and lower-paying. And the strike touches on an issue of existential concern to all workers – artificial intelligence. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

K.J. Noh joins Brian Becker to discuss the hidden sex slave system for US troops in South Korea, the exploitation of women, and the cover-up of the comfort women issue. They also explore US imperial strategy in Ukraine and Russia, misleading military actions targeting China, the geopolitical importance of South Korea, and the significance of Korea in the global struggle against the military-industrial complex.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the third bank failure in two months. First Republic collapsed Monday, a sure sign that the financial system is still in huge turmoil. Then JPMorgan Chase bought the bank's assets for a bargain. What does this say about the economic system and what does it mean for the rest of us? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.