Class Unity

In this episode, we are joined by political theorist Clyde W. Barrow to revisit the classic debates in Marxist state theory and to consider their renewed relevance in the present conjuncture. Barrow was a guest speaker in the CU “State Theory” course that ran earlier this year, and we thought we’d invite him back for a more detailed discussion—and to explore how these debates might help guide the left through its current impasse. The conversation begins with the Poulantzas–Miliband debate of the 1960s and 1970s, situating it against the crisis of postwar Fordist–Keynesian capitalism and the broader effort by Marxists to move beyond instrumental or reductionist accounts of the capitalist state. Barrow explains why the debate remains foundational, what is often misunderstood about Miliband’s position, and why Marxist politics cannot afford to treat the state as a secondary or merely epiphenomenal problem. From there, the discussion turns to globalization and contemporary political economy, drawing on Barrow’s book Toward a Critical Theory of States: The Poulantzas–Miliband Debate after Globalization. Rejecting the idea that globalization has rendered states powerless, Barrow emphasizes the central role played by states—particularly the U.S. state—in constructing and managing global capitalism. We then examine how Marxist state theory helps illuminate recent developments in trade policy under the Trump administration, including the structural constraints that capitalist states face when they pursue policies that run counter to dominant class interests, and what this may signal about the future of the global trade regime. The latter part of the episode moves a bit more “into the weeds,” engaging debates over Lenin, the dictatorship of the proletariat, and the long-standing question of what a socialist theory of government might look like. Barrow reflects on the limits of romanticized models such as the Paris Commune, the enduring tensions between democracy and state power in socialist strategy, and the usefulness of Poulantzas’s concept of authoritarian statism for understanding contemporary right-wing governments. The conversation concludes with a discussion of what Marxist state theory can tell us about the challenges facing democratic socialist governance today, using the case of New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani to explore the structural and political limits confronting left projects within capitalist states. Biographical note: In recent months, Barrow has also been a prominent public critic of managerial governance and political interference in higher education and has faced disciplinary action related to his speech and public commentary. While this episode focuses on theory rather than biography, his situation has made him an important contemporary reference point in ongoing debates over academic freedom and freedom of expression in U.S. universities. Additional background: Clyde W. Barrow earned his Ph.D. in political science from the University of California, Los Angeles. He is currently Professor of Political Science at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, and previously taught for many years at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Barrow is widely known for his contributions to Marxist state theory, political sociology, and the political economy of higher education. His major books include Universities and the Capitalist State: Corporate Liberalism and the Reconstruction of American Higher Education, 1894–1928; Toward a Critical Theory of States: The Poulantzas–Miliband Debate after Globalization; The Dangerous Class: The Concept of the Lumpenproletariat; and A Critique of Political Science: A History of the Caucus for a New Political Science (forthcoming), along with numerous influential articles on state power, class relations, and academic governance. For donations, educational courses, or membership inquiries please visit: http://www.classunity.org

Benjamin Studebaker talks with Class Unity about his new book, “The Chronic Crisis of American Democracy: The Way is Shut” (2023). You can find him here: https://benjaminstudebaker.com/about/ And his book here: https://www.amazon.com/Chronic-Crisis-American-Democracy-Shut/dp/3031282094 And you can find Class Unity here: https://classunity.org Please consider donating or joining today!

Vivek Chibber discusses his latest book, “The Class Matrix” (2022), as well as the so-called “cultural turn”, with Class Unity. You can find his book here: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674245136 And you can find Class Unity here: https://classunity.org

Gary Roth talks to Class Unity about class, higher education, and consciousness. Gary teaches Sociology at Rutgers University. He is the author of “The Educated Underclass” (Pluto, 2019) and “Marxism in a Lost Century: A Biography of Paul Mattick” (Brill/Haymarket Books, 2015). For a sample of his work, see his essay “The Overproduction of Intelligence” at the Brooklyn Rail (https://brooklynrail.org/2015/10/field-notes/the-overproduction-of-intelligence-the-reshaping-of-social-classes-in-the-united-states) Consider making a donation to Class Unity to support original content like this here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=74NKWLLEEJTLW https://classunity.org

Paul Mattick Jr. talks with Class Unity about his new book, “The Return of Inflation” (2023), about money, capital, capitalism, class, politics, and inflation. See the following interview for details about his latest book: https://brooklynrail.org/2024/02/field-notes/Understanding-Inflation-Friends-of-the-Classless-Society-speak-with-Paul-Mattick

Sarah Knuth talks to Class Unity about rentiers, the political economy of green energy, neoliberalism, and capitalism. You can find her essay here: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1215052 And here: https://www.durham.ac.uk/research/current/thought-leadership/renewable-energy-us-tax-credits-for-wind-and-solar-mostly-benefit-big-banks/ Check out our website at: https://classunity.org

Thomas Fazi talks with Class Unity about the politics and economics as well as the problems of the European Union and issues with the contemporary left. He is the author of: “The Covid Consensus: The Global Assault on Democracy and the Poor: A Critique from the Left”, with Toby Green. Hurst. (2023)“Reclaiming the State: A Progressive Vision of Sovereignty for a Post-Neoliberal World”. Pluto. (2017)“The Battle for Europe: How an Elite Hijacked a Continent and How we Can Take it Back”. Pluto. (2014) You can find his work at:https://thomasfazi.nethttps://www.thomasfazi.comhttps://www.compactmag.com/contributor/thomas-fazi/https://unherd.com/author/thomas-fazi/https://x.com/battleforeurope?lang=en You can find Class Unity here: https://classunity.org Please consider making a donation or joining today!

In this episode, we discuss geopolitics and the emerging age of multipolarity with Dr. Christopher Mott, Research Fellow at the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy. Dr. Mott is an international relations scholar specializing in historical geopolitics, grand strategy, and the intersection of defensive realism and sovereignty in an increasingly multipolar world. Previously, he served as a fellow at Defense Priorities in Washington, D.C., and as a researcher at the U.S. Department of State. He holds a PhD in International Relations from the University of St Andrews and is the author of The Formless Empire: A Short History of Diplomacy and Warfare in Central Asia, which explores the rise of indigenous geopolitical strategies on the Eurasian steppe. We discuss Dr. Mott’s analysis of contemporary geopolitics, focusing on how the American empire often cloaks its foreign policy objectives in the rhetoric of social justice—a theme he explores in his article “Woke Imperium: The Coming Confluence Between Social Justice and Neoconservatism.” Dr. Mott’s work has appeared in The National Interest, The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Agonmag, India’s World, and UnHerd.Follow him on X (Twitter) @chrisdmott and on Substack @chrismott296764. Articles discussed in this episode:https://peacediplomacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Woke-Imperium.pdfhttps://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-moralistic-risk-for-trumps-foreign-policy/https://indiasworld.in/the-global-ngo-complex-fades-but-do-the-missionaries-remain/https://unherd.com/2025/06/regime-change-wont-neuter-iran/?us=1https://www.agonmag.com/p/modus-vivendi-realisms-missing-link For membership inquiries, educational programs, and donations visit: http://classunity.org

Prof. Steve Keen talks with Class Unity about the Global Financial Crisis of 2007-8, the problems with mainstream understandings of it, and the contemporary situation. He is the author of:The New Economics. A manifesto. Polity. (2021)Can We Avoid Another Financial Crisis? Polity. (2017)Developing an economics for the post-crisis world. World Economics Association and College Publications. (2015)Debunking Economics. Zed Books. (2011) Check out: Debunking Economics Podcast: with Phil Dobbie and Prof. Steve Keen (http://debunkingeconomics.com) You can find his work at:https://profstevekeen.substack.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@profstevekeenhttps://profstevekeen.substack.com/p/ravel-a-thank-you-to-my-supportershttps://www.patreon.com/posts/introducing-c-tm-49053513https://www.debtdeflation.com/blogs/2009/01/31/therovingcavaliersofcredit/ See also Blaire Fix’s page: https://economicsfromthetopdown.com You can find Class Unity here: https://classunity.org Please consider making a donation or joining today!

Walter Benn Michaels talks about the present political moment with Class Unity. You can find one of our favorite essays by him here: https://nonsite.org/the-political-economy-of-anti-racism/ And you can find his most recent book with Adolph Reed Jr. here: https://cup.columbia.edu/book/no-politics-but-class-politics/9781912475575 Consider joining or making a donation today: https://classunity.org