Tom O'Brien

From Alpha To Omega

News EN ↓ 371 episodes

What is happening to our economy and our politics? Are we stuck forever in this corporate dystopia? What can we learn from the failures of radical politics over the last 100 years? Commandante Alpha talks in depth to experts from the fields of Political Economy, Politics, Science, Philosophy, Complexity, Mathematics, Music, and the Environment.

Author

Tom O'Brien

Episodes

#114 Radical Gaming w/ Colestia TEASER 10.03.2020 2:24

Today we talk with Colestia, a radical left games designer about his work and the world of independent anti-capitalist gaming. You can check out his work at: https://colestia.itch.io. Credit to Matt who helped edit this episode.

#040 Revolutionary Strategy Series 10.03.2020 43:23

We continue our reading of Paul Cockshotts critique of Mike MacNair's 'Revolutionary Strategy' book, and give sortition the once over. Panelists: C Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - Machine Noise Expert

#113 Super Tuesday Election Special 05.03.2020 14:41

A very special Emancipation Network all-star panel with Ben Burgis of Zero Books discuss the recent poor showing by Bernie Sanders in the US primaries. What does it mean for politics? What does is mean for socialist/communist politics? Is Jake actually a meme? Listen to find out...

#039 Revolutionary Strategy Series 28.02.2020 53:12

Since we finished the book in the previous episode, we now move on to Paul Cockshotts critique of the book, some of it very very good, some of it very very bad. http://paulcockshott.co.uk/reality/polemic/notesonmcnair.pdf Panelists: C Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness Ezri - Swampside Chats Kyle - General Intellect Unit Pouya - Machine Noise Expert

#112 A Political History of the IRA Part 2 - TEASER 19.02.2020 2:17

This week we continue our interview with Daniel Finn about his new book ‘One Man’s Terrorist: A Political History of the IRA’. We discuss how the IRAs strategy evolved from a purely military to a political strategy, and the tactics and decision making along the way.

#111 A Political History of the IRA Part 1 17.02.2020 45:53

This week we welcome Daniel Finn to the show, to talk about his really excellent new book: ‘One Man’s Terrorist: A Political History of the IRA’. Daniel is currently a writer for Jacobin and has also previously worked for the New Left Review. The massive surge of Sinn Fein in the recent Irish General Election to become the most popular political party is the culmination of a long term strategy, wh...

#038 Revolutionary Strategy Series 10.02.2020 1:08:26

This week we continue our reading of boss level Chapter 9: ’Republican Democracy’ and I lose the plot when it comes to Proportional Representation. This was, of course, recorded before the UK election, where Corbynism got hung drawn and quartered. Panelists: Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

#037 Revolutionary Strategy Series 03.02.2020 1:05:40

This week we continue our reading of boss level Chapter 9: ’Republican Democracy’ and talk all about the need to ditch bureaucratic centralism. Panelists: C Derick Varn - Pop The Left / Symptomatic Redness Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - Machine Noise Expert Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

#036 Revolutionary Strategy Series 25.01.2020 49:10

This week we return to our reading of boss level Chapter 9: ’Republican Democracy’ and talk all about the importance of the international and the hurdles we face in building one. And umbilical cords... Panelists: C Derick Varn - Pop The Left / Symptomatic Redness Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - Machine Noise Expert Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

#110 Marx's Critique of Politics Part 3 - TEASER 19.01.2020 2:02

This week we have the third and final part of our discussion with fellow Emancipation Network comrade Grant from swampside, and his friend David Rylance on Gary Teeples excellent book: “Marx’s Critique of Politics’.

#109 Marx's Critique of Politics Part 2 18.01.2020 51:29

This week we have part two of the discussion with fellow Emancipation Network comrade Grant from Swampside Chats, and his friend David Rylance on Gary Teeples excellent book: “Marx’s Critique of Politics’. We leave the grey, post-industrial wasteland of Brexit behind, and dive deep into Marx's critique.

#108 Marx's Critique of Politics Part 1 11.01.2020 54:00

This week Grant from Swampside Chats and his friend David Rylance to the show to discuss Gary Teeples really brilliant book: “Marx’s Critique of Politics’. This is the first of a three parter, the last installment of which will be a patreon episode. Teeple’s book is really a Marxist tour de force in my opinion, and all good Marxists looking at the tawdry state of left politics today would do well...

#107 Corbyn Crumbles 03.01.2020 1:14:33

This week my friend James returns to the show to talk about his experience of being a Labour member, Momentum canvasser, and radical marxist during the election. We also discuss our opinions on the fallout from the election, what were the strategic and tactical failings, and a return to Marx’s critique of politics. The articles mentioned are: The Ipsos Data: https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/fil...

#035 Revolutionary Strategy Series 27.12.2019 1:12:18

This week we continue our reading of boss level Chapter 9: ’Republican Democracy’ and get into the party form and how it applies to the Labour Party and first past the post electoral systems. Panelists: C Derick Varn - Pop The Left / Symptomatic Redness Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

#034 Revolutionary Strategy Series 21.12.2019 48:02

This week more of boss level Chapter 9: ’Republican Democracy’. We argue about the concept of communist universal military training, self government of the localities, and the world of cybernetics. Panelists: C Derick Varn - Pop The Left / Symptomatic Redness Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

UK Election Dung-heap Post Mortem 15.12.2019 1:14:05

Join us as the Emancipation network crew join me to analyse the UK election post-fight shit-show. The MacNair stuff never seemed so relevant.... Panelists: Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Kyle - General Intellect Unit Shane - General Intellect Unit

#033 Revolutionary Strategy Series 11.12.2019 43:54

Today we continue with Chapter 9: ’Republican Democracy’, and talk about the ills of bureaucratic centralism. Panelists: Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - Machine Noise Expert Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

#032 Revolutionary Strategy Series 03.12.2019 57:46

Today we finally start the boss level final chapter that is Chapter 9: ’Republican Democracy’, and descend into a long discussion on the merits of bourgeois liberties. Panelists: Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - Lord of the Serfs Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

#106 Marx & Engels Concept of the Party w/ Lawrence Parker TEASER 03.12.2019 1:45

This week we welcome Lawrence Parker to the show to discuss the Monty Johnstone 1967 pamphlet ‘Marx and Engels and the Concept of the Party’. We delve deep into the history of the Communist League, the 1st and 2nd Internationals, and Engels thoughts on a british labour party and the US scene. You can find the pamphlet here: https://www.marxists.org/archive/johnstone/1967/xx/me-party.htm

#031 Revolutionary Strategy Series 25.11.2019 53:53

We have some more terrible abuse of the Trot-sect mania today as we eventually finish Chapter 8: ’Political Consciousness’. Hail to the death of the chapter which never ends. Panelists: Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - Lord of the Serfs Sophie - Section 31 Commander

#030 Revolutionary Strategy Series 20.11.2019 41:08

We battle through the Trot-smorgasbord that is the end of Chapter 8: ’Political Consciousness’. Sophie puts Lexi on the leash.... Panelists: Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - Machine nose expert Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

#029 Revolutionary Strategy Series 09.11.2019 1:05:29

We continue our march through Chapter 8: ’Political Consciousness’ and discuss why we shouldn’t just do what the Russians did. Word. Panelists: C Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness Kyle Thompson - General Intellect Unit Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - Philosopher of Science Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

#028 Revolutionary Strategy Series 28.10.2019 49:04

This week we continue our mega-intense reading of Chapter 8: ’Political Consciousness’ and riff poetical on historical materialism and markov chains. The panelists are: C Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - Lord of the Serfs Sophia - Trans Trans Revolution

#105 The Lessons of 1917 w/ Jack Conrad - TEASER 24.10.2019 2:29

On the latest patreon only episode we discuss the political economy of the Soviet Union and what we can learn from the failures of the Russian revolution with Jack Conrad of the Weekly Worker.

#027 Revolutionary Strategy Series 21.10.2019 1:03:22

This week we read more of Chapter 8: 'Political Consciousness' talk about the importance of a functioning international and go in hard on Lenin’s strategic errors. The panelists are: Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi - Swampside Chats Pouya - Lord of the Serfs