Red Menace

Alyson and Breht reflect on the recent online stir caused by "MAGA Communism" and analyze the ideas of some of its main represenatives and proponents.   Together they discuss and clarify core marxist concepts, criticize and explain the specific errors being made, shine light on its intellectual influences, explore its connection to previous iterations in american history (like the movement that fo...

In this episode, Alyson and Breht use Devin Zane Shaw's work (specifically his Philosophy of Antifascism ) as a jumping off point for exploring the concept of the three way fight, and how principled Marxists and revolutionaries can avoid falling into reaction or tipping into liberalism by understanding and adhereing to it.  Check out the Rev Left interview with Devin about his book here: https://r...

Alyson and Breht respond to questions from our patrons. Topics discussed include: how to properly evaluate uprisings abroad, important virtues for communists to try and cultivate, and finding hope and solidarity in the face of tragedy and despair... Mao on Dialectics as mentioned by Alyson: https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-8/mswv8_48.htm Support Red Menace and g...

Alyson and Breht summarize, discuss, and criticize Carl Schmitt's famous work of political philosophy, The Concept of the Political. Schmitt was a German jurist, political theorist, and prominent member of the Nazi Party. Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here:   https://www.patreon.com/TheRedMenace

Breht and Alyson discuss the recent barrage of mass shootings, how Marxists should think about these issues, what the root causes of american mass shootings are, policies/reforms that the socialist left might be able to support, and much more.  Outro music: ' Pray for Newtown' by Sun Kil Moon Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheRed...

On this episode of Red Menace, Alyson and Breht discuss the recent Supreme Court leak and the implications of Roe's dismantling, then they turn to George Friedman's thesis in his book "The Storm Before the Calm: America's Discord, the Coming Crisis of the 2020s, and the Triumph Beyond"  - responding to it, criticizing it, and reflecting on what its predictions might mean for the revolutionary left...

 Alyson and Breht summarize, respond to, and discuss "Ride the Tiger", a major work of the Italian fascist/traditionalist/reactionary intellectual Julius Evola.  In part 1, they introduce and summarize the text. In part 2, they respond to Evola's critiques of Marxism directly. In part 3, they discuss the text, its relationship to Hinduism and Buddhism, Evola's legacy, and much, much more!    Suppo...

 Alyson and Breht discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and wrestle with the following questions: Is Russia imperialist, and is this an inter-imperialist conflict? What is the nature of the Ukrainian State? Is Ukraine really fighting for democracy? Are we entering a multipolar world order? What do these events tell us about NATO and US hegemony? How should we understand revolutionary defeatism in t...

On this episode of Red Menace Alyson is joined by Rey and Esperanza to address the transgender question.   Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheRedMenace

In this episode, Alyson and Breht introduce, teach, and discuss the philosphy of two giants in western philosophy: Arthur Schopenhaur and Friedrich Nietzsche.  They discuss their respective philosophies, how they relate, how they differ, the subsequent thinkers and movements they inspired or influened, their relation to politics right, left and center, their connection to eastern philosophies and...

In this episode of Red Menace, Alyson and Breht discuss and analyze "Climate Leviathan" by authors Geoff Mann and Joel Wainwright. Book description: "Despite the science and the summits, leading capitalist states have not achieved anything close to an adequate level of carbon mitigation. There is now simply no way to prevent the planet breaching the threshold of two degrees Celsius set by the Inte...

On this episode of Red Menace Alyson revisits 'On Practice ' by Mao. Text can be found for free here: https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/mao/selected-works/volume-1/mswv1_16.htm Additional material suggested by Alyson https://www.google.com/amp/s/kites-journal.org/2021/04/18/a-call-for-communist-social-investigation-a-year-after-the-summer-of-rebellion/amp/   Support Red Menace and get acc...

Alyson Escalante joins Breht to respond to arguments that the US left should embrace American patriotism. Together they discuss revolutionary v. reactionary nationalism, US history, settler colonialism, proletarian internationalism, Browderism, anti-imperialism, the CPUSA, tailism, accusations of ultra-leftism, and much more.  Outro Music: "U.S.A. " by The Exploited Support Red Menace and get bonu...

In this unlocked Red Menace patreon episode, Alyson and Breht discuss the latest IPCC report on climate change and discuss its implications. Support Red Menace and get bonus episodes here: https://www.patreon.com/TheRedMenace

On this episode of Red Menace Alyson and Breht teach, discuss, and apply the lessons of 'Pedagogy of the Oppressed ' by the Brazilian educator and Marxist humanist Paulo Freire. This is essential reading for all teachers, organizers, and political educators!  Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheRedMenace  

Alyson and Breht answer questions from listeners! Topics discussed: Maoism and AES, contradictions present and future, the climate crisis, cryptocurrency, Marxist pedagogy and the role of teachers, reasons to maintain revolutionary optimism, how to build relevant skillsets and engage with theory,  Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/T...

In this special crossover episode between Guerrilla History and Red Menace, Alyson and Henry come together to interview Dr. Françoise Vergès about her new book A Decolonial Feminism .  Françoise Vergès is an activist, public educator, and is the author of many books including  Resolutely Black: Conversations with Aime Cesaire  (Polity, 2019),  The Wombs of Women: Race, Capital, Feminism & Monsters...

In this episode, Alyson and Breht teach and discuss two works by Alexandra Kollontai: her 1909 essay "The Social Basis of the Woman Question" and her 1923 essay "Make Way for Winged Eros". They contextualize each essay, walk the listener through them both, and then discuss their meanings and implications.  Rev Left episode on Kollontai with Kristen Ghodsee here: https://revolutionaryleftradio.libs...

For this month's bonus episode, Alyson gives a basic historical overview of the history of Jewish Anti-Zionism.  Support Red Menace here: https://www.patreon.com/TheRedMenace

In this episode, Alyson and Breht use texts from Fanon, Cesaire, Mao, and Lenin to help make sense of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the history of zionism, the role of the United States in the conflict, and more. They define settler colonialism and imperialism, show how they are operative in the conflict, and then have a wide ranging conversation on the recent attack on Gaza, ongoing Isreal...

On this episode of Red Menace Alyson and Breht teach, discuss, and apply the lessons of 'Discourse on Colonialism ' by Aimé Césaire.   Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheRedMenace

*recorded on April 28th* In this unlocked patreon-only episode, Alyson and Breht discuss the Biden administrations ostensible withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Chauvin Trial and what it represents, and the ongoing Covid crisis ravaging India and how its connected to vaccine imperialism and capitalism's prioritizing of profits over the health and life of human beings.  Support Red Menace: https://ww...

In this episode, Alyson and Breht analyze current events, including the recent stimulus bill, the ongoing pandemic, the rolling out of vaccines, and the horrific recent mass shooting in Atlanta. Support Red Menace here: https://www.patreon.com/TheRedMenace

On this episode of Red Menace Alyson and Breht discuss 'Philosophical Trends in the Feminist Movement ' by Anuradha Ghandy Free text here: http://massalijn.nl/theory/philosophical-trends-in-the-feminist-movement/   Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheRedMenace Learn more about the show here: www. RevolutionaryLeftRadio.com   An eno...

In this episode, Alyson and Breht introduce the core concepts of Marxist political economy by an analysis of the history of political economy, core economic concepts in Marxism, and much more!   Outline for this episode with timestamps   Political Economy:   [5:00] Definition: Political economy as the study of economics as played out in reality. Economics in relation to society, production, cultur...