Daniel
The Sickle and the Hammer: A Socialist History of the Soviet Union
We are often told the USSR was an oppressive, authoritarian society, lacking freedom and democracy. There were endless purges that claimed the lives of millions of “dissidents,” purges that were designed for one thing and one thing only: to keep power in the hands of those who wielded it. And as we all know, the economy was based on socialist and communist principles, which is why it barely functioned at all. There were endless famines, genocides against minorities within the nation, and an industrial base that was constantly tottering on the edge of collapse. But instead of trying to address...
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Episodes
28 - Economy? What Economy? 06.07.2026 1:10:27
“In order for economic development to take place, one must first have an economy.” - Karl Vladimir Stalin, 2026 Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod. Sources: Carr, E. H. The Bolsheviks Revolution: 1917-1923, vol. 2 . Pelican Books, 1966 Nove, Alec. An Economic History of the Soviet Union: 1917-1991. Penguin Books, 1992. Dobb, Maurice. Sov...
27 - Introduction to the National Question 07.06.2026 57:38
What attitude ought socialists and communists have to the question of national self-determination? Survey says: Ask Lenin and Stalin! Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod. Sources: Natsional’ny Vopros v Nashei Programme - V. I. Lenin, published in “Iskra” 15 July 1903 Kriticheskie zametki o natsional’nom voproce - V. I. Lenin, published in...
27.a - The Declaration of the Rights of the Peoples of Russia 07.06.2026 4:26
Source: https://www.hist.msu.ru/ER/Etext/DEKRET/peoples.htm
26 - Epilogue to Brest-Litovsk 27.04.2026 39:30
The narrative is over. Now comes the fun part: analysis! Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod.
25.a - The Socialist Fatherland Is In Danger! 20.04.2026 4:12
Source: https://www.hist.msu.ru/ER/Etext/DEKRET/opasnost.htm Please consider supporting me on Patreon: patreon.com/soviet
25 - An Unacceptable Peace, Ratified 20.04.2026 1:02:49
The saga of ending Soviet Russia’s participation in World War 1 comes to an end. Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod. Sources: Rabinowitch, Alexander. The Bolsheviks in Power: The First Year of Soviet Rule in Petrograd. Indiana University Press, 2007. Gluckstein, Donny. The Tragedy of Bukharin . Pluto Press, 1994. “Sedmoi S’ezd RKP(b).” B...
24 - An Unacceptable Peace, Accepted 28.03.2026 57:02
To fight or not to fight… that is the question! Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod. Sources: Rabinowitch, Alexander. The Bolsheviks In Power: The First Year of Soviet Rule in Petrograd . Indiana University Press, 2007. Gluckstein, Donny. The Tragedy of Bukharin . Pluto Press, 1994. Cliff, Tony. Revolution Besieged: Lenin 1917-1924 . Repu...
24.a - Theses on the Question of the Immediate Conclusion of a Separate and Annexationist Peace 28.03.2026 21:05
Source: https://uaio.ru/vil/35.htm
23 - Prologue to Brest-Litovsk 05.03.2026 48:01
It’s that episode on the international aspects of the Russian Revolution you’ve been waiting for! Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod. Source: Rabinowitch, Alexander. The Bolsheviks In Power: The First Year of Soviet Rule in Petrograd. Indiana University Press, 2007.
22 - The Life and Death of the Constituent Assembly 16.02.2026 1:04:10
This one is in the title, folks. Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod. Sources: Rabinowitch, Alexander. The Bolsheviks In Power: The First Year of Soviet Rule in Petrograd. Indiana University Press, 2007. Znamensky, O. N. Vserossiiskoe Uchrezhditelnoe Sobranie: Istoria Sozyva i Krushenia. Nauka Publshers, 1976. Cliff, Tony. Revolution Besi...
22.a - Theses on the Constituent Assembly 16.02.2026 12:03
Source: https://leninism.su/works/74-tom-35/1583-tezisy-ob-uchretitelnom-sobranii.html
22.b - Declaration of the Rights of the Toiling and Exploited People 16.02.2026 7:03
Source: https://www.hist.msu.ru/ER/Etext/DEKRET/declarat.htm
21 - The Origins of the Cheka 24.01.2026 50:06
The Cheka: vehicle of Communist oppression, or shield and sword of the revolution? Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod. Sources: Rabinowitch, Alexander. The Bolsheviks In Power: The First Year of Soviet Rule in Petrograd . Indiana University Press, 2007. Golinkov, D. L. Krushenie antisovietsogo podpolya v SSSR, 1917-1925 gg . Izdatelstvo...
Year 1 In Review 18.01.2026 14:17
Our show turns 1 year old today!
20 - The Peasant Question, In All Its Glory 31.12.2025 54:37
What do you get when you mix 18 years of theory with two separate Congresses of Peasants’ Deputies? Why, one unified Soviet government of, by, and for the masses, of course! Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod. Sources: The Development of Capitalism in Russia (1899) The Workers’ Party and the Peasantry (1901) The Agrarian Program of Russi...
19 - The Struggle for the People’s Government 26.11.2025 1:04:05
Never forget, kids: the support of the masses is the key to victory. Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod. Sources: Cliff, Tony. Revolution Besieged: Lenin 1917-1923. Haymarket Books, 2012. Rabinowitch, Alexander. The Bolsheviks in Power: The First Year of Soviet Rule in Petrograd. Indiana University Press, 2007.
19.a - The Decree on Land 26.11.2025 8:37
Source: https://www.hist.msu.ru/ER/Etext/DEKRET/o_zemle.htm
19.b - The Decree on Peace 26.11.2025 7:49
Source: https://www.hist.msu.ru/ER/Etext/DEKRET/o_mire.htm
19.c - The Decree on the Press 26.11.2025 3:15
Source: https://ru.wikisource.org/wiki/Декрет_о_печати
19.d - The Situation of Worker Control 26.11.2025 6:33
Source: https://www.hist.msu.ru/ER/Etext/DEKRET/rab_ctrl.htm
18 - Shots Fired 02.11.2025 1:02:02
We’re back! But so is the bourgeoisie. Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod. Sources: Cliff, Tony. Revolution Besieged : Lenin 1917-1923. Haymarket Books 2012. Rabinowitch, Alexander. The Bolsheviks in Power: The First Year of Soviet Rule in Petrograd. Indiana University Press, 2007. Reed, John. 10 Days That Shook The World. Public domain,...
17 - Lessons to be Learned 28.09.2025 55:43
Wherein we find out what the point of all this was, and close the book on the revolutionary period. Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod.
16 - Filling in the Blanks 26.09.2025 48:25
This is the first of a two-episode retrospective on the Russian Revolution. In this episode, we discuss some of the finer details that we passed over, in order to provide a more complete understanding of the revolutionary period. Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod.
15 - Checkmate 03.09.2025 1:05:38
Kerensky gets pushed right off the board, and the revolutionary masses emerge victorious. Please consider supporting me on Patreon at patreon.com/sovietpod or buymeacoffee.com/sovietpod. Sources: Rabinowitch, Alexander. The Bolsheviks Come to Power: The Revolution of 1917 in Petrograd . 1976
15.a - To the Garrison of the City of Petrograd and the Surrounding Areas 03.09.2025 2:18
Source: https://marxists.architexturez.net/russkij/trotsky/works/trotl336.html
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