But It Might Work For Us

Long bonus interview on the But It Might Work For Us pamphlet, by poet and writer, ⁠Kalyani Panchmatia⁠, hosted by Royal Holloway's Poetry Society on October 15th.

For the full interview and monthly audiobooks of James's recent and forthcoming writings, join here:

⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/c/ButItMightWorkForUs ⁠⁠

⁠⁠https://substack.com/@butitmightworkforus⁠⁠

Get the beautiful physical copy of the pamphlet here:

⁠⁠https://everydayanalysis.co.uk⁠⁠.

Hopeful and scathing by turns, But it Might Work for Us is an alternative theory, history, and future of left populism, drawn from the 2016-2026 writings of one of the Corbyn era’s most original commentators. 

‘And did it work for those people?’ ‘No it never does… But it might work for us!’As the Farage supporters of the 2020s start to speak like the Corbynistas of the 2010s, and left populist styles are tried all over again on the left and centre left across the west… James A. Smith returns to the lessons of the Corbyn era for politics today. Why do libido and antagonism matter to politics, and how do ‘illibidinal’ forces try to shut them down? How can the left speak to people’s bad desires as well as their altruistic ones? What is the relationship between art and literature and radical politics? Why can’t true change happen online? And why is ‘the party’, rather than ‘the movement’ still the correct form of political organisation? 

Enjoy this second taster from But It Might Work For Us, a piece from 2020 where I argue against claims that the electoral left should commit to the 'centre ground'.

For the full audiobook, join me here:

https://www.patreon.com/c/ButItMightWorkForUs

https://substack.com/@butitmightworkforus

Get the beautiful physical copy here:

⁠https://everydayanalysis.co.uk⁠.

Hopeful and scathing by turns, But it Might Work for Us is an alternative theory, history, and future of left populism, drawn from the 2016-2026 writings of one of the Corbyn era’s most original commentators. 

‘And did it work for those people?’ ‘No it never does… But it might work for us!’
As the Farage supporters of the 2020s start to speak like the Corbynistas of the 2010s, and left populist styles are tried all over again on the left and centre left across the west… James A. Smith returns to the lessons of the Corbyn era for politics today. Why do libido and antagonism matter to politics, and how do ‘illibidinal’ forces try to shut them down? How can the left speak to people’s bad desires as well as their altruistic ones? What is the relationship between art and literature and radical politics? Why can’t true change happen online? And why is ‘the party’, rather than ‘the movement’ still the correct form of political organisation? 

Hello once-Popular People... we're waking up in a different world, with too much of same bad stuff in it. I'm excited to let you know about the publication of But It Might Work For Us, the sequel to So You've Been Ideologically Discredited, from https://everydayanalysis.co.uk. The first launch event for it is in North London on Thursday October 8th, with a second in Egham, Surrey, October 15th.

Join up here for upcoming content:

https://www.patreon.com/c/ButItMightWorkForUs

https://substack.com/@butitmightworkforus

An audiobook taster of James's new book So You've Been Ideologically Discredited PLUS an invitation for all our listeners, to the book launch at the Stapleton Tavern, Finsbury Park, Monday April 15th/7pm.

The preeminent researcher of the American 'deep state' and its hand in the great domestic crimes - from JFK to 9/11 - returns with the story of the other side of his career, as a Berkley poet and translator, and friend and collaborator of the major Polish poet, Czesław Miłosz. Miłosz was in the anti-Nazi resistance in Poland during the Second World War and opposed the Stalinist regime thereafter. Peter Dale Scott discusses his political and creative differences with Miłosz and how he has come to embrace Miłosz's vision for cultural and creative solutions to the violence of power.

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Todd Michael Schultz is a musician and author, and the partner of Bret Easton Ellis, one of the world's most famous novelists and screenwriters. In an emotional and candid discussion, Todd lays out his vision of creativtiy, the dangers of navigating the LA elite, and what it's like to love a genius. Safe to say this is the most unique epsiode we've ever put out.

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Newsweek editor and Daily Mail foreign correspondent David Gardner is author of 9/11: The Conpiracy Theories and COVID-19: The Conspiracy Theories.

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Exclusive to subscribers, the SECOND HALF of James's debate with Doug Lain on the contempt with which some on the left have shown towards pro-Palestinian activism.

Click through to Sublation Media's YouTube channel for the first part of James's defence of the pro-Gaza protest movement.

For Patreon subscribers. Was the October 7th Hamas attack 'blowback' or is there more to the story? Ex-International Relations Prof turned deep state researcher Piers Robinson joins us for a history of 'propoganda of deed' and the deep structural events of the 21st century: 9/11, Syria, COVID-19, and how they can help us understand the present crisis.

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Ex-Syriza man and SOAS prof Costas Lapavitsas joins us to raise hell about the EU, Bidenomics, the economic effects of COVID lockdowns, new multipolar uprisings, and who screwed up worse: the Greek or the UK left? PLUS his new book with EReNSEP Writing Collective⁠, The State of Capitalism: Economy, Society, and Hegemony.

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