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In this episode, we ask a blunt question: Is it still worth joining a union? The answer is yes, but the reasons why most people don’t are valid, and rooted in material realities of the globalized economy, not just lack of “class consciousness.” We then pivot to political strategy: what counts as politics?  How can countries solve problems that are beyond the scope of the nation-state? What are some key issues that can be realistic organizing footholds (like healthcare and housing)? 

In The Backroom on Patreon, we discuss the viral assassination of Charlie Kirk, the state of political violence in America, the Trump administration’s response, and how panic often gets used to justify the centralization of state power & the curtailment of civil liberties.

Timestamps:

00:00 The Charlie Kirk Event (The Backroom Preview)

05:46 Guest Introduction: Benjamin Studebaker

07:41 Discussion on Labor Unions and Worker Organization

58:52 Politics as Intervention and the Role of Zeitgeist

01:01:39 The Nature of Political Decisions and Cooperation

01:04:53 Challenges in International Political Systems

01:13:37 The Role of Healthcare in Political Movements

01:17:26 Building Effective Coalitions for Change

01:31:56 Nationalism vs. Internationalism in Political Movements

01:50:49 What can be done now: (healthcare & Housing)

02:00:36 The Left's Power Block

02:04:29 Late Stage vs Middle Capitalism 

02:08:54 The Role of The Military

02:12:06  Anti-Civilizational Politics

02:32:15 Transition to The Backroom

GUEST:
Benjamin Studebaker — political theorist; author of Legitimacy in Liberal Democracies and The Chronic Crisis of Liberal Democracy.
• Website: https://benjaminstudebaker.com/about/
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Outro Music by Karl Casey

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