Today we continue a series of discussions about the basics of Marxism — a method for understanding and changing the world used by many of the great revolutionaries of modern history. Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss rent, evictions and social programs under capitalism. With the CDC’s eviction moratorium set to expire, millions are now facing homelessness because they cannot pay rent. And why do governments controlled by the ultra-rich sometimes decide to institute measures that alleviate the suffering of workers?

Richard  Wolff is the co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work and the  author of many books, the latest being “The Sickness is the System: When  Capitalism Fails to Save Us from Pandemics or Itself”. You can check  out his work at rdwolff.com.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram.  We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you  consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more  are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker,  Esther Iverem, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss how people in  Cuba and their supporters around the world are stepping up  mobilizations in defense of the country’s independence as the U.S.  government announces more sanctions. They also discuss the legacy of  civil rights legend Bob Moses, the renewed spread of COVID across the  country, and more.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram.  We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you  consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more  are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this July 2021 patrons-only seminar, Brian and the crew discuss the role of the CIA in media, the lies in the mainstream media, and the role of alternative media. Brian discusses the current moment in Cuba and the history of the revolution, as well as stories from the fight for the release of the Cuban Five. Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest!

Links mentioned in the show:

Cuban President Diaz Canel’s speech from July 17: www.cubadiplomatica.cu/en/articulo/s…revolutionary

Carl Bernstein Rolling Stone article about journalists on CIA payroll: danwismar.com/uploads/Bernstein%…%20and%20Media.htm

Today's episode is the sixth in a multi-part series that  takes an in-depth look at the history of China's foreign policy. In  1997, China achieves another milestone in its long struggle to unify the  country and end foreign domination -- the return of the city of Hong  Kong to Chinese sovereignty. Meanwhile, China's economic growth  accelerates as the country plays a bigger and bigger role in the global  economy. In 2001, this culminates with China's entry into the World  Trade Organization

Brian is joined by Kenneth Hammond, a Professor  of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University and an  activist with the organization Pivot to Peace.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram.  We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you  consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more  are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Today we continue a series of discussions about the basics of Marxism —  a method for understanding and changing the world used by many of the  great revolutionaries of modern history. Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss  how oil is essential to the functioning  of the global capitalist economy. They cover how capitalists have  ferociously competed over the years to control the world's supply of oil  at the cost of countless lives.

Richard  Wolff is the co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work and the  author of many books, the  latest being “The Sickness is the System: When Capitalism Fails to Save  Us from Pandemics or Itself”. You can check out his work at rdwolff.com.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram.  We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you  consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more  are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther Iverem, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss how the people of Cuba demonstrated in support of their revolution and government over the weekend, new environmental disasters brought about by climate change, efforts to prohibit the teaching of the history of racism in America, a new global spying scandal involving an Israeli company, and more.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Today's episode is the fifth in a multi-part series that  takes an in-depth look at the history of China's foreign policy. In the  aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, China found itself  internationally isolated and subjected to harsh new economic sanctions.  Then in 1992, Deng Xiaoping launches the "Southern Tour", culminating in  the dramatic deepening of market reforms. This leads to a massive  influx of foreign investment as China becomes deeply integrated into the  global economy.

Brian is joined by Kenneth Hammond, a Professor  of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University and an  activist with the organization Pivot to Peace.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram.  We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you  consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more  are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff continue a  discussion on the Marxist understanding of the housing market, today  focusing on the system of rent and the current crisis resulting from  soaring rents. Today's episode is also part of a series of discussions  about the basics of Marxism — a method for understanding and changing  the world used by many of the great revolutionaries of modern history.

Richard  Wolff is the co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work and the  author of many books, the latest being “The Sickness is the System: When  Capitalism Fails to Save Us from Pandemics or Itself”. You can check  out his work at rdwolff.com.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram.  We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you  consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more  are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker,  Esther Iverem, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss how the U.S.  government and corporate media are hoping for regime change in Cuba, but  the Cuban people and government are mobilizing to defend their  revolution in spite of the severe hardships caused by the U.S. blockade.  They also discuss the political crisis in Haiti and the danger of U.S.  intervention, and more. This episode includes a special interview with  Cathy Rojas, the socialist candidate for mayor of New York City.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram.  We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you  consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more  are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Today's episode is the fourth in a multi-part series that takes an in-depth look at the history of China's foreign policy. At a time when U.S. imperialism seemed to be in complete and utter decline  following its defeat in Southeast Asia, and with revolution spreading from Africa to Iran to Nicaragua, the United States enters into a de-facto alliance with China and facilitates the integration of China  into the world economy. Brian and Prof. Kenneth Hammond also discuss China's invasion of Vietnam in 1979, Gorbachev taking power in the  Soviet Union and introducing far reaching reforms, the arms race initiated by the U.S. that brings the world to the brink of nuclear war, the counter-revolutionary wave that sweeps the governments of Eastern Europe, and how China was confronted with the prospect of a  counter-revolution in a 7-week long standoff in Tiananmen Square that ends with the suppression of that movement.

Brian is joined by Kenneth Hammond, a Professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University and an activist with the organization Pivot to  Peace.

Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you  consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.