HEADS UP: One of the voices on mic here, Hayder, has been accused of sexual harassment in a university position in Lahore. We’re discussing what to do with this episode, but for right now, please be aware of this and choose to listen accordingly.  Way back in November of 2018, before we got mics that sounded good, we did an installment of our Patreon-exclusive Dialectics After Dark episodes and we had a lengthy segment talking about the biography of John Brown and the raid on Harper's Ferry. John Brown is back in the news, so we wanted to release that segment for popular consumption! (Also, when Ethan starts talking about wool-buyers vs. wool-growers/sellers, he meant the opposite; as in, John Brown unionized people who owned sheep and sold wool. Fuck the wool-buyers) Outro: "John Brown's Body" by Pete Seeger 

UNLOCKED - "We Could Do A Whole Episode" on John Brown

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 In this episode of the podcast, we are joined by Evan from Left of the Projector Podcast to delve into a Marxist analysis of the new animated series X-Men '97. We explore the show's portrayal of the mutant struggle through a Marxist lens, examining characters like Magneto and Professor X as representations of different revolutionary strategies. We discuss the complex dynamics of Genosha, a nation of mutants, as it transitions from slavery to liberation, drawing parallels to real-world post-colonial struggles. We also analyze the show's depiction of the exploitation of mutant labor and the justification for their oppression, mirroring the dynamics of class struggle in capitalist societies. Additionally, we critique the show's portrayal of international relations and the hypocrisy of organizations like the UN. Finally, we touch upon the challenges faced by the mutant state after the revolution, including the constant threat of counter-revolution and the complexities of governance. Sign up at Patreon where you can get access to early release episodes, study guides, limited-drop merch, bonus episodes, TheoryBeats, and MORE! YOU CAN DO SO FOR FREE, which will get you the study guides, merch, and other random drops. Please subscribe on your favorite podcast catcher and rate or review to help extend our reach. Like and rate us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @prolespod and Tiktok @proles.pod. If you have any questions or comments, email us at prolespod@outlook.com. May the spectre haunt your streets, and solidarity forever. Sources:  "Letter to American Workers" V.I. Lenin https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1918/aug/20.htm Intro Music:  "X-men 97 Theme" by The Newton Brothers Outro Music: "Eastern Bloc Beats" by Justin 

EP 54 - X-Men 97: A Marxist Perspective

  In this episode, we're joined by our two newest co-hosts, Rae and Martín, to take the Proles' first trip to Mexico. In this wide-ranging episode, we cover a (brief) workers' history of Mexico, the rise of the current president AMLO, what his presidency has meant for Mexican people, and some insight on the upcoming presidential election. There were a shocking number of resources consulted for this episode, but those specifically referenced (in English) are here:   https://jacobin.com/2023/08/amlo-presidency-mexico-morena-pri-neoliberalism https://ausm.community/the-4t/  https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/the-contradictions-of-amlo/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4C4O2WlWPHw  A note that several of our sources are in Spanish, but if you're a Spanish speaker interested in the resource list, don't hesitate to reach out. Please subscribe on your favorite podcast catcher and rate or review to help extend our reach. Like and rate us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @prolespod and Tiktok @proles.pod. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for updates on the re-launch of our Patreon. If you have any questions or comments, email us at prolespod@outlook.com. May the spectre haunt your streets, and solidarity forever. Intro Music:  "Proles Pod Theme" by Ransom Notes Outro Music: "Eastern Bloc Beats" by Justin

Ep 53 - SCAMLO or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Train

In this episode, the Scottish comrades return to discuss the revolutionary life of John Maclean. No, not that one... or that one. The Scottish revolutionary that spent his entire life fighting for the proletariat and who was in jail when British fascist Winston Churchill rolled tanks on Glasgow during the Battle of George Square to destroy the voice of the oppressed.    Please subscribe on your favorite podcast catcher and rate or review to help extend our reach. Like and rate us on Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok, and Twitter @prolespod. If you have any questions or comments, email us at prolespod@outlook.com  May the spectre haunt your streets, and solidarity forever. Intro and Outro Music:  "Proles Pod Theme" by Ransom Notes

Ep 52 - Scotland 2: Die Harder

In this episode, El discusses the birth and development of the proletariat within Scottland, as well as the ways in which the nobility and the British empire sabotaged them time and again. Thank you for listening!   Please rate and review to help us extend our reach. You can follow us on the socials. If you'd like, you can sign up for free at our patreon. We have some cool stuff on the way, as well as some posts we make only there. You can email us at prolespod@outlook.com.     

Ep 51 - Scotland: The Early Years

In this long awaited return of the show the gang revisits East Germany, with new Proles co-host and host of Actually Existing Socialism - Tony -  giving us a guide through attempts by Western capitalist nations to subvert the East German state from the post-war period to the installation of the Berlin Wall. Spoiler alert: It all goes back to the 5 Ds! Please subscribe on your favorite podcast catcher and rate or review to help extend our reach. For early and exclusive content, sign up for free at www.patreon.com/prolespod. Like and rate us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @prolespod. If you have any questions or comments, DM us on those platforms or email us at prolespod@outlook.com All episodes prior to episode 4 can be found on YouTube, so go check that out as well! May the spectre haunt your streets, and solidarity forever. Intro and Outro Music:  "Proles Pod Theme" by Ransom Notes Episode Sources: "Exploiting and Securing the Open Border in Berlin: the Western Secret Services, the Stasi, and the Second Berlin Crisis, 1958–1961" "Drawing the Line: The American Decision to Divide Germany, 1944–1949" The Prelude to Nationwide Surveillance in East Germany" “Spying On Science: Western Intelligence in Divided Germany 1945-1961” "Address given by Nikita Khrushchev on the GDR and Berlin (Moscow, 10 November 1958)"  "GDR: An Historical Outline"  "Britain and the Occupation of Germany, 1945-49"  "Killing Hope"

UNLOCKED - "We Could Do A Whole Episode" on John Brown

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