Upstream

Conversations and audio documentaries exploring a wide variety of themes pertaining to economics and politics, hosted by Della Z Duncan and Robert R. Raymond

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Tuesday · 1 hr 40 min
Gamified Capitalism and 21st Century Fascism w/ Max Haiven
In this episode we're joined by Max Haivan for a conversation on gamified capitalism and 21st century fascism. Max Haiven is Canada Research Chair in Radical Imagination at Lakehead University and author of many books, including most recently, The Player and the Played: From Gamed Capitalism to 21st-Century Fascism, which is open-access. He is the designer of the board game Billionaires & Guillotines and teaches a popular education course titled Fighting Fascist Feelings. The conversation begins with a broad overview of Max's thesis connecting games and capitalism—what he calls gamified capitalism—introducing the concept of 21st century capitalism as a sort of cruel and unwinnable game in which we are all trapped. We discuss the financialization of capitalism as the foundation upon which gamification has flourished, describing the emergnce of the "cheated player" navigating a never-ending series of financialized games—from dating apps to prediction markets. Max explains how fascism on both a micro and macro level emerges out of this material reality through a sort of revenge politics and the creation of the "cheating other" who must be eliminated from society. We go on to elaborate on this and discuss how fascism in the 20th century differs from 21st century fascism as a sort of entrepreneurial form of fascism that places the emphasis on the individual as opposed to the mass. We situate Trump in Max's analysis of 21st century fascism as a form of revenge against the cheating other under gamified capitalism, discussing QAnon, the TESCREAL philosophies of Silicon Valley, and other fascistic phenomena along the way. We end by exploring what games can teach the left and how learning from games can contribute to our movements for liberation. We are now on Youtube! You can find us and subscribe to our channel at youtube.com/@upstream_podcast Further resources: The Player and the Played: From Gamed Capitalism to 21st Century Fascism, by Max Haiven Max's work Related episodes: Capitalist Realism w/ Carlee Listen to our ongoing series on Palestine Intermission music: "Shit List" by Carsie Blanton Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you'll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
September 29 · 24 min
[TEASER] Cuba Ep. 11: Actually Existing Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro
This is a free preview of the episode "Cuba Ep. 11: Actually Existing Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast As a Patreon subscriber, you'll get access to biweekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You'll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this episode, Part 2 of a 2-part miniseries, Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro join us to discuss the ecology of communism as described in the book, Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology by French scholar Guillaume Suing. Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro is Professor at the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at SUNY New Paltz. Henry Hakamäki is co-host of Guerrilla History and the editor and translator, along with Salvatore, of Iskra Books' Stalin: History and Critique of a Black Legend, by Domenico Losurdo as well as the book we'll be discussing today, Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology, by Guillaume Suing Our conversation begins with a brief introduction to Guillaume Suing and the book Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology before jumping into a discussion about communist ecology and tackling the question of whether or not the "eco" in eco-socialism is necessary. We discuss the communist response to eco-centricism, which Salvatore argues presents a false dichotomy between humans and nature. We then move from theory and begin discussing communist ecology in practice as it manifested in Cuba, describing some aspects of Cuba's ecological practices from agroecology to reforestation. We describe what it was about Cuba's socialist system which led it to value ecological sustainability. We end by discussing the "degrowth" movement, how Cuba represents a true example of degrowth in action, and explore how the climate movement and the western left more broadly can and should truly embrace that idea that communism is the highest stage of ecology. We have unlocked Part 1 of this conversation so it is now available as a public episode. Part 2 will remain as a Patreon-only episode. Further resources: Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology, by Guillaume Suing Ecosocialism: An Introduction, by Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro Iskra Books Guerrilla History Book Talk: Slow Down with Kohei Saito (The People's Forum) Related episodes: Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism w/ Breht O'Shea and Alyson Escalante Socialism Betrayed w/ Roger Keeran and Joe Jamison Walter Rodney, Marxism, and Underdevelopment with D. Musa Springer & Charisse Burden-Stelly Live Show: Breaking the Chains of Empire w/ Abby Martin (with Bonus Q&A) Cover art: Ben Stahnke / Iskra Books Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
September 29 · 1 hr 46 min
[TEASER] Cuba Ep. 11: Actually Existing Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engel-Di Mauro
This is a free preview of the episode "Cuba Pt. 11: Actually Existing Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engel-Di Mauro." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast As a Patreon subscriber, you'll get access to biweekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You'll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this episode, Part 2 of a 2-part miniseries, Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro join us to discuss the ecology of communism as described in the book, Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology by French scholar Guillaume Suing. Salvatore Engel-Di Mauro is Professor at the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at SUNY New Paltz. Henry Hakamäki is co-host of Guerrilla History and the editor and translator, along with Salvatore, of Iskra Books' Stalin: History and Critique of a Black Legend, by Domenico Losurdo as well as the book we'll be discussing today, Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology, by Guillaume Suing Our conversation begins with a brief introduction to Guillaume Suing and the book Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology before jumping into a discussion about communist ecology and tackling the question of whether or not the "eco" in eco-socialism is necessary. We discuss the communist response to eco-centricism, which Salvatore argues presents a false dichotomy between humans and nature. We then move from theory and begin discussing communist ecology in practice as it manifested in Cuba, describing some aspects of Cuba's ecological practices from agroecology to reforestation. We describe what it was about Cuba's socialist system which led it to value ecological sustainability. We end by discussing the "degrowth" movement, how Cuba represents a true example of degrowth in action, and explore how the climate movement and the western left more broadly can and should truly embrace that idea that communism is the highest stage of ecology. We have unlocked Part 1 of this conversation so it is now available as a public episode. Part 2 will remain as a Patreon-only episode. Further resources: Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology, by Guillaume Suing Ecosocialism: An Introduction, by Salvatore Engel-Di Mauro (you can email Salvatore for a pdf) Iskra Books Guerrilla History Book Talk: Slow Down with Kohei Saito (The People's Forum) Related episodes: Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism w/ Breht O'Shea and Alyson Escalante Socialism Betrayed w/ Roger Keeran and Joe Jamison Cover art: Ben Stahnke / Iskra Books Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
September 28 · 1 hr 30 min
[UNLOCKED] Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro
This is an unlocked version of our Patreon episode "Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro." In this episode, Part 1 of a 2-part miniseries, Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro join us to discuss the ecology of communism as described in the book, Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology by French scholar Guillaume Suing. Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro is Professor at the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at SUNY New Paltz. Henry Hakamäki is co-host of Guerrilla History and the editor and translator, along with Salvatore, of Iskra Books' Stalin: History and Critique of a Black Legend, by Domenico Losurdo as well as the book we'll be discussing today, Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology, by Guillaume Suing Our conversation begins by outlining how capitalism as an ideology and as a world-system harms ecology by unpacking the logic behind the profit motive and infinite growth characteristic capitalism system. Henry and Salvatore then discuss some of the most prominent preconceptions and misconceptions regarding communism as an inherently "productivist" system, using the Soviet Union as their primary example (we will discuss the example of Cuba in Pt. 2 of this miniseries which will be released as part of our Cuba series). We end the discussion on the USSR by looking at three different areas where the USSR committed to environmental protection—including the famous zapovedniki. The conversation begins to wrap up with a brief exploration of Trofim Lysenko, the Soviet agronomist around whom much controversy still swirls, and whose story leads us unto a discussion of socialist science and dialectical science. We end by introducing Cuba into the conversation, but just very briefly, as a much deeper exploration of Cuba as a model of communist ecological practice will be the topic of Part 2 of this miniseries. Part 2 will be released as part of our Cuba series on 9/28/2026. Further resources: Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology, by Guillaume Suing Iskra Books Guerrilla History Related episodes: Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism w/ Breht O'Shea and Alyson Escalante Socialism Betrayed w/ Roger Keeran and Joe Jamison Walter Rodney, Marxism, and Underdevelopment with D. Musa Springer & Charisse Burden-Stelly Live Show: Breaking the Chains of Empire w/ Abby Martin (with Bonus Q&A) Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
September 22 · 1 hr 25 min
The Cultural Cold War: Folk Music and Communism w/ Carsie Blanton
In this episode, we're joined by Carsie Blanton for a conversation on communist folk music and the role of politics in art. Carsie Blanton is a songwriter, touring musician, and organizer with Artists Against Apartheid and People's Songs—an organization of musicians dedicated to adapting, distributing, and performing songs for liberation. The conversation begins with Carsie giving us a sense of her experience as a Jewish, anti-Zionist musician after Oct 7th and how the repressive atmosphere and her experience on the Global Sumud Flotilla shaped the way she thinks about art and political discourse. She tells us how this experience led her to (re)launch an organization from the 1940s named People's Songs dedicated to adapting, distributing, and performing songs for liberation. We discuss the ways that communist musicians organized historically and what the response from the FBI and repressive apparatus was to this organizing. We talk about the Congress for Cultural Freedom, for example, and other soft power approaches by the CIA to promote a noncommunist, compatible left in the sphere of art, music, and culture more broadly. We discuss the repression that musicians faced, from Paul Robeson to Malvina Reynolds, and how the explicitly left, communist politics presentin folk music shifted and dissipated during neolberalism. We end by discussing the challenges facing musicians today in the context of the new Red Scare, how Carsie has navigated this, and how musicians and artists can get involved in organizing. We are now on Youtube! You can find us and subscribe to our channel at youtube.com/@upstream_podcast Further resources: Carsie Blanton's webiste Support Carsie on Patreon! People's Songs Artists Against Apartheid Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) Who Paid the Piper? The CIA and the Cultural Cold War, by Francis Stonor Saunders The Folk Singers and the Bureau The FBI, the Folk Artists and the Suppression of the Communist Party, USA-1939-1956, by Aaron Leonard Who Paid the Pipers of Western Marxism, Gabriel Rockhill (Monthly Review Press) All Power Books Radical artists to explore: Bambu, Robeson Singers, the Neighborhood Kids, Billy Bragg, The Burning Hell, Devon Sproule, Linqua Franqa, Tuneyards, Nathan Evans Fox Della's Playlist Related episodes: Palestine Ep. 15: The Gaza Freedom Flotilla w/ Chris Smalls & Huwaida Arraf Cuba Ep. 9: Conjuring up the Red Menace w/ Charisse Burden-Stelly The Intellectural World War w/ Gabriel Rockhill The Western Left w/ Gabriel Rockhill US Labor & Imperialism Pt. 1: the War Against Communism w/ Jeff Schuhrke Black Scare / Red Scare with Charisse Burden-Stelly Marxism for the Masses w/ Savannah from All Power Books Voting for Socialism w/ Claudia De La Cruz & Karina Garcia Intermission music: "FBI" performed live by Carsie Blanton Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you'll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
September 15 · 19 min
[TEASER] China Ep. 11: Tibet w/ Ken Hammond
This is a free preview of the episode "China Ep. 11: Tibet w/ Ken Hammond." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast As a Patreon subscriber, you'll get access to biweekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You'll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this conversation, episode 11 in our ongoing series on China, we're joined by Ken Hammond to talk about Tibet. Ken Hammond is Professor of History at New Mexico State University, an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation, or PSL, and the author of several books, including China's Revolution and the Quest for a Socialist Future and China and the World. Our conversation begins by situating Tibet geographically and providing a deeper history of Tibet stretching back to the 7th century and through to the end of the Qing dynasty in 1912. We then look at Tibet 1912, describing the state as a sort of feudal theocracy dominated by monastic rule and with a life expectancy in the 30s. We then explore the period during and after the 1949 communist revolution, discussing the long and winding process of how socialism was gradually introduced in Tibet—a story which includes an uprising, land reform, CIA sabotage plots originating in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, and more. We talk about the transformations in land, education, and housing which accompanied socialist transformation in Tibet once monastic rule was ended in the late 1950s and how these transformations resulted in literacy rates rising, infant mortality dropping, and life expectancy more than doubling. We then discuss the "Free Tibet" movement and some of the ways that the State Department, CIA, and other elements of the US government attempted to manufacture a narrative around "cultural genocide" in Tibet, including the Dalai Lama's connection to the CIA. We end by exploring China's ethnic communities in relation to the PRC's new ethnic unity law, the boureois media's attempts to attack China in their coverage of the recent glacial collapse and mudslide in Nepal and Tibet, and by providing an overview of just how much the PRC has supported Tibetan development in the past 75 years. Further resources: China's Revolution and the Quest for a Socialist Future The Idea of the 'Uyghur Genocide' and the Realities of Xinjiang, Vijay Prashad On the Correct Handling of Contradictions Among the People, Mao Related episodes: Our ongoing series on China Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
September 8 · 1 hr 53 min
Venezuela Ep. 7: On Ascending a High Mountain w/ Cira Pascual Marquina and Chris Gilbert
In this conversation, episode 7 in our ongoing series on Venezuela, we're joined by Cira Pascual Marquina and Chris Gilbert for an on-the-ground assessment of how Venezuela is navigating the latest phase of US imperialism. Chris Gilbert is a professor at Venezuela's Bolivarian University and a writer based in Caracas. He's the author of Commune or Nothing! Venezuela's Communal Movement and its Socialist Project. Cira Pascual Marquina is a researcher and popular educator at El Panal commune in Venezuela. She's the author, along with Chris, of The Present as Struggle: Voices from the Bolivarian Revolution and co-host, also along with Chris, of the Marxist educational project Escuela de Cuadros. The conversation opens by discussing the new oil agreement imposed on Venezuela by the US regime and examining how it compares to other oil agreements in Latin America, how it compares to past agreements under Hugo Chávez and Nicolás Maduro, and what the most problematic components of it are. We dicuss some of the other blows that Venezuela has experienced since January 3rd, including the shifts in Venezuela's relationship to US-aligned states such as Israel. We then bring back the lens to discuss the larger picture in terms of the impacts of the US regime's interference in Venezuela and the Bolivarian revolution. We look at how the communes have responded to this interference, contextualizing the concessions within the broader assaults on Venezuelan sovereignty over the past several years. We also discuss the various allegations and rumors surrounding Delcy Rodriguez and her loyatly to Chavismo and why these narratives are harmful to the revolution. We are now on Youtube! You can find us and subscribe to our channel at youtube.com/@upstream_podcast Further resources: Commune or Nothing! Venezuela's Communal Movement and its Socialist Project The Present as Struggle: Voices from the Bolivarian Revolution A Great Leap into Reality, by Chris Gilbert and Cira Pascual Marquina Imperialism-Induced Fault Lines, by Chris Gilbert and Cira Pascual Marquina Against Amnesia, by Chris Gilbert and Cira Pascual Marquina Communal Responses in the Aftermath of the Earthquake, by Cira Pascual Marquina and Chris Gilbert The Hour of the Furnaces, by Cira Pascual Marquina Defending Venezuela, by Chris Gilbert Hyper-Imperialism: A Dangerous Decadent New Stage On Ascending a High Mountain Related episodes: Listen to our ongoing series on Venezuela Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba Listen to our ongoing series on Iran Listen to our ongoing series on China Intermission music: "Don Samuel" by Ali Primera Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you'll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
September 1 · 25 min
[TEASER] Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro
This is a free preview of the episode "Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast As a Patreon subscriber, you'll get access to biweekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You'll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this episode, Part 1 of a 2-part miniseries, Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro join us to discuss the ecology of communism as described in the book, Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology by French scholar Guillaume Suing. Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro is Professor at the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies at SUNY New Paltz. Henry Hakamäki is co-host of Guerrilla History and the editor and translator, along with Salvatore, of Iskra Books' Stalin: History and Critique of a Black Legend, by Domenico Losurdo as well as the book we'll be discussing today, Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology, by Guillaume Suing Our conversation begins by outlining how capitalism as an ideology and as a world-system harms ecology by unpacking the logic behind the profit motive and infinite growth characteristic capitalism system. Henry and Salvatore then discuss some of the most prominent preconceptions and misconceptions regarding communism as an inherently "productivist" system, using the Soviet Union as their primary example (we will discuss the example of Cuba in Pt. 2 of this miniseries which will be released as part of our Cuba series). We end the discussion on the USSR by looking at three different areas where the USSR committed to environmental protection—including the famous zapovedniki. The conversation begins to wrap up with a brief exploration of Trofim Lysenko, the Soviet agronomist around whom much controversy still swirls, and whose story leads us unto a discussion of socialist science and dialectical science. We end by introducing Cuba into the conversation, but just very briefly, as a much deeper exploration of Cuba as a model of communist ecological practice will be the topic of Part 2 of this miniseries. Listen to Part 2 of this miniseries, "Cuba Ep. 11: Actually Existing Ecology w/ Henry Hakamäki & Salvatore Engels-Di Mauro." Further resources: Communism, the Highest Stage of Ecology, by Guillaume Suing Iskra Books Guerrilla History Related episodes: Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism w/ Breht O'Shea and Alyson Escalante Socialism Betrayed w/ Roger Keeran and Joe Jamison Walter Rodney, Marxism, and Underdevelopment with D. Musa Springer & Charisse Burden-Stelly Live Show: Breaking the Chains of Empire w/ Abby Martin (with Bonus Q&A) Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
August 25 · 1 hr 14 min
Cuba Ep. 10: Cuba after Castro w/ Abby Martin
In this episode we're joined by Abby Martin for a conversation on her film, "Cuba after Castro: The Island in the Crosshairs." Abby Martin is a journalist, activist, founder of "The Empire Files," and director of the films "Gaza Fights for Freedom," "Earth's Greatest Enemy," which was the topic of our first episode with Abby, which was actually our first live show ever, and the film we'll be discussing today, which she co-directed with Matt Belen, "Cuba after Castro: The Island in the Crosshairs" which features the first and only interview conducted by an American journalist with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel. The conversation opens with Abby explaining her connection to Cuba and why she chose to interview Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel for this film. We explore President Miguel Díaz-Canel's story and talk about the series of crises that Cuba is facing as a result of U.S. aggression—a kind of slow genocide. We then explore parts of Abby's interview with President Díaz-Canel, beginning by situating criticisms of Cuba within the context of U.S. terror, sabotage, and invasion attempts and making sense of why Cuba's system has had to remain partially closed and on guard. We acknowledge the advances that Cuba has been able to make, despite this aggression, in terms of its democratic acheivements, its ability to navigate COVID, its robust healthcare infrastructure, etc. We discuss the recent announcement of economic reforms in Cuba, discuss the concern about capitalist restoration, and explore why Abby believes that Cuba will make it through this latest assault by the Trump regime. We end by exploring the world that can be if we are brave and committed enough to fight for it. We are now on Youtube! You can find us and subscribe to our channel at youtube.com/@upstream_podcast Further resources: Cuba after Castro: The Island in the Crosshairs Earth's Greatest Enemy Gaza Fights for Freedom Related episodes: Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba Live Show: Breaking the Chains of Empire w/ Abby Martin (with Bonus Q&A) Intermission music: "to each their dot" by Haley Heynderickx and Max Garcia Conover Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you'll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
August 18 · 28 min
[TEASER] China Ep. 10: The Dialectics of Chinese Labor w/ Immanuel Ness
This is a free preview of the episode "China Ep. 10: The Dialectics of Chinese Labor w/ Immanuel Ness" You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast As a Patreon subscriber, you'll get access to biweekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You'll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this episode, Immanuel Ness joins us to discuss trade unions in China and the landscape of Chinese labor more broadly. Immanuel Ness is Professor of Political Science at the City University of New York and Visiting Professor of Sociology at the University of Johannesburg. He's the author of Migration as Economic Imperialism: How International Labour Mobility Undermines Economic Development in Poor Countries (which we had him on to discuss last year) and most recently, Dialectics of Chinese Labor: Trade Unions under Market Socialism, which we'll be discussing today. Our conversation begins with an introduction to Immanuel's new book and why he chose to write a book on Chinese labor. Before turning our focus to China, we first outline many of the ways in which unions in the United States and the global South have failed—highlighting extremely low union density and a number of other perpetual challenges that have not been overcome by the Western trade union model. We then introduce the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) as a stark contrast to the trade union model under bourgeois democracies. We explore how the union functions holistically from the top down and the bottom up and its relationship to the Communist Party of China (CPC). From Shanghai to Guangzhou, from glass-workers to logistics workers to app drivers, Immanuel provides examples from his research on the various benefits that the ACFTU has provided workers in China, giving us an overall sense of its successes and its challenges. We then discuss the overall labor landscape in China, particularly in the context of the migration of hundreds of millions of people from rural China to urban centers, before launching into a more organic, back-and-forth discussion around some of the most common myths surrounding China's labor landscape. Further resources: Dialectics of Chinese Labor: Trade Unions under Market Socialism, Immanuel Ness Related episodes: Our ongoing series on China Our ongoing series on Cuba Our ongoing series on Venezuela Migration as Economic Imperialism w/ Immanuel Ness Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
August 11 · 1 hr 14 min
Cuba Ep 9: Conjuring up the Red Menace w/ Charisse Burden-Stelly
In this episode we're joined by Charisse Burden-Stelly for a conversation on Cuba and the long history of US red scares through the lens of the US Department of State's recent report on Cuba: "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism." Charisse Burden-Stelly is an associate professor of African American studies at Wayne State University, a member of the Black Alliance for Peace, Movement Builders, and the Anti-Imperialist Scholars Collective. She's the author of Black Scare/Red Scare: Theorizing Capitalist Racism in the United States. The conversation opens with an outline of the US State Department report as well as the related "National Security Presidential Memorandum 7: Countering Domestic Terrorism and Organized Political Violence"—more commonly referred to as NSPM-7. We go through the report and examine some of its contents and some of the claims it makes and then explore what the purpose of this report is, asking: why Cuba, and why now? Dr. CBS then introduces her thesis in Black Scare / Red Scare, looking at how anti-Blackness and anticommunism are combined by the repressive state apparatus to conjure up a red/Black menace, tying that thesis directly to the State Department report. We explore the actual history of cultural exchange between Black radicals and activists in the U.S. and Cuba, going on to highlight the deep hypocricy within the report in terms of the U.S.'s attemps to sabotoage and terrorize Cuba since 1959. We then zoom out and explore Dr. CBS's argument in Black Scare / Red Scare that anticommunism cannot be viewed as a limited phenomenon that pops up every so often, but rather, that it must be understood as a mode of governance in the United States that is ongoing and pervasive. We close looking at what this current red scare means for the left and what solidarity within the left and by the left for the victims of capitalism and imperialism can look like. Further resources: Reading "Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism" through Black Scare/Red Scare, Part I, Charisse Burden-Stelly Black Scare / Red Scare, Charisse Burden-Stelly Related episodes: Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba Walter Rodney, Marxism, and Underdevelopment with D. Musa Springer & Charisse Burden-Stelly Black Scare / Red Scare w/ Charisse Burden Stelly The Roots of Race & Class in the U.S. with Dr. Gerald Horne The Political Economy of Jazz w/ Geralde Horn Our ongoing series on Iran Our ongoing series on Venezuela Our ongoing series on China Capitalist Realism w/ Carlee Inventing Reality: The Politics of News Media (Michael Parenti Reading) How Fascism Works (Michael Parenti Reading) Intermission music: "2001 Blowback" by John Davis Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you'll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
July 21 · 19 min
[TEASER] Inventing Reality: The Politics of News Media
This is a free preview of the episode "Inventing Reality: The Politics of News Media" You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast As a Patreon subscriber, you'll get access to biweekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You'll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this episode of our reading series, Robbie reads and provides real-time analysis of the opening chapter of the classic book, Inventing Reality: The Politics of the Mass Media by Michael Parenti. The text explores the role that the media play in capitalism using a materialist, Marxist-Leninist analysis. The reading begins with Robbie comparing and contrasting Inventing Reality with the better-known book on a similar topic, Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman's Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. Robbie highlights the main antagonisms between Chomsky and Parenti in their approach to this topic and explores why these antagonisms exist. Robbie then dives into Inventing Reality, providing real-time analysis and commentary throughout. He presents Parenti's thesis and introduction to the content of the book before getting into some examples of how the media function under capitalism. Robbie uses the example of Skydance Media's merger with Paramount Global and the impact this had on CBS news and editorial coverage to explain Parenti's thesis on right-wing bias in the media. The text explores how the mainstream media covers race, gender, and class, and how this coverage is a result of the class position of those who own and control the media. This also explains why the mainstream media rarely if ever explore the structural causes of many of the issues they report on in society. Parenti explores the conservative nature of mainstream media through a variety examples, including coverage of candidates for political office. Robbie reads Parenti's analysis and then applies it to our current time, connecting the dots from the 1980s and 1990s when Parenti was writing the book to the present. Robbie takes the example of skewed coverage of third-party candidates during elections to again parse out the differences between Inventing Reality and Manufacturing Consent, introducing Chomsky's concept of "structural filters" and contrasting it with Parenti's emphasis on property relations and class-struggle. The reading ends with an exploration of how the media set the parameters around what is acceptable and not acceptable to discuss publicly—framing the limits of allowable discourse in a way that does not require them to always be controlling our minds in an Orwellian sense. Parenti argues that it's often much easier and more effective for our ruling class to set the ideological tone and issue agenda with a much more insidious, subtle form of control than the nakedly brutish tactics of overt oppression. Further resources: Inventing Reality: The Politics of the Mass Media Related episodes: A History of the CIA, Coups, and Assassinations w/ Vijay Prashad The Intellectual World War w/ Gabriel Rockhill China Ep. 6: The Long Transition Towards Socialism w/ Gabriel Rockhill Western Marxism w/ Gabriel Rockhill Capitalist Realism with Carlee Four Ways to be Anticapitalist Prefigurative Politics and Workplace Democracy w/ Saio Gradin and Nicole Wires Voting for Socialism w/ Claudia De La Cruz & Karina Garcia Battling the Duopoly w/ Jill Stein A Socialist California w/ Ramsey Robinson Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
July 14 · 2 hr 8 min
Sudan Ep. 1: The Unconscious Revolution w/ Mohamed Khougali
In this episode we're joined by Mohamed Khougali for a conversation exploring the history and politics of Sudan from the perspective of a Sudanese psychotherapist who participated in the 2018-2019 revolution. Mohamed Khougali is a socialist who was part of the Sudanese revolution of 2019. He's the author of Politically Unconscious: The Psychic Aftermath of the Sudanese Revolution, published by Iskra Books. He is currently residing in Germany, where he started the Black Radicals to incorporate the Black Radical Tradition into the German Left. The conversation opens with an overview of Politically Unconscious and then dives into Mohamed's work as a psychotherapist and his approach of praxis psychotherapy. We then take some time to orient ourselves to Sudan geographically and give some important context around its regions before we begin to explore Sudanese history. We discuss Sudan's history beginning with the Anglo-Egyptian colonization period which lasted from the late 19th century to 1956. He discusses how this period shifted property, governing, and class relations in Sudan and paved the way for Sudan's contemporary conflicts. We discuss the resistance to colonialism and the formation of the Sudanese National Liberation Movement which later became the Communist Party of Sudan. We go on to talk about Sudanese independence, the quick overthrow of its new parliament by its first dictator, and then the emergence of neoliberalism in Sudan. Mohamed then talks about the financialization of Sudan—Khartoum in particular—and how this shaped and reshaped property relations and the lives of people in both the cities and rural areas. He talks about rebellions in the South and the West, the formation of the Jangaweed, which later turned into the Rapid Support Forces (or RSF), and the immiseration, racialization, and violence that resulted from these processes. We end by discussing the 2018-2019 revolution, how it was seized, and where Sudan is now. Further resources: Mohamed's psychotherapy practice Politically Unconscious: The Psychic Aftermath of the Sudanese Revolution, by Mohamed Khougali Black Radicals Related episodes: Listen to our ongoing series on Sudan Feminism for the 99 Percent (Documentary) Atlantic Slavery and the Plantation System w/ David McNally The Democratic Party w/ Cecilia Guerrero 250 Years of Bourgeois Democracy w/ August Nimtz Listen to our ongoing series on Palestine This Missing Revolution w/ Vincent Bevins Intermission music: "Ana lstu ri'deedan" by Atbarawi We'll be off for the next couple of weeks for our summer break, so unless you're a Patreon subscriber this will be the last episode until August 10th. For Patreon subscribers, we've got an episode for you next week and then we'll be taking a break there also until mid-August. We've got some really exciting episodes planned for the weeks we're back so stay tuned! Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you'll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
July 5 · 15 min
[TEASER] 250 Years of Bourgeois Democracy w/ August Nimtz
This is a free preview of the episode "250 Years of Bourgeois Democracy w/ August Nimtz" You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You'll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this episode, August Nimtz joins us to discuss 250 years of bourgeois democracy. August Nimtz is professor of political science and African American and African studies and Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Minnesota. He is the author of many books including The Ballot, the Streets, or Both? From Marx and Engels to Lenin and the October Revolution, which we had him on to speak about back in 2023, and most recently, Black Marxism: A Marxist Critique. Our conversation begins by revisiting our last conversation with August and providing a brief synopsis of The Ballot, the Streets, or Both?, setting the record straight on the intentions of the book in order to clear up some misunderstandings that many democratic socialists (particularly those of DSA) have around Marx, Engels, and Lenin's views on electoralism. In the process August discusses the recent victories of progressive candidates in Democratic primaries in the context of the two diseases of bourgeois politics: voting fetishism and parliamentary cretinism, which he says organizations and progressive politicians such as DSA and Bernie Sanders are afflicted with. We then take a deep dive into the history of the American Revolution, looking at the differences between the Revolution of 1776 and the writing of the Constitution—which August describes as a form of counterrevolution. We explore the creation of the proletariat as the first class in history that has the ability to emancipate humanity and explore bourgeois democracy—particularly what the bourgeois revolution required in order for capitalism to flourish, including certain rights intended for the emerging bourgeoisie. We then fast-forward to the present and explore how Donald Trump is an embodiment of American capitalism—a perfect example of the ideals put forth in the Constitution and the most authentic capitalist who has ever been in the White House. We discuss how Trump is capitalism's chicken coming home to roost. We end by talking about the "Great American State Fair" and survey the mood of the country, questioning whether the anger that people feel right now can be channeled into a constructive direction. Further resources: The Capitalist Chicken That's 'Come Home to Roost': What Two Hundred Fifty Years Hath Bequeathed, August Nimtz Black Marxism: A Marxist Critique, August Nimtz Lenin's Perspective: What Exactly Does It Mean to Vote -- Part 1 Against the Current No. 231, July/August 2024 Lenin's Perspective: What Exactly Does It Mean to Vote — Part 2 Against the Current No. 232, September/October 2024 Related episodes: A Marxist Perspective on Elections w/ August Nimtz The Democratic Party w/ Cecilia Guerrero The Long Transition Towards Socialism and the End of Capitalism w/ Torkil Lauesen China Pt. 2: Socialist Democracy and Democratic Centralism w/ Ken Hammond Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
June 30 · 1 hr 44 min
The Democratic Party w/ Cecilia Guerrero
In this episode Cecilia Guerrero joins us to pick apart the sordid origins and class orientation of the Democratic Party. Cecilia Guerrero is chair and founding member of A Luta Sigue, an organization based in Nashville, Tennessee which incubates and trains young people and workers within advanced sectors of the working class to build and lead their own class struggle organizations. The conversation opens with a history of the Democratic Party, which is also a history of the development of US capitalism. Cecilia takes us back to the formation of the Democratic Party and describes the role it played in opposition to the Republican Party during slavery and up to the Civil War. She then outlines how the party shifted and evolved up through the Robber Barron days around the turn of the century up to WWI. We then explore how the Communist Party of the USA (CPUSA), despite its successful origins, succumbed to opportunism and failed to be a vehicle for the working class in the United States. This resulted in the New Deal Democratic alliance being widely recognized as a working class party, despite, of course, being nothing of the sort. This shift paved the way for Franklin D. Roosevelt's program of throwing crumbs to the working class while working on behalf of the bourgeoisie to reform and stabilize capitalism. Cecilia goes on to describe how the Democratic Party has now fully embraced the role that it took on under FDR—promising watered down reforms to an increasingly exploited and immiserated proletariat as a release valve for their anger while never delivering meaningful change. She describes how the Democratic Party inserts itself into radical movements only to co-opt and neutralize them, providing examples from Ferguson to Nashville, where she herself organizes. We then discuss the Democrats role in upholding imperialism through their history of supporting imperial exploit, particularly their uncompromising reliance on sanctions, predatory development schemes, and other forms of economic warfare. Finally, we discuss what needs to happen in order for us to break out of this two-party duopoly of capitalism and build a party that truly represents the working class. Further resources: A Luta Sigue Workers Unity League Southern Youth Solidarity Network: Lessons from the 1934 San Francisco General Strike Nashville People Power History of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (bolsheviks): Short Course The Results and Significance of the US Presidential Elections. Lenin, 1912 After The Elections In America, Lenin. 1912 Letter to the Workers of Europe and America, Lenin. 1918 Struggle Against Opportunism in the Labor Movement – For a Socialist United States. William Dunne, 1947 Related episodes: From the Frontlines: Class Struggle and Class War in the US Southeast w/ Cecilia Guerrero Immigration, ICE, and Working Class Rebellion w/ Cecilia Guerrero A Marxist Perspective on Elections w/ August Nimtz Atlantic Slavery and the Plantation System w/ David McNally International Workers' Day w/ John from Working Class History Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism w/ Breht O'Shea and Alyson Escalante US Labor & Imperialism Pt. 1: the War Against Communism w/ Jeff Schuhrke Western Marxism w/ Gabriel Rockhill The Intellectual World War w/ Gabriel Rockhill China Pt. 9: Taiwan w/ Charles Xu and Feiyung Sun Black Scare / Red Scare with Charisse Burden-Stelly Iran Pt. 2: The Impacts of Economic Strangulation w/ Elina Xenophontos Migration as Economic Imperialism w/ Immanuel Ness Intermission music: "The Democrats" by Carsie Blanton Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you'll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
June 23 · 35 min
[TEASER] Iran Ep. 5: Is the US-Iran Deal a Trap for Iran? w/ Elina Xenophontos
This is a free preview of the episode "Iran Pt. 5: Is the US-Iran Deal a Trap for Iran? w/ Elina Xenophontos" You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast As a Patreon subscriber, you'll get access to biweekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You'll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. Although the episodes build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone In Part 5 of our ongoing series on Iran, Elina Xenophontos joins us to discuss the US-Iran deal and what it could mean for Iran's economic sovereignty. Elina Xenophontos is an international law and economic globalization specialist. She produces much of her own material on her Substack and is also featured regularly on the Colonial Outcasts podcast. Our conversation begins with a brief overview of how Iran and the United States got to this point, leading up to the current deal that is being negotiated. Elina unpacks the various terms of the current agreement before discussing how one element of it, the $300 billion reconstruction and economic development fund, is an attempt to impose a form of neocolonial imperialism onto Iran by injecting Western capital into Iran's strategic sectors. We tie this agreement into the broader geopolitical context, looking at how the United States is attempting to sustain itself, maintain its global hegemony, and prevent China's growing influence and tying in Venezuela and Cuba. Elina outlines the strategic role that Iran plays in China's Belt and Road Initiative and how the United States is attempting to disrupt China's growing influence. Elina then describes the threats to the petrodollar posed by Iran's strategic alliances and how the United States is attempting to intervene in these alliances. We end by discussing how this deal potentially threatens Iran's anti-imperialist unity and its role in the Axis of Resistance and explore how this deal and Iran's potential liberalization are being grappled with internally by the Islamic Republic's different political factions. Further resources: Elina Xenophontos on Substack Support Elina's work on Patreon Related episodes: Listen to our ongoing series on Iran Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba Listen to our ongoing series on Venezuela Listen to our ongoing series on China The Rise (and Fall) of the US Dollar w/ Fadhel Kaboub Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
June 16 · 1 hr 54 min
Honorable Harvest: Indigenous Economics w/ Gregg Castro
The hyper-individual, anti-collectivist ideology that defines and permeates Western societies has profound consequences in multiple realms, from mental health to ecological health to economic health—it's a way of living and thinking that has stained our society from the start. No one knows this more than those individuals and cultures who have, for thousands of years, practiced life in a different way. And among those are many Indigenous cultures and nations which have prioritized a way of life that emphasizes the collective over the individual—not erasing the individual, but weaving the individual back into the fabric of society and the web of life. One of the defining questions of our time is this: how can we learn from Indigenous wisdom to reimagine the world? How can we reimagine the scarcity, competition, and hoarding that defines Western society and replace these values with reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude? And how does connecting with the natural world help us as we reimagine? This is the question asked in the latest book by Robin Wall Kimmerer: The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World. And we've brought on a terrific guest to help us unpack Robin's book and share their own wisdom and experience in relation to it. Gregg Castro is the Culture Director for the Association of Ramaytush Ohlone and a writer and activist within the California Indigenous community focusing on issues regarding cultural preservation, protection, education and traditional practices. In this conversation, Della and Gregg talk about their insights and takeaways from The Serviceberry while sharing about their own experiences. Gregg tells us about his childhood growing up in the South San Francisco Bay Area—a region once known for its vast orchards—and talks about how the natural world and the traditional wisdom of his ancestors has shaped his life and his values. They talk about key takeaways from the Indigenous practices and principles of the potlatch, the honorable harvest, and seven generation thinking. And finally, they explore how we can all unplug, unwind, and contribute to a more just and beautiful world based on the lessons of nature and Indigenous wisdom. Further Resources Association of Ramaytush Ohlone The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, Illustrated by John Burgoyne Related Episodes: Debunking the Myth of Homo economicus (Documentary) Our Struggles are Your Struggles: Stories of Indigenous Resistance & Regeneration (Documentary) Intermission music: "Tsitsutsa Tsigesv (When I was a Boy)" by Agalisiga Artwork: John Burgoyne Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
June 9 · 28 min
[TEASER] China Ep. 9: Taiwan w/ Charles Xu and Feiyang Sun
This is a free preview of the episode "China Ep. 9: Taiwan w/ Charles Xu and Feiyang Sun." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast As a Patreon subscriber you'll get access to bi-weekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You'll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. Charles Xu and Feiyang Sun join us for a conversation on Taiwan. Charles Xu is a member of Qiao Collective and Sovereign Media. Feiyang Sun is a member of Qiao Collective. Our conversation begins with an introduction to Taiwan geographically and historically prior to the modern period and into the early modern period, including the colonization by Japan in the early 20th century—disputing certain Taiwan separatist arguments along the way. We then revisit the Chinese Civil War, discussing the Communist Party of China (CPC) and The Kuomintang (KMT) as opposing forces and situating Taiwan within this history up to the revolution in 1949, including the KMT's retreat to Taiwan and the terror campaign that ensued on the island. We discuss the role that the United States played in this history leading up to the revolution, and then the emergence of Taiwan as a counterrevolutionary force for US imperialism during the Cold War and into the present. We explore what KMT rule in Taiwan looked like until the transition out of martial law in the 1980s and the contending class conflicts and political landscape of Taiwan into contemporary times. We then discuss the "One China" policy, the tensions between the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Republic of China (ROC) in Taipei both domestically and internationally, and introduce the Taiwanese independence movement. We then discuss the military exercises in the South China Sea, United States arms sales to Taiwan, and other current events before concluding on why the question of Taiwan is a crucial one for the Western, anti-imperialist left. Further resources: Qiao Collective Sovereign Media Taiwan—An Anti-Imperialist Resource by Qiao Collective The two main demographic groups on Taiwan that Charles mentions are the běnshěngrén (本省人) and the wàishěngrén (外省人). More on Taiwan's demographics here On AIPAC ties with Taiwan separatists (Qiao Collective) Thread addressing misconceptions about Taiwan (Qiao Collective) Related episodes: Listen to our ongoing series on China Thank you to Qiao Collective for the cover art. Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
June 2 · 1 hr 29 min
The Rise (and Fall) of the US Dollar w/ Fadhel Kaboub
In this episode we're joined by Fadhel Kaboub for a conversation about the US dollar, its hegemony over the globe, and the emerging challenges to this hegemony. Fadhel Kaboub is a Tunisian-American economist, professor of economics at Denison University, president of the Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity, and author of Global South Perspectives on substack. The conversation opens with a historical overview of how the US dollar became the dominant global currency and the power that this brought with it—exploring the petrodollar, the use of sanctions, and other neocolonial mechanisms upheld by the dollar. We then introduce BRICS and exploring how BRICS challenges US dollar hegemony and the limitations to this challenge. Fadhel then unpacks the ways that US dollar hegemony is and can continue to be challenges through focusing on food sovereignty, energy sovereignty, and industrial/technological sovereignty, which Fadhel unpacks in depth. We then explore some examples of attempts to achieve this kind of sovereignty, beginning with the Alliance of Sahel States and their successes and challenges in seeking sovereignty but looking also at Iran, Cuba, and China. We explore some concrete examples of how not just the dollar but other colonial currencies both past and present have been utilized to subjugate people and states in the Global South, focusing on the CFA Franc. Fadhel then gives us a sense of the better world that can exist outside of the neocolonial, imperialist structures that dominate today and how that world can be achieved in a concrete way. Further resources: Global South Perspectives (Fadhel Kaboub's Substack) Global Institute for Sustainable Prosperity Related episodes: Our ongoing series on the Alliance of Sahel States Our ongoing series on Iran Our ongoing series on Cuba Our ongoing series on China Intermission music: "Capitalocene" by Wes Carroll Confabulation Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you'll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
May 26 · 17 min
[TEASER] Cuba Ep. 8: Lessons from the Fall of the USSR w/ Helen Yaffe
This is a free preview of the episode "Cuba Ep. 8: Lessons from the Fall of the USSR w/ Helen Yaffe." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast As a Patreon subscriber, you'll get access to biweekly bonus episodes ranging from conversations to readings and more. Signing up for Patreon is a great way to make Upstream a weekly show, and it will also give you access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes along with stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. You'll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. In this episode, part 8 of our ongoing Cuba series, we're joined again by Helen Yaffe for a conversation exploring the lessons Cuba learned from the crisis brought on by the fall of the USSR—known as Cuba's "special period". Helen Yaffe is a professor of Latin American political economy at the University of Glasgow. She is the author of We Are Cuba! How a Revolutionary People Have Survived in a Post-Soviet World, and Che Guevara: The Economics of Revolution. She is also the cohost of the Cuba Analysis podcast and the documentary "Cuba's life task: combating climate change." Our conversation begins with an introduction to Cuba's "special period", the period of economic crisis in Cuba which occurred as a result of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Helen gives us some context on how closely entwined Cuba's economy was to its primary trading partner, the Soviet Union, before describing how this partnership was impacted in 1991 and what this meant for Cuba more broadly. Before we discuss the ways that Cuba adapted to the loss of the USSR, we discuss how the United States took advantage of the crisis in 1991 to strengthen sanctions through mechanisms like the Torricelli Act and the Helms-Burton Act while also engaging in outright terrorism out of Miami—including the "Brothers to the Rescue" incident (and the CIA-trained terrorist network within which it was situated) that serves as the pretext for the Trump administration's recent indictment of Raúl Castro. Helen then goes on to describe in more detail the impacts on Cuba of the fall of the USSR and takes some time to talk about how Cubans adapted in the midst of this crisis, drawing from both her scholarly work and also from her experience living in Cuba during this period. We end by discussing the Cuban medical brigades and how this program adapted in the post-Soviet era, particularly in shaping Cuba's relationship with many states in Latin America and reshaping its own economy, before drawing lessons for the current crisis facing Cuba. Although the episodes in our series build on each other in certain ways, all of our series are designed so that each episode can be listened to as a standalone. Further resources: Cuba Analysis podcast We Are Cuba! How a Revolutionary People Have Survived in a Post-Soviet World Related episodes: Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba Socialism Betrayed w/ Roger Keeran and Joe Jamison Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

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