What is Socialism? The Great Critique of Capitalism (S1E1)

Socialism is one of the most argued-over ideas in modern history — praised as a path to equality, condemned as a road to tyranny, and declared dead more than once.So what is socialism — really?In this opening episode of ISM: Ideas Meet Power, we trace socialism from its origins in the industrial revolutions of the 19th century to its global transformations in the 20th century and beyond.Through immersive historical storytelling — from Paris in 1871 and Barcelona in 1937 to Chile in 1973 — this episode explores socialism as a living tradition: a diverse, contested critique of capitalism shaped by workers, revolutionaries, intellectuals, and states.Along the way, we examine socialism’s shared principles, its internal debates over democracy and power, and why the question of socialism continues to return in moments of crisis.This is Season One: The Origins of Socialism: Paris and the Making of Modern RevolutionNext: Paris 1793: The Radical City.Written and produced by Matt Payne.Support, Subscribe, Read on Substack: https://ismhistorypodcast.substack.com/Original Musical Compositions by Ian Payne: https://www.jamesianpayne.com/Support the Show: PayPalContact: [email protected] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ismhistorypodcast.substack.com