PODCAST · history
Proles Pod
by Proles Pod
A podcast about history, politics, and culture... without the liberalism
Episodes
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Ep 113 - Indigenous Marxism
In this episode, Dr. Brandon Sanchez returns to discuss the development of Indigenous Mayan Marxism in Guatemala. We trace how Guatemala's revolutionary movement evolved from often treating Indigenous peoples simply as peasants toward confronting questions of colonialism, racism, nationality, and...
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Ep 112 - "Obsession" and the Vagaries of Capitalist Hollywood (ft. Evan and Ward from Left of the Projector)
Jeremy flies solo as host with Ward and Evan from Left of the Projector as guests. They discuss the film Obsession both as a piece of art, as well as a cultural artifact in terms of its production and distribution. They talk about the low-budget and high profit of the movie itself, which...
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Ep 111 - Cuban President Defends Economic Reforms
Jeremy, Justin, and Tony examine Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez's June 17, 2026 speech, "Reality Demands Urgent and Necessary Changes," delivered at an extraordinary meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba. Facing a severe economic crisis forced on it by the...
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Ep 110 - Western Media Concedes North Korean Success
Tony, Jeremy, and Justin break down The Wall Street Journal's recent coverage of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, centering on the headline-grabbing article, "The World's Most Surprising Economic Success Story Is... North Korea." Has Western capitalist media finally acknowledged that...
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Ep 109 - Half the Sky: Think of the Children
Half the Sky is a brand new podcast from ProlesPod host, Rae! It is an attempt to provide a perspective often lacking from the podcast space: that of women (and women-adjacent folks). If and when those voices are present, they are quite often offset by their dude counterparts. And so (at least on...
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Ep 108 - The Unique Character of South American Revolutions
Rae and Justin (and Martín!) are joined by Camarada Michi and Danny El Comunista to have a deep discussion of the ways in which South American socialist revolutions have formed and changed. Why have there been almost no successful armed revolutions? Why did Allende fail? What is happening in the...
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Ep 107 - Prison, Innocence, and Love In Revolution (w/ Jean Paul Fartre)
Justin and Rae sit down with Jean Paul Fartre (JPF) for a wide-ranging conversation on justice work, prison abolition, wrongful convictions, and the role of love in revolutionary politics. Along the way, they discuss JPF's experiences as a male escort, the limits of liberal approaches to prison...
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Ep 106 - Green China: Sovereignty through Green Tech
Rae and Jeremy are joined by Ashwin Shantha of the Journal of International Solidarity to discuss the ways in which (and the reasons why) China has developed an indigenous approach to green technology. We talk NEVs and solar panels through the lens of sovereignty, socialism, and anti-imperialism....
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Ep 105 - East German Democracy & Anti-Imperialism (Ft. IF DDR)
Max and Matthew from IF DDR (International Research Centre DDR) join Jeremy and Justin for a wide-ranging discussion on the realities of socialist democracy in East Germany. The conversation explores the lived experiences of German peasants during a period of major social transformation…
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Ep 104 - Fraud, Fatherhood, and Fascism
On this very special episode of ProlesPod, Rae gets to meet their hero, Matthew Remski, host of the podcasts Conspirituality and Anti-Fascist Dad. He is also the author of the new book Anti-Fascist Dad. Today, we discuss grifters and grifts in the wellness community, cults, the intersection of...
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Ep 103 - Laos and People's Democracy (Ft. Holly High)
Rae and Tony sit down with Holly High—frequent guest on Tony's other podcast, Actually Existing Socialism—to discuss the present-day realities of Laos' socialist people's democracy. Holly is an anthropologist whose fieldwork in Laos uses ethnographic methods and anthropological analysis to…
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Ep 102 - Vietnam Today (Ft. Luna Oi & EJ)
*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:46689808-d0dc-4eed-be4c-a712e949e949-0" data-testid= "conversation-turn-2" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn= "assistant"> Luna Oi and EJ join the show for a grounded,...
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Ep 101 - Where Are the Girls?
Where Are the Girls?! In honor of International Working Women's Day, Rae is joined by several girls (and girls adjacent) to ask and answer a question that weighs heavily on left spaces: Where are the girls?! Why are so many communist spaces male dominated, what are the impediments to getting…
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Throwback Ep: Talking Marxism With the Proles (2024 RevLeft Episode)
Back in the summer of 2024, back in the BSE (Before Stalin Eras) period of the Proles reboot - Rae, Tony, and Jeremy joined Breht on RevLeft Radio to talk Marxism. If you haven't heard it! Check it out. If you have, listen again! Support the show: Join us on Patreon for early-release episodes,...
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Ep 100 - 100th Episode Ask Us Anything
We did it! Somehow. And somehow there are now more episodes post-comeback than in the original run. It doesn't really feel that way. These past two years have flown by. It feels like only yesterday that Justin was saying, "I think we should invite the guy who does the AES podcast to join Proles."...
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Ep 99 - Ecuador, The Left, and Fascism
This episode, which was recorded toward the end of November 2025, nonetheless tells an intersting story that gives context to the historical moment we have found ourselves in. It adresses the role of the left in latin american movements, the future, philosophy, and the failure of social…
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Ep 98 - How to Study and Read Theory (ft. Andre from Weeb Revolution)
Andre is back! This time they join Rae and Jeremy for a conversation on how to study and read theory. The discussion covers recommended readings, practical reading tips, and other useful guidance to help listeners better undersand and engage with Marxism-Leninism. Andre's Beginner Communist...
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Ep 97 - ProlesPod Patreon Bonus Bonanza
On this very special (clip show) espisode, we bring you three separate types of cOnTeNt you can access on Patreon if you so choose. Card Carrying Communist is a bit more fun and less structured--we came up with several dozen bonkers questions which end up randomized for our guests. The Secret...
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Ep 96 - Kims of the Roundtable
The gang's all here! On the first classic Proles episode in a while, the crew reads through texts written by Kim Il-Sung and Kim Jong-Il. We unpack what makes Juche and the DPRK unique inheritors of the tradition of Marxism-Leninism as well as dialectical and historical materialism. Jeremy covers...
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Ep 95 - Critical Psychology and Marx (w/ Frank, of r/counterpsych)
Rae and Jeremy are joined by returning guest, Frank Gruba-McCallister, for a meander through the philosophy that drives Frank's own, expanding on the role of capitalism in the human experience, as well as the ways in which Marx overlaps and applies to interpretations of mental health and healing....
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Ep 94 - A Textual Foundation for Aspiring Marxists (ft. Andre from Weeb Revolution)
This is a bit of a departure from our usual format. Rather than having a specific topic, our guest Andre will give brief summaries and reviews of a number of texts which they recommend as a foundation for anyone who is interested in Marxism or Marxism-Leninism. I would say that this is a great...
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Ep 93 - Soviet Law: From Lenin to Stalin (ft. The Leninist Lawyer)
In this whirlwind episode, The Leninist Lawyer (@LovelyLeninist) takes us deep into the world of Soviet law from the 1917 Revolution to end of Stalin's life in 1953. What exactly is socialist law? Did the USSR have a jury system? And how did the Soviet legal apparatus differ from so-called…
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Ep 92 - Anti-intellectualism, Empathy, and Hand Tattoos w/ Schizophrenic Reads
Rae and Jeremy sit down with Nathan from Schizophrenic Reads to talk about anti-intellectualism, radical empathy, and the ways in which our consumer culture turns us into hedonistic assholes. You can sign up at Patreon where you get access to early release episodes, study guides, the…
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The Stalin Eras: One Year Anniversary Message
The Stalin Eras: Sources & Supplemental Material: https://www.patreon.com/posts/141308561 The Stalin Eras: Bonus Episodes: https://www.patreon.com/collection/798550 The Stalin Eras: Link Tree with Playlist https://linktr.ee/thestalineras
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Ep 91 - Kollontai's "Make Way for Winged Eros" (w/ Jen [Big Nasty] from How the Red Was Won)
ATTENTION THEORY HEADS: this one's for you. Tony is subjected to misandry (JK, JK) as he, Rae, and Jen do a deep dive into Alexandra Kollontai's 1923 essay, "Winged Eros." They discuss misconceptions about Kollontai as a person, dating under capitalism vs socialism, the family unit, and much…
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Ep 90 - Radical Psychology
In this episode, we sit down with Jon and Frank to talk about their newly published edited collection, The Revolutionary Psychologist's Guide to Radical Therapy. We explore what "radical psychological practice" means, the ways capitalism undermines mental health, and why therapy without a class...
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Ep 89 - White Lotus, Knives Out, and Glass Onion: An Analysis of Anti-Capitalist "Real World" Media
Tony abandons the rest of the crew to their devices, and things predictably go off the rails. We talk about the weak chins of continuing series, whether or not there are encoded messages in Rian Johnson movies, and discuss the futility of anti-capitalist messaging without a political program to...
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Ep 88 - John Brown: Part Two
Tony and Jeremy sit down with Alex Z (Southern Catholic Worker) to talk about John Brown and Co, their raid on Harper's Ferry, the aftermath, and the legacy of John Brown on politics and the Civil War. You can sign up at Patreon where you get access to early release episodes, study guides, the...
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Ep 87 - John Brown: Part One
Tony and Jeremy sit down with Alex Z (Southern Catholic Worker) to talk about John Brown's early life, along with his trials and tribulations as a worker, father, and husband. This episode takes us all the way up to the period before he begins planning for the raid on Harper's Ferry (which means...
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Ep 86 - Anti-Capitalist Sci-Fi Decoded: Andor, Hunger Games, and Severance
What do Andor, The Hunger Games, and Severance really say about capitalism and socialist revolution? In this episode of Prolespod, we critically examine these popular sci-fi and dystopian series through a socialist lens. We unpack the anti-capitalist themes, revolutionary narratives, and class...
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Ep 85 - Reform or Revolution (Part II of II)
In this two-part Theory Episode, the ProlesPod Squad takes on one of the most influential texts in socialist history: "Reform or Revolution" (1898) by Polish-German Marxist Rosa Luxemburg. Whether you're new to political theory, find socialist texts hard to get through, or just want to hear our...
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Ep 84 - Reform or Revolution (Part I of II)
In this two-part Theory Episode, the ProlesPod Squad takes on one of the most influential texts in socialist history: "Reform or Revolution" (1898) by Polish-German Marxist Rosa Luxemburg. Whether you're new to political theory, find socialist texts hard to get through, or just want to hear our...
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Ep 83 - Iran: Draw a Line
In this very special release, Justin talked with Iranian communist and comrade, Araaz, about life in Iran, the effects of the attacks by Israel, and the context of life under the Islamic Revolutionary Government. We weren't sure what we expected this episode to be, but it surpassed those...
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Ep 82 - Guatemalan Guerrillas
Digging into his own family's background, PhD Candidate, Brandon, is our subject matter expert. He combines archival research with ethnographic interviews to bring us the history of the guerrilla struggle, focusing on the era between the early 1960s and the early 1980s. We learn about tactics,...
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Ep 81 - One Big Blanket and Other Hilarious Anti-Communist Arguments
The ProlesSquad shares and responds to some of the most poorly concieved yet commonly heard anti-communist arguments! You can sign up at Patreon where you get access to early release episodes, study guides, the aforementioned bonus episodes, TheoryBeats, and MORE! YOU CAN DO SO FOR FREE, which…
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Ep 80 - MMT, Austerity, and Imperialism
Virginia and Steve from Macro N Cheese Podcast/Real Progressives join Justin and Jeremy in a discussion of Modern Monetary Theory, how it can be used as a radicalizing tool, as well as what it means in the grand scheme of global economics. We go even more in depth on our Patreon exclusive bonus...
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Ep 79 - Soviet Cartoons & Raising Socialist Children
The Proles Squad is joined by communist Youtuber RevolutionaryTh0t to talk about their recent work on soviet children's cartoons, women's liberation in the USSR, and socialist child rearing! RevolutionaryTh0t's Youtube Channel RevolutionaryTh0t's Instagram Sign up at Patreon where you can get...
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Ep 78 - The Stalin Eras, Part 6: Conclusions
In the FINAL main-feed episode of the Stalin Eras, we sat back and took a look at where we started and where we ended up. Were we successful in what we set out to do? What did we learn? What do we hope listeners learned? How did the process change us? We answer these and more. Please comment what...
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Ep 77 - The Stalin Eras, Part 5: Criticisms and Contradictions
The much anticipated criticisms and contradictions episode of The Stalin Eras! In this episode we wrestle with the following controversies during Stalin's leadership of the USSR: the Gulag, anti-homosexuality laws, anti-abortion Laws, the "Final" Contradiction, and more! You don't want to miss…
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Ep 76 - The Stalin Eras, Part 4: Discussion (1939-1953)
As "The Stalin Eras" draws to a close, we discuss, in more granular detail, Joseph Stalin's placement within the context of Soviet history, focusing on the years 1939 up to his death in 1953. Our host for this episode is (also) Jeremy, from Intervenciones Gringas! We talk accusations of...
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Ep 75 - The Stalin Eras, Part 4.5: Long Live Comrade Stalin (1943-1953)
In this final narrative of "The Stalin Eras", we detail Joseph Stalin's life within the context of Soviet history through the years 1943-1953. This narrative, titled "Long Live Comrade Stalin!" covers viscerally the experience of the Soviet people during the Great Patriotic War as well as the key...
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Ep 74 - The Stalin Eras, Part 4: Enemy at the Gates (1939-1942)
In the narrative for Part 4.0 of "The Stalin Eras", we detail Joseph Stalin's life within the context of Soviet history through the years 1939-1942. This narrative, titled "Enemy at the Gates" highlights the pivotal years leading to the Nazi invasion of the USSR: the invasion of Poland, Soviet...
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Ep 73 - January: 2025 Is It Over Yet?
In this episode, we switched it up a bit to discuss some of the wild events that have been happening and analyze their impact, what we think about them etc. From the "Roman Salute" to the California wildfires, we got it all here. With silliness throughout. You can sign up at Patreon where you get...
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Ep 72 - Palestine Will Be Free
Ameed and Cody from Good Shepherd Collective join Rae and Jeremy in a Q&A on the conditions and complications related to the struggle of the Palestinian people. Questions were collected from you, the listener. We did our best to condense similar questions together but also to give a solid…
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Ep 71 - The Stalin Eras, Part 3: Discussion (1935-1939)
In the Part 3 Discussion, we cover evidence for the Moscow Trials (more to come in the Part 3.5 Narrative), The Spanish Civil War, Molotov-Ribbentrop, and more. Our host is Legacy Prole, Taylor! The Stalin Eras, inspired by the classic RevLeft Radio episode "Stalin: A Marxist-Leninist…
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Ep 70 - The Stalin Eras, Part 3.5: War Is Already Here (1936-1939)
Our longest and most controversial episode. This narrative, titled "War Is Already Here" (using the latest archival scholarship) details the legitimacy of the controversial Moscow Trials, the origins of the "Great Terror", the climax of the Spanish Civil War, war with Japan and apocalyptically -...
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Ep 69 - The Stalin Eras, Part 3: Triumphs, Trials, and Tribulations (1935-1936)
In the narrative for Part Three of "The Stalin Eras", Tony and Jeremy detail Joseph Stalin's life within the context of Soviet history through the years 1935-1936. This narrative, titled "Triumph and Tribulations" highlights the USSR as a rising star to both the global proletariat and colonized...
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Ep 68 - An Intermission
Comrades! We are hard at work on the Stalin Eras, as you all know. Part 3 in particular, given the Moscow Trials, The Military Trial, Ezhovchina, and other major topics, this episode in particular has taken a LOT of work. We have also uncovered a bunch of archival material that we hope will…
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Ep 67 - The Stalin Eras, Part 2: Discussion (1930-1934)
In the discussion for Part Two of "The Stalin Eras", the gang responds to questions from Jen (aka Big Nasty), host of How the Red Was Won and overall badass comrade. The years in focus are, again, 1930-1934, and based upon the previous episode (which you should listen to if you haven't already).…
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Ep 66 - The Stalin Eras, Part 2: Stewards of the Human Soul (1930-1934)
In the narrative for Part Two of "The Stalin Eras", Justin and Jeremy detail Soviet society and all that comes with it under Stalin's leadership from 1930-1934. This narrative, titled "Stewards of the Human Soul", covers the varied personal experiences of Soviet citizens from the center to the...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A podcast about history, politics, and culture... without the liberalism
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Proles Pod
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