Best Grundriss Podcasts (2024)

1
Episode 118: The Ethics of Interpretation, or “What Suresh Naidu & Jacobin Really Meant" 1:04:04

21d ago1:04:04

1:04:04

The co-hosts respond to Suresh Naidu’s piece in “Jacobin,” “What Marx Really Meant.” They begin by discussing norms of interpretation (of texts and of history), with emphasis on why principled interpretation is ethically important. They critique Brill, a major publisher, for insinuating that texts can’t be misinterpreted. They then respond in detai…

1
RFH Ep 117 The Politics of Marx’s Capital—Interview with William Clare Roberts 45:06

2M ago45:06

45:06

Gabriel and Andrew welcome William Clare Roberts, author of Marx's Inferno: The Political Theory of “Capital,” in which he reads the first volume of Capital as a work of political theory. They discuss differences between this and other ways of reading Capital, its engagement with Proudhonism and related non-Marxist tendencies on the left, Marx’s re…

1
RFH Episode Is There Life After Tankieism?: BadMouse Recants, BadMouths Stalinism 52:28

2M ago52:28

52:28

Episode 116: Is There Life After Tankieism?: BadMouse Recants, BadMouths StalinismThe co-hosts welcome Dave, aka BadMouse, who was a prominent Stalinist YouTuber but has since recanted. They discuss why some youth find Stalinism appealing, and why Dave himself turned to it. He then recounts how and why he became disillusioned. He and the co-hosts d…

1
RFH Ep 115 Stranger than Truth—Spurious Correlations Between “Values” and “Prices” 55:25

2M ago55:25

55:25

The co-hosts expose a real-world case of spurious correlation—the correlation between industry-level “values” and “prices,” drawing on chapter 11 of Andrew’s book, Reclaiming Marx’s “Capital,” and “Christianity versus Alternative Faith Bases,” his parody of the value-price correlation “studies.” They discuss why the value-price correlations are spu…

1
Episode 114 Canadian Politics: The White-Nationalist Right & Indigenous Nations 1:07:34

3M ago1:07:34

1:07:34

Radio Free Humanity Ep. 114: “Canadian Politics: The White-Nationalist Right & Indigenous Nations (with Theresa Henry).” Current-events segment: Victory against both-sidesism at NBC—dictator-enabling Ronna McDaniel fired after news staffers revolt.By MHI

1
RFH Ep. 113 Marx’s Critique of Darimon in the Grundrisse, Part 2 59:38

3M ago59:38

59:38

Radio Free Humanity Ep. 113: “Marx’s Critique of Darimon in the Grundrisse, Part 2.” Interview on Andrew’s article on the critique and Marx’s fight against Proudhonism. Current-events segment: “Bibi, Go Bye-Bye”—on Schumer’s March 14 speech.By MHI

1
RFH Episode 112: Marx’s Critique of Darimon in the Grundrisse, Part 1 56:32

4M ago56:32

56:32

Radio Free Humanity Ep. 112: “Marx’s Critique of Darimon in the Grundrisse, Part 1.” Interview on Andrew’s article on the critique and Marx’s fight against Proudhonism. Current-events segment: Justice Delayed—SCOTUS to hear Trump’s immunity claim.By MHI

1
RFH Ep. 111: Accounting for Capitalism’s Economic Crises—Interview with Rob Bryer 59:08

4M ago59:08

59:08

Radio Free Humanity Ep. 111: “Accounting for Capitalism’s Economic Crises— Interview with Rob Bryer.” On Rob’s book, “Accounting for Crises,” and Marx’s theory. Current-events segment: Judge Engoron & E. Jean Carroll grab Trump by the purse strings.By MHI

1
RFH Episode110 Value and Labor Relations in Capitalism and Socialism, Part 2 1:07:43

5M ago1:07:43

1:07:43

Is the “law of value” specifically capitalistic, or does it also operate in socialism? What is the import of Marx’s claim that labor in capitalism is only indirectly social, but that it will be directly social in socialist society? If you’re a worker, what does that mean for you? To address these and related questions, Theresa Henry interviews Andr…

1
RFH Ep 109 Value and Labor Relations in Capitalism and Socialism, Part 1 58:30

5M ago58:30

58:30

RFH Ep 109 Value and Labor Relations in Capitalism and Socialism, Part 1 by MHIBy MHI

1
Ep 108 Seth Weiss’s “IMHO Tail-ends Hamas, Abandons Marxist-Humanist Philosophy" 1:03:05

6M ago1:03:05

1:03:05

Radio Free Humanity Ep. 108: “Seth Weiss’s ‘IMHO Tail-ends Hamas, Abandons Marxist-Humanist Philosophy.’” On the concreteness of philosophy, opposing campism, and more. Current-events segment: SCOTUS reinstates Idaho’s ban on emergency abortions.By MHI

1
Ep107 “Witness Underground” Filmmakers on the Jehovah’s Witnesses and other cults, religious & poli 59:08

6M ago59:08

59:08

Andrew Kliman and Gabriel Donnelly welcome Scott Homan and Chad Rhiger to discuss their film, “Witness Underground,” a documentary about young Jehovah’s Witnesses with a shared interest in music who managed to break free from the religion. They discuss Scott and Chad’s lives, the religion’s attitude to truth, and its cruel practice of shunning. The…

1
Ep 106: "With Friends Like These": Israeli Leftist Yuval Idan Responds to “Western Leftist Friends" 54:26

7M ago54:26

54:26

Andrew Kliman and Gabriel Donnelly interview Yuval Idan, author of “To my Western leftist friends, from your leftist Israeli friend.” This widely read Medium post addresses Western leftists who treated Hamas’ terrorist attack as “an unfortunate situation,” “stayed silent,” or “lecture[d] us about context and resistance.”After recounting her own pol…

1
Episode 105: "What can stop Trumpism?" 1:33:54

7M ago1:33:54

1:33:54

Radio Free Humanity Ep. 105: “What Can Stop Trumpism?” Jane Michaels & Seth Morris interview Andrew. Trumpites plot dictatorship, revenge; Dems’ response is pathetic. Current-events segment (w/Theresa Henry): Moms “for” Liberty thrashed in elections.By MHI

1
RFH Ep 104 - Second part of “From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs” 54:08

8M ago54:08

54:08

Radio Free Humanity Ep. 104: “‘From Each According to Their Ability, to Each According to Their Needs’—Part 2.” More of everything you always wanted to know about the principle. Current-events segment: the US autoworkers’ strike (w/Gabriel Donnelly).By MHI

1
RFH Ep 103 “From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs” 59:24

8M ago59:24

59:24

Andrew Kliman and Brendan Cooney discuss this famous principle of distribution, in the context of Marx’s work and as discussed in a recent Ph.D. dissertation by Edoardo Bellando, ”From Each According to His Ability, to Each According to His Needs”: What Could it Possibly Mean, and What Lies Behind this Marxian Principle? After briefly reviewing the…

1
RFH Ep 102 Our Political-Epistemological Crisis (interview with Steven Nadler & Lawrence Shapiro) 1:15:06

8M ago1:15:06

1:15:06

Radio Free Humanity Ep. 102: “Our Political-Epistemological Crisis (interview with Steven Nadler and Lawrence Shapiro).” On the crisis of bad thinking and why it’s both logically and morally wrong. Current- events segment on the Israel-Hamas war.By MHI

1
RFH Ep 101 Anti-Trans Politics (interview with Ettingermentum) 1:09:31

9M ago1:09:31

1:09:31

Radio Free Humanity Ep. 101: “Anti-Trans Politics (interview with Ettingermentum).” On his piece, “The Modern Electoral History of Transphobia.” Current-events segment: Gag Gift?—as Trump’s incitement escalates, will the courts gift us gag orders?By MHI

1
RFH Ep. 100 - ChatRFH—Special 100th-Episode Zoom Chat! 2:10:02

10M ago2:10:02

2:10:02

RFH celebrates its 100th episode with a two-hour Zoom chat between participants and the co-hosts. Anne Jaclard welcomes everyone, and then reads out participants’ chat questions and comments as well as greetings from former RFH guests; Brendan and Andrew respond. In this wide-ranging chat, the co-hosts and participants discuss a variety of politica…

1
RFH Ep. 99 Right-wing Environmentalism—Interview with Peter Staudenmaier 1:14:42

11M ago1:14:42

1:14:42

Radio Free Humanity Ep. 99: “Right-wing Environmentalism—Interview with Peter Staudenmaier.” On what it is, its history, and its continuing presence. Current-events segment: David Brooks revives myth that “economic distress” explains Trump’s support.By MHI

1
RFH Ep. 98 Breaking Free from the Trumpist Bubble—Interview with Jane Michaels 1:05:05

11M ago1:05:05

1:05:05

The co-hosts welcome Jane Michaels, who grew up in an outwardly apolitical environment in rural Wisconsin. They discuss her efforts to reason with family and friends who suddenly embraced Trump and Trumpism in 2016, why she failed, and the courage and independent thinking she displayed by refusing to join them and distancing herself from her past. …

1
RFH Ep. 97 Great Caeser’s Ghost! Jacobin Becomes Communications Strategist for Democratic Party 1:07:06

12M ago1:07:06

1:07:06

The co-hosts discuss “Trump’s Kryptonite,” an opinion survey and analysis recently issued by a Jacobin- aligned thinktank. Jacobin proclaims that the study shows that “economic populism can help progressives win more working-class voters,” but the co-hosts find that there’s less here than meets the eye. After detailing some of the weaknesses and am…

1
RFH Ep. 96 Philosophy and the Transformation of Reality: Marx vs. Hegel and Feuerbach 48:19

1y ago48:19

48:19

Brendan interviews Andrew about his new article. Current-event segment: Crazy like on Fox: Why is Trump blabbing about stealing gov’t documents?By MHI

1
RFH Ep. 95 Trump (and Trump-Accommodationists) vs. the Rule of Law—interview with Seth Morris 1:14:28

1y ago1:14:28

1:14:28

RFH Ep. 95 Trump (and Trump-Accommodationists) vs. the Rule of Law—interview with Seth Morris by MHIBy MHI

1
RFH Ep.94 Dangers of Artificial Intelligence 1:09:11

1y ago1:09:11

1:09:11

RFH Ep.94 Dangers of Artificial Intelligence by MHIBy MHI

1
RFH Ep. 93 The Ongoing Crisis and Protests in Israel (interview with Avishai Green) 1:02:45

1y ago1:02:45

1:02:45

RFH Ep. 93 The Ongoing Crisis and Protests in Israel (interview with Avishai Green) by MHIBy MHI

1
RFH Ep. 92 Episode 92: “Wokeness” Criticized from the Left (interview with Susan Neiman) 1:06:46

1y ago1:06:46

1:06:46

The co-hosts welcome philosopher Susan Neiman to discuss her new book, Left Is Not Woke. Neiman separates her critique of “wokeism” from right-wing attacks on it and argues that woke ideology rejects key elements of leftist thinking, by rejecting “commitment to universalism, a firm distinction between justice and power, and a belief in the possibil…

1
RFH Ep. 91 Economics of Socialism (with Nick Rogers) 1:17:00

1y ago1:17:00

1:17:00

RFH Ep. 91 Economics of Socialism (with Nick Rogers) by MHIBy MHI

1
Rfh Episode 90 The Quack Attack on Americans’ Healthcare (interview with Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling) 1:07:29

1+ y ago1:07:29

1:07:29

The co-hosts welcome back Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling, to discuss his new book, If It Sounds Like a Quack… A Journey to the Fringes of American Medicine. Matt explains how the libertarian-instigated “medical freedom” slogan has helped to unite the quacks, make their fringe movement go viral, and threaten the future of evidence based healthcare. He and…

1
RFH Ep. 88 Pseudo-Anti-Imperialism Defends the Indefensible—interview with Rohini Hensman 1:02:40

1+ y ago1:02:40

1:02:40

Radio Free Humanity Ep. 88: “Pseudo-Anti-Imperialism Defends the Indefensible—interview with Rohini Hensman.” On her 2018 book and its continuing relevance. Current-events segment: How Cohen–vanden Heuvel–The Nation injected pro-Putinism into US left.By MHI

1
RFH Ep. 87 The New Independent Union Organizing - Lowes Workers 58:32

1+ y ago58:32

58:32

The co-hosts and Gabriel Donnelly (himself a young labor activist) interview Felix Allen, lead organizer and president of Lowe’s Workers United, the newly-formed independent union at a Lowe’s home-improvement store in New Orleans. Felix discusses the situation at the Lowe’s store—pay, hours, working conditions that impelled him and his co-workers t…

1
RFH Ep.86 Deepening Revolt Against Iran’s Theocratic Regime (with Theresa Henry) 1:00:06

1+ y ago1:00:06

1:00:06

RFH Ep.86 Deepening Revolt Against Iran’s Theocratic Regime (with Theresa Henry) by MHIBy MHI

1
RFH Ep. 85: Value, Price & Prattle: A Response to Lopes, Byron, and Historical Materialism 1:04:48

1+ y ago1:04:48

1:04:48

Brendan interviews Andrew about his new article, “Value, Price & Prattle,” which responds to a recent paper in Historical Materialism by Jesse Lopes and Chris Byron. Andrew reiterates his request that the journal and its publisher retract the paper, because it misrepresents things that Marx and Andrew wrote and contains other serious errors. The co…

1
RFH Ep. 84: Resurgent Union Organizing in the US (with Gabriel Donnelly) 1:03:17

1+ y ago1:03:17

1:03:17

Gabriel Donnelly, a young labor activist and Marxist-Humanist, joins the co-hosts to discuss his new article, “Workers’ Self-Organization: New Unionization Drives and Their Contradictions.” They talk about how the new unions and unionization campaigns depart from established unionism and about the link between the resurgent unionism and social move…

1
RFH Ep. 83 Causes of the Climate Crisis: Consumers and Politicians, or Capitalist Production? 1:03:31

1+ y ago1:03:31

1:03:31

The co-hosts discuss Brendan’s just-published article, “Should I Turn Down the Thermostat or Overthrow the Capitalist Mode of Production?” The article offers further thoughts on Marxist-Humanist Initiative’s perspective on the relation between capitalism and the ecological crisis. Brendan pushes back against accounts that blame rising greenhouse ga…

1
RFH Ep. 82 National Self Determination 57:36

1+ y ago57:36

57:36

Brendan and Andrew discuss the Ukrainian fight for national self-determination, drawing lessons from V. I. Lenin’s responses to “imperialist economists” and Rosa Luxemburg, who all claimed that national self- determination is unachievable under imperialism. The co-hosts review what “imperialist economism” meant at that time and they discuss paralle…

1
RFH Ep. 81: Tankie Denialism, Holocaust Denialism––Interview with Sergey Romanov & Nicholas Terry 1:07:50

1+ y ago1:07:50

1:07:50

The co-hosts welcome Sergey Romanov, who researches Holocaust denial and Katyn-Massacre denial, and Dr. Nicholas Terry, a historian at the University of Exeter. Sergey and Nick discuss their work together on the Holocaust Controversies website. The rest of the interview focuses largely on Katyn Massacre, which pro-Stalin writers like Grover Furr re…

1
RFH Ep. 80 Interview With Ukranian Socialist 1:05:25

1+ y ago1:05:25

1:05:25

The co-hosts welcome Maksym Shumakov, a young activist and leading member of the Ukrainian democratic-socialist organization Sotsialnyi Rukh (Social Movement). Maksym answers a wide range of questions. Topics include: life in Ukraine today; how to support Ukraine’s fight for national self-determination; how the war has given rise to new forms of so…

1
RFH Ep. 79: Dunayevskaya’s 1953 Letters: Transcending Vanguardism & Spontaneism 1:03:16

1+ y ago1:03:16

1:03:16

The co-hosts discuss Andrew’s new essay, “Dunayevskaya’s 1953 Letters: Transcending Vanguardism & Spontaneism.” Andrew sets out the political and organizational context of two letters that Dunayevskaya wrote to her co-leaders in the Johnson-Forest Tendency, CLR James and Grace Lee (Boggs), in May 1953, on Hegel’s “Absolute Idea” and “Absolute Mind …

1
RFH Ep. 78 US And The Holocaust 1:03:39

1+ y ago1:03:39

1:03:39

The co-hosts and Anne Jaclard review and discuss “The U.S. and the Holocaust,” the new PBS documentary by Ken Burns, Lynn Novick, and Sarah Botstein. The documentary details the relation between U.S. immigration restrictions and the Nazis’ mass extermination of Jews, as well as the ever-present and ongoing struggle between American supporters and o…

1
Episode 77: Capitalist Exploitation - G. A. Cohen & Ben Burgis vs. Karl Marx 54:07

2y ago54:07

54:07

The co-hosts discuss Andrew’s article, “Karl Marx Systematically Exploited by Ben Burgis: Marx’s Exploitation Theory vs. G. A. Cohen’s ‘Plain Argument.’” Andrew likens Burgis’ “theoretical appropriation” of Marx’s exploitation theory to cultural appropriation. Brendan and Andrew then discuss a variety of topics, including problems with Burgis’ form…

1
RFH Ep. 76 "Sociological Marxism” and Capitalist Crises––Interview with Gavin Rae 57:19

2y ago57:19

57:19

The co-hosts welcome sociologist Gavin Rae, to discuss his critique of “Sociological Marxism,” which well-known left sociologists Erik Olin Wright and Michael Burawoy proposed two decades ago. They rejected Marx’s theory of capitalist crisis, claiming that state economic management has caused capitalism to stabilize, and that the value theory under…

1
RFH Ep 75 The “Dobbs” Decision & the Ongoing Fight for Abortion Rights (with Anne Jaclard) 1:02:36

2y ago1:02:36

1:02:36

The co-hosts are joined by Anne Jaclard, who has fought for abortion rights since the 1960s. They discuss the US Supreme Court’s recent ruling that eliminated the right to abortion. Anne explains what the details of the ruling, and its “legal reasoning,” and its trashing of longstanding precedent mean for our rights. She also situates the ruling wi…

1
RFH Ep. 74: Marx on the Transformation of Capitalism into Communism 54:55

2y ago54:55

54:55

The episode’s main segment is a presentation by Andrew, at a recent MHI meeting, on what Marx’s Critique of the Gotha Program says about the differences between capitalism and communism, and about revolutionary transformation of capitalism into communism. His close reading of the text is informed by Marx’s conception of the relation between a socie…

1
RFH Ep. 73 Furedi’s Long Journey from Revolution to Reaction (interview with Ravi Bali) 1:07:18

2y ago1:07:18

1:07:18

Radio Free Humanity Ep. 73: Furedi’s Long Journey from Revolution to Reaction (interview with Ravi Bali). On Frank Furedi and his milieu. What went wrong––and what was wrong from the start? Current-events segment on Trumpism after Trump.By MHI

1
Episode 72: Chomsky’s Linguistics & Politics—Interview with David Golumbia 1:08:49

2y ago1:08:49

1:08:49

Episode 72: Chomsky’s Linguistics & Politics—Interview with David Golumbia by MHIBy MHI

1
RFH Ep. 71 The Cybercurrency Crash—Interview with David Golumbia 1:07:37

2y ago1:07:37

1:07:37

RFH Ep. 71 The Cybercurrency Crash—Interview with David Golumbia by MHIBy MHI

1
RFH Ep. 70 The Gun Violence / White Power Connection (interview with John Stoehr) 1:03:06

2y ago1:03:06

1:03:06

The co-hosts and veteran journalist John Stoehr discuss a few of John’s recent posts on gun violence and white supremacy. He argues that white power is a driving force behind the proliferation of guns and gun massacres––even when the murderer is mentally unwell and has no overt political motive––and that gun control is a threat to white power. He a…

1
RFH Ep.69 Henryk Grossman and “The End of Capitalism” (interview with Ted Reese) 1:02:26

2y ago1:02:26

1:02:26

Ep. 69: Henryk Grossman: “The End of Capitalism” (w/Ted Reese). On Reese’s new book that defends Grossman’s breakdown theory and claims that “capitalism must end.” Current-events segment: Repubs’ nomination of Mastriano and other PA primary results.By MHI

1
RFH Ep. 68 Chomsky on Ukraine, and the Universal Grammar of Whataboutism (with Bill Weinberg) 1:13:24

2y ago1:13:24

1:13:24

The co-hosts and Bill Weinberg, noted journalist and anarchist podcaster, discuss Noam Chomsky’s statements about Putin’s war against Ukraine, as well as his ideology and other political activity. They take up Weinberg’s “Against Chomsky” podcast, interviews of Chomsky about the war, and the open letter to Chomsky from his Ukrainian translator. Wei…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Grundriss Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide