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, alongside a closer look at the GDR's often-overlooked anti-imperialist legacy. Studies Produced by IF DDR THE LAND TO THOSE WHO WORK IT "SOCIALISM IS THE BEST PROPHYLAXIS" RISEN FROM THE RUINS Support the show Join us on Patreon for early-release episodes, study guides, bonus content, TheoryBeats, and more! You can even sign up for free to access study guides, merch updates, and surprise drops. Stay connected: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and don't forget to rate and review it helps the show reach more comrades.Follow us on: Twitter/X: @prolespod Instagram & Facebook: @prolespod Upscrolled: @prolespod Have questions or comments? Email us at [email protected] Have questions, comments, or ideas that are too spicy for the FBI? Email us at [email protected] 

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 these things with fascism, as well as fatherhood itself. You can find all of Matthew's various links to his socials and projects here. Support the show Join us on Patreon for early-release episodes, study guides, bonus content, TheoryBeats, and more! You can even sign up for free to access study guides, merch updates, and surprise drops. Stay connected: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and don't forget to rate and review it helps the show reach more comrades.Follow us on: Twitter/X: @prolespod Instagram & Facebook: @prolespod Upscrolled: @prolespod Have questions or comments? Email us at [email protected] Have questions, comments, or ideas that are too spicy for the FBI? Email us at [email protected] 

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 explore everyday human experience. Check out Holly's Substack, Revolutions in Reproduction, and subscribe for a chance to win a free copy of one of her books. Support the show Join us on Patreon for early-release episodes, study guides, bonus content, TheoryBeats, and more! You can even sign up for free to access study guides, merch updates, and surprise drops. Stay connected: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and don't forget to rate and review it helps the show reach more comrades.Follow us on: Twitter/X: @prolespod Instagram & Facebook: @prolespod Upscrolled: @prolespod Have questions or comments? Email us at [email protected] Have questions, comments, or ideas that are too spicy for the FBI? Email us at [email protected] 

*]: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, hilarious, and wide-ranging conversation on what socialist construction actually looks like in Vietnam today—the wins, the contradictions, the setbacks, and yes, a bit of extra beef along the way. They also dive into their ambitious translation project, bringing Vietnamese Marxism-Leninism textbooks to a broader audience and unpacking why that work matters right now. Access Free Vietnamese Marxist Leninist Textbook PDF Here Buy Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist Textbook Physical Copy Here Support the show Join us on Patreon for early-release episodes, study guides, bonus content, TheoryBeats, and more! You can even sign up for free to access study guides, merch updates, and surprise drops. Stay connected: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and don't forget to rate and review it helps the show reach more comrades.Follow us on: Twitter/X: @prolespod Instagram & Facebook: @prolespod Upscrolled: @prolespod Have questions or comments? Email us at [email protected] Have questions, comments, or ideas that are too spicy for the FBI? Email us at [email protected] 

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 women and people of other genders to join, and once they've joined, are there specific considerations that make it difficult for them to stay?  Joining Rae are Pame Ledesma of Y Las Palabras and correspondent of Means Morning News, Lenore and Jen Big Nasty of Workers' Lit and How the Red Was Won, Revolutionary Th0t, and Princess Marx. And don't forget to head over to Patreon.com/ProlesPod for the bonus episode Slumber Party Edition.

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, study guides, bonus content, TheoryBeats, and more! You can even sign up for free to access study guides, merch updates, and surprise drops. Stay connected: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and don't forget to rate and review it helps the show reach more comrades.Follow us on: Twitter/X: @prolespod Instagram & Facebook: @prolespod Upscrolled: @prolespod Have questions or comments? Email us at [email protected] Have questions, comments, or ideas that are too spicy for the FBI? Email us at [email protected] 

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." We're grateful to Tony and Rae for putting up with the brothers J, and for adding insight we wouldn't have. But we also want to thank all of you, our listeners, without whom we would just be four people with ADHD screaming into the void. We love you, comrades. We love you so much we decided to forgo our typical format and answer your burning questions about soup and other serious matters. We hope you enjoy. And we hope we last to episode 200 without being taken out by the US State Department.   Intro Music:  "ProlesPod Theme" by Ransom Notes Outro Music: "Eastern Bloc Beats" by DJ DTA

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 democracy. We are joined by Dr Marc Becker and Dr Brandon Sanchez who are experts on these areas and histories.   Support the show: Join us on Patreon for early-release episodes, study guides, bonus content, TheoryBeats, and more! You can even sign up for free to access study guides, merch updates, and surprise drops. Stay connected: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and don't forget to rate and review it helps the show reach more comrades.Follow us on: Twitter/X: @prolespod Instagram & Facebook: @prolespod Upscrolled: @prolespod Have questions or comments? Email us at [email protected] Have questions, comments, or ideas that are too spicy for the FBI? Email us at [email protected]  May the spectre haunt your streets and solidarity forever.

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 Resource Video Beginner Friendly Theory Primers: Georges Politzer, Elementary Principles of Philosophy (ProleWiki Link) (Foreign Language Press version) Maurice Cornforth, Dialectical Materialism: An Introduction (Volumes 1-3) PDF Hosted On Prolewiki, Buy a physical copy from Aakar Books Basic Curriculum of the Principles of Marxism Leninism (Translated by Luna Nyugun)   Potential Reading Lists For Getting Into The Classics ML Reading Hub's List ProleWiki's Absolute Beginner's List Marxist Internet Archive's List   Recommended Auxiliary Theory Texts: J.M Blaut, Marxism And Eurocentric Diffusionism Domenico Losurdo, Flight From History? The Communist Movement between Self-Criticism and Self-Contempt  Two Members of the Bolshevik Tendency, Nationhood Or Genocide: The Struggle of the Native People Against Canadian and American Imperialism Leslie Feinberg, Lavender & Red Love Is Law: Cuba's Queer Rights Revolution   Miscellaneous Mentioned Or Cited Texts for Part 2: Vladimir Lenin, The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism Kim Jong-Il, Giving Priority To Ideological Work Is Essential For Acomplishing Socialism Kim Jong-Il, On The Juche Idea George Jackson, Blood In My Eye Audiobook reading of the Losurdo essay  

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 Speech allows us to address topics we didn't get to on the main feed. And Q&Rae is pretty much what it sounds like: Rae asks whichever Proles are available at the time a bunch of listener-submitted (and Rae-submitted) questions. If you like what you hear, 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 will get you the study guides, merch, and other random drops. Please subscribe on your favorite podcast catcher and rate or review to help extend our reach. Like and rate us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @prolespod and Tiktok @proles.pod. If you have any questions or comments, email us at [email protected]. May the spectre haunt your streets, and solidarity forever.