What Is Missing From Your Understanding of Revolutionary Democratic Centralism

Steve Bloom ruminates on the meaning and practice of democratic centralism, arguing that respect for minority positions is key to building a truly disciplined revolutionary formation. Reading: Felix Bauer

On this episode of Cosmopod, Isaac and Jack talk with Jarrod Shanahan about his new book, Every Fire Needs a Little Bit of Help: A Decade of Rebellion, Reaction, and Morbid Symptoms. From Occupy to Black Lives Matter to the George Floyd Rebellion, Shanahan reflects on a decade of struggle, and shares his experiences with and analysis of Trumpism and the alt-right. We explore lessons from mass movements, the fate of abolitionist politics, pop culture’s apocalyptic turn, the connections between today’s cultural landscape and the 1970s, the legacies of Noel Ignatiev, and what it means to build revolutionary organization in a time of crisis. References: Don Hamerquist - A Brilliant Red Thread Elizabeth Henson - Phantom Pheminists The film Betrayed (1998)

Carlos Campos Jr. analyzes the disunity of electoral campaigns pursued by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), argues for the strategic infrastructural integration of the organization's state-level electoral efforts, and provides a tentative plan for doing so. Reading: Felix Bauer

Rudy joins Jeremy Rich for a discussion on the Democratic Republic of the Congo from the late 80s to the present. We cover the decay of Mobutu's regime, the changes in the 90s, how the Rwandan Civil War prompted an invasion and the first and second Congo Wars, the factions involved in these wars including the special role of Rwanda and Paul Kagame. We discuss the transitions of power, from Mobutu, to the Kabilas, and to the present president Tshisekedi; the role of the U.S. and China, the recent rise in "rebel" activity and the outlook for the future. References: Orgs - Friends of the Congo (www.friendsofthecongo.org). Twitter: Gaeten-Dauphin Nzowo (@GNzowo) and Benedicte Njdoko (@babisema) Readings on the 1990-2020s: Jason Stearns's The War That Doesn't Say Its Name; writings by Kristof Titeca and Judith Verweijen. Cold War in DRC: Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja, Patrice Lumumba; Piero Gleijses's books Visions of Freedom and Conflicting Missions; Pedro Monaville's Students of the World; James H. Smith's The Eyes of the World: Mining the Digital Age in the Eastern DR Congo

Rudy sits down with Hank Kennedy, author of From Champion of the Oppressed to Truth, Justice, and the American Way: Who Took the Socialism Out of Superman? to discuss the surprising political journey of Superman, tracing his evolution from a Depression-era defender of the oppressed to a complex symbol shaped by changing American ideologies. We dive into the roots of Superman's creation by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, how Superman originally tackled social injustices head-on and follow his evolution from his early anti-authoritarian stances to his shifting roles in WWII, the Cold War, and beyond -including his emergence as a “SuperRepublican” in the 1980s and a more progressive figure in the 21st century. We also talk about the broader role of comics as a political tool in the left, and how they correspond to the Zeitgeist and culture.

We join Gabriel Tupinambá from the Subset of Theoretical Practice for a discussion on the Japanese Marxist Kojin Karatani. We discuss what Karatani's project is, why we should care about it, before focusing on his magna opus The Structure of World History. We discuss his approach to modes of exchange, and why it is a novel lens, how communism fits on his scheme before mentioning some weak points. We end up with a discussion of how Gabriel´s reading of Karatani has affected his organizing.

Ira and Rudy sit down with Sam Gindin to discuss the evolving nature of global capitalism through the lens of U.S. hegemony, neoliberalism, and emerging geopolitical shifts. We begin by analyzing Gindin's The Making of Global Capitalism, examining how the U.S.-led global order was constructed and whether it's synonymous with neoliberalism. From there, we delve into current trends—protectionism, supply chain reshoring, and regionalization—to ask whether these signal a break from neoliberal norms or a transformation into something new. We also assess the stability of U.S. dominance in a world where multipolarity is rising, before bringing the conversation home: how these global dynamics impact domestic labor and the potential for cross-border solidarity among labor and socialist movements.

Isaac and Jack are joined by David Campbell and Jarrod Shanahan to discuss their new book City Time: On Being Sentenced to Rikers Island, an ethnography of Rikers Island based on the author’s experiences as inmates on Rikers. We discuss the unwritten social codes that order life on Rikers, the social function of jails (and some surprising similarities to the New Deal), the differences between urban jails and rural prisons, the relationship between inmates and jail staff, and the labor struggles that play out in jails and prisons. Resources: NY’s Prison Guard Strike Has Roots in Decades of Racialized Deindustrialization Andrea R. Morrell - Prison Town Making the Carceral State in Elmira, New York  Truthout interview about the Wildcat Strike Hard Crackers "Stick-Up on Rikers Island" piece by David Campbell. Kim Kelly - Fight Like Hell: The Untold History of American Labor Revolutionary Affinities: Toward a Marxist-Anarchist Solidarity https://stopcop.city/ https://www.abcf.net/ https://intlantifadefence.wordpress.com/ https://x.com/ab_dac https://www.patreon.com/davidcampbelldac

Rudy joins Oisín Gilmore and David Landy, authors of Fragments of Victory Fragments of Victory: The Contemporary Irish Left for a discussion on the unique political history of the Republic of Ireland. We talk about why the country never developed a strong social democratic tradition, the dominance of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, the economic turmoil of the Celtic Tiger crash, and Ireland’s distinctive response to austerity compared to Southern Europe. We then move to the major social movements—water charges, abortion rights, and housing—highlighting their impact and legacy. The discussion also covers the role of trade unions, the evolution of the Irish left from Labour’s decline to the rise of Sinn Féin and Trotskyist parties, and the influence of figures like Clare Daly and Mick Wallace. Finally, the episode reflects on the recent election results and what they mean for the future of Ireland’s left-wing politics.

Rudy joins Carlos of Licht & Luft for a discussion on the Licht & Luft project and the broader German left, with a focus on Die Linke. We discuss the decision to organize within Die Linke, the political debates within the organization including the focus on economistic demands or on more political demands, a read on the recent elections, the issue of Zionism, before turning to discussing BSW & Sahra Wagenknecht's project. We finish with a discussion on European solidary and the extraparlamentarian left in Germany. References: https://lichtundluft.org/2024/12/15/die-linke-und-palaestina-teil-1-die-lage-der-partei/ https://lichtundluft.org/2025/01/12/die-linke-und-palaestina-teil-2-von-der-hottentottenwahl-lernen/ https://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/1524/firewall-and-hot-air/ https://weeklyworker.co.uk/worker/978/die-linke-rotten-politics-and-rotten-terms/