The Revolutionary Communist Podcast

Canada Post is in crisis. The post office has seen its market share fall and is running significant deficits. In response, management is attempting to crush the union and "amazonify" working conditions.

This week, Joel is joined by Donovan Ritch to discuss the crisis in Canada Post and what the communist solution is to defend good jobs, benefits and an efficiently run postal service.

Read more:

https://www.marxist.ca/article/the-fight-to-save-canada-post-is-a-fight-against-capitalismhttps://www.marxist.ca/article/postal-workers-prepare-to-strike-but-how-can-we-winhttps://www.marxist.ca/article/the-revolutionary-roots-of-the-canadian-union-of-postal-workers

The re-election of the Liberals has led to a resurgence of the separatist movement in Alberta. Some polls place support for independence as high as 37 per cent and it looks like a referendum will take place next year. This week, Joel is joined by Rob Lyon to discuss why this is happening and the Communist approach to this question.If you agree with our ideas and want to fight for communism, join us! https://www.marxist.ca/join

By the late 1980s the Militant tendency, the organization which Ted Grant led before founding our international, became the most successful Trotskyist tendency in Britain since the founding of Trotsky’s Left Opposition.

At its height Militant was a household name. Everybody knew about the Militant Tendency, not just in Britain but internationally. Militant controlled the Labour Party Young Socialists, had a growing influence in the Labour Party and the unions, had more than 50 councilors and 3 Members of Parliament. It led the Liverpool City Council in battle with the Tory government and also the multi-million strong anti-Poll Tax Campaign, which eventually brought down Thatcher!And yet, today not a single trace is left of what was built. So what went wrong?To educate comrades on this important history and draw out the lessons for building the Revolutionary Communist International today, Communist Revolution editor Joel Bergman presents on how the Militant was built, and how it was destroyed.#communist #marxist #revolutionarycommunistinternational #rci #internationalmarxisttendency #imt#tedgrant #grantism #trotskyist #trotskyism #britishtrotskyism #trotsky #themilitant #militanttendency #cwi #committeeforaworkersinternational #socialistpartybritain #socialistalternative #taaffe #petertaaffe

This week, Marco and Joel help to unpack the results of the federal election. In particular, they help look beneath the appearances of things to get to the heart of what has just happened and draw the lessons for the left and the labour movement.Read Joel's article: https://www.marxist.ca/article/the-ruling-class-get-their-manIf you agree with our ideas and want to fight for communism, join us! https://www.marxist.ca/article/the-ruling-class-get-their-man

Description: This week, Joel and Marco discuss the Palestine solidarity movement and what tactics will help bring the movement forward. In particular they discuss issues with the Vote Palestine campaign and counterpose this to the revolutionary methods of class struggle.Read our analysis and position:https://www.marxist.ca/article/can-we-actually-vote-palestinehttps://www.marxist.ca/article/intifada-revolution-or-vote-palestine-a-reply-to-the-palestinian-youth-movementAre you a communist? Join us!https://www.marxist.ca/join

The French Revolution is one of the greatest events in history. It set the world on fire and ushered in a completely new epoch. In this episode, Jeremy Swinarton of the Central Committee of the Revolutionary Communist Party discusses the epic drama of the revolution. He illuminates a wealth of lessons on the dynamics of the class struggle, lessons that are essential for every revolutionary today.

This week, Joel is joined by Holly Quilty of the Communist Revolution editorial board to discuss the communist approach to the federal election, our opinion of the Vote Palestine campaign and the communist approach to combating the unfolding crisis. The Communist Program to combat the crisis: https://www.marxist.ca/article/the-communist-program-to-combat-the-crisis"Ruling class places its bets on Mark Carney" article: https://www.marxist.ca/article/ruling-class-places-its-bets-on-mark-carneyDo you want to fight for a communist future? JOIN US! https://www.marxist.ca/join

The trade war has begun. Or has it?

The trade war with the US threatens to rapidly shift the situation in Canada and its consequences will destroy the living standards of average workers on both sides of the border.

"Team Canada" would have us believe that the only way out of the crisis is by rallying behind Canadian businesses and Canadian capitalists.

Communists on the other hand believe that we need a working class response to the impending economic dislocation.

In this presentation, Communist Revolution editor Joel Bergman explains the communist position on the trade war and the way forward for workers and youth.

If you want to transform the world, first we must understand what role individuals can play in the development of history. That is why the question of freewill and determinism is of fundamental importance to revolutionaries today.The following presentation, by Revolutionary Communist Party activist Holly Quilty, explores this age old philosophical debate about the relationship between historical development and human agency.

In recent years, Canada has appeared to be an island of stability against the sea of wars, crises and class battles taking place all over the world. Canadian capitalism, however, is quickly approaching a reckoning. Debt is reaching astronomical heights, productivity is declining, and the Canadian ruling class is looking for ways to unload the burden of the crisis onto the shoulders of working people. We can say without question that great class battles lie ahead.

As revolutionary communists we must ground ourselves in a correct appraisal of the period that we are living through, to understand the general course of the Canadian class struggle and predict the impacts that events will have on mass consciousness. The most pressing task in front of us today is that of building the forces of communism here in Canada, of building a revolutionary party capable of leading the working class to the transformation of society.

Join us: marxist.ca/join

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Netanyahu's latest escalation of violence in Lebanon risks dragging the Middle East into an all-out war. In Palestine the number of dead and displaced continues to rise with no end in sight. This is the nature of capitalist imperialism in the 21st century: horror without end. That’s why we say – down with the warmongers! If we are to achieve peace, we must overthrow the rotten system at the root of imperialism and war. 🍉The Fight to Free Palestine: store.marxist.ca/products/fight-to-free-palestine

✊Student Strike Campaign:

linktr.ee/studentstrike4palestine

🛠️Join the RCP:

marxist.ca/join

As the Israeli war machine launches its ground invasion of Lebanon, the struggle against imperialism intensifies. The Student Strike for Palestine Campaign has reached its first month of activity, and with it hundreds of students have been drawn into active resistance to the brutality unfolding in the Middle East and the complicity of our imperialists here at home.

But activity alone isn't enough - we need to be able to learn the lessons of these first few weeks and continue to build the movement to shut down Canadian imperialism's ties to Netanyahu and the Israeli regime. For that reason we have collected submissions from students across the country to share those lessons which can help us build our movement and cut imperialism at its root.

We are not out-numbered, we are out organized. Only the students and the working class have the power to end the genocide.

As Israel's assault on Gaza drags towards a year, the disgust and anger felt by millions of Canadians has only grown. Already the movement to end the genocide has seen protests of tens of thousands and encampments on every major campus in the country. But still the genocide continues, as does the unwavering support of the Canadian ruling class for the atrocities inflicted on the Palestinian people.What we need is a militant mass movement, what we need is an escalation. That is why this fall the RCP is mobilizing for a student strike on every Canadian campus to stop the genocide. If every organization, every student and worker who stands with the Palestinians rallies behind a student strike for Palestine, we could build a movement that could not be suppressed or ignored. We could paralyze our imperialists at home and take matters into our own hands. 

Help build the student strike for Palestine! ⁠

marxist.ca/article/open-letter-to-all-pro-palestine-groups-unite-for-a-student-strike

marxist.ca/article/towards-a-student-strike-for-palestine

The Revolutionary Communist Party has landed! Onwards to the Revolutionary Communist International!

Capitalism has spread to every corner of the planet, it has become a deeply interconnected global system, and therefore can only be overthrown on an international scale. This requires a revolutionary leadership that is not confined to this or that nation, but that is equally international in scope. Join us in building the forces of communism all over the globe, and building it into a mass force.

This week we're joined by Fred Weston, from the International Secretariat of the IMT, to discuss the founding of the RCI in June.

📝Register: schoolofcommunism.com/#sign-up

🖥️Public Report: marxist.ca/article/rcp-founding-congress-the-communists-have-arrived

🛠️Join Us: marxist.ca/join 📰Subscribe: marxist.ca/subscribe

Welcome to the official podcast of the Revolutionary Communist Party! Across the country there are already tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of communists - but atomized and alone we are powerless against the weight of the global capitalist system. How can we effectively join forces and organize into a collective? How can we clarify our ideas in order to fight the most effectively? To help us answer these questions, and more, we're joined by Julien Arseneau, editor of the paper Communist Revolution, to discuss the need for a Revolutonary Communist Newspaper. Join us: marxist.ca/join

Subscribe/Donate: marxist.ca/subscribe

Founding Congress: rcpcongress.ca

Send us your contributions at "contributions@marxist.ca".

From the devestation raining down on Gaza to the ongoing conflict in the Ukraine, world imperialism is opening millions of people's eyes to the brutality of the capitalist system on a world scale. Already we have begun to see movements against imperialism ot tens of thousands of people, and we will doubtless see more as capitalism lurches further into bloody confluct and crisis.

But in order to fight against imperialism and win, we need to understand what exactly we are fighting against. What is imperialism? Where does it come from? And what would be necessary to put it forever behind us as a relic of human society's barbaric past? To help us answer these questions, we share with you a presentation given by John peterson, a leading comrade withthe Revolutionary Communists of America on Imperialism and War.

And if you'd like to build the forces of communism where you are, you can subscribe to our revolutionary newspaper, reach out to us, and register to attend our founding congress through the links below.

RCP Founding Congress: rcpcongress.ca Join us: marxist.ca/join Subscribe: marxist.ca/subscribe

Welcome to the official podcast of the Revolutionary Communist Party!

This week we'll be discussing the questions: What is the RCP? Why have we launched this party? What kind of party are we building? To help us answer these questions, and more, we're joined by Joel Bergman, a leading comrade in the RCP here in Canada.

Rallies on April 6th:

Toronto: Yonge & Dundas Square, 2:00PM

Ottawa: Confederation Park, 1:00PM

Montreal: Jarry Park, 1:00PM

Quebec City: Victoria Park, 1:00PM

Sherbrooke: Jacques Cartier Park, 5:00PM

Edmonton: Gateway Blvd. & Whyte Avenue, 1:00PM

Vancouver: Grandview Park, 1:00PM

Victoria: Centennial Square, 12:00PM

You can find the rest on our social media pages at marxist.ca/events, or you can reach out to us to organize your own activity!

Join us: marxist.ca/join

Subscribe: marxist.ca/subscribe

At some stage or another, every mass struggle necessarily comes up against the obstacle of the state - the police, the army, the courts - institutions which, we are told, exist to maintain "law and order" in society. The approach that the movement takes towards the state is therefore of vital importance; in fact, it is often what determines the victory or the defeat of whole revolutionary struggles. This is why the ruling classes have always shrouded their bodies of armed force in whatever mystical, religious, or democratic garbs they can. This week, we have a presentation by Ylva Vinberg, a founding member of the Revolutionary Communist Party in Sweden, on the marxist understanding of the state and our approach to state power in revolutionary struggles. Join us: marxist.ca/join Subscribe: marxist.ca/subscribe Bookstore: marxist.ca/store

Welcome the the very first episode of the Revolutionary Communist Podcast! This week, we're listening to a presentation by Rob Sewell, co-author of "In Defence of Lenin", on history's greatest revolutionary leader.

If you want to learn how you can fight against capitalism and for communism where you are, then reach out to us! We can provide you with all the tools you need to build the party wherever you are!

In Defence of Lenin: store.marxist.ca/products/in-defence-of-lenin

Join us: marxist.ca/join

Subscribe: marxist.ca/subscribe

In the coming weeks, we will be totally revamping this podcast, in tandem with the launch of our new monthly newspaper: Communist Revolution.

You can subscribe to the newspaper here: https://www.marxist.ca/subscribe

And, join us February 17-18 for the biggest Marxist event of the year -- the Montreal Winter School.

You can find the link to register here: https://www.marxist.ca/school

The state is ultimately the organ of domination of the exploiting class over the exploited classes, but beyond this "ABC" of Marxism, there are sometimes extraordinary moments when the state acquires greater independence from the classes and seems to rise above society. It then becomes the "reign of the sword", a military-police dictatorship, as with Napoleon Bonaparte, Hitler, Stalin and Putin. Fightback activist Hélène Bissonnette gives this presentation on "What is Bonapartism?".

In light of Israel's ongoing ethnic cleansing of Gaza, Joel and Julien talk about the complicity of Canadian imperialism, and what we can do in Canada to fight back.

Millions of people around the world have been horrified by Israel's brutal bombing of Gaza. Communists stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and their struggle for liberation. In this talk, Fightback activist Joel Bergman discusses what we can do to fight imperialism, end the war on Gaza, and free Palestine.

Fightback activist Renu Brar discusses Marx's labour theory of value, and its explaination for how workers are exploited.

This week, Joel is joined by Fightback editor Laine to discuss the outcome of the Alberta election. Why did Danielle Smith and the UCP hold on to power? What can we learn from the election? And what can the working class do about it?

75 years since the founding of Israel and "al-Nakba" (the catastrophe) Palestinians living in Gaza are again facing bombardments by the Israeli state. Today the plight of the Palestinian people is deeper than ever before, with their brutal oppression approved and sanctioned by the western imperialist powers. It is absolutely imperative as socialists and revolutionaries that we understand the history of this struggle and have a clear perspective of what is the way forward for Palestinian liberation.

This week Joel is joined by editor of La Riposte socialiste, Julien Arseneau, to bring a Marxist analysis to the largest PSAC strike in 30 years. What are the demands the workers are fighting for? What is the significance of the strike for the Canadian class struggle? And how do the workers win?

The assassination of Trotsky in August 1940 dealt a devastating blow to the young and untested forces of the Fourth International. Unfortunately, the leaders of the Fourth were not up to the level of the tasks posed by history. Deprived of Trotsky's leadership they made a series of fundamental mistakes. Only the leadership of the RCP in Britain was able to readjust to the new situation on a world scale after 1945. This was the result of the theoretical capabilities of Ted Grant. His writings on economics, war, the colonial revolution, and particularly Stalinism, were, and still remain, classics of modern Marxism.
In this talk from the 2023 Montreal Marxist Winter School, In Defence of Marxism editor Fred Weston discusses the Ted Grant and the Fourth International

In the 1950s the Indonesian economy was failing, with the division between rich and poor increasing sharply. At the same time the PKI, the Communist Party of Indonesia, grew to the third largest Communist Party in the world, with three million paid members and the support of ten million trade unionists and organized peasants. Sadly this explosive combination ended in the massacre of 1 million communists in 1965. Indonesia is a graphic example of how mistakes in theory have dire consequences.

In this talk from the 2023 Montreal Marxist Winter School, IMT activist Mike Leiden discusses the lessons of the Indonesian Revolution.

This week, Joel is joined by International Marxist Tendency activist Ted Sprague to talk about so-called "Chinese interference" in Canadian election, actual CSIS interference in Canadian politics, and growing imperialist rivalry between China and western capitalist powers.