Red Menace

Red Menace
  • 5.0 (3)
  • POLITICS
  • MONTHLY
Red Menace

Red Menace is a podcast that explains and analyzes revolutionary theory and then applies its lessons to our contemporary conditions. Hosted by Alyson Escalante and Breht O'Shea.

  1. 15 APR

    Farce, Finance & Fascism: Margaret Kimberley on Empire in Decay

    In this powerful and wide-ranging conversation, Margaret Kimberley—senior columnist at Black Agenda Report and a leader in Black Alliance for Peace—joins Breht to dissect the spectacle of American decline and, as usual, Kimberley offers a razor-sharp analysis of late-stage capitalism’s collapse into cruelty, chaos, and confusion. Together, they explore the Democratic Party’s complicity in ushering in this moment, U.S. weapons transfers to Ukraine in support of their proxy war against Russia, and the genocidal assault on Gaza as a revealing - if disturbing - lens into the true nature of the American empire. Kimberley also shares firsthand insights from delegations to Nicaragua, Venezuela, and China, illuminating how the Global South is resisting U.S. domination and reshaping global power. For those feeling the weight of worsening economic conditions, rising fascism, and political demobilization, Kimberley offers hard-won wisdom about organizing in the belly of the beast. We close with discussion about where real hope can still be found. Check out Black Agenda Report Black Agenda Radio -------------------------------------------------------- Follow, Subscribe, & Learn more about Red Menace & Rev Left Radio HERE Outro Beat Prod. by flip da hood

    1h 18m

  2. 24 MAR

    Trotsky on Fascism (and Lessons for us Today)

    In this episode, Alyson and Breht welcome Brendan to the show, a close comrade with a bit more sympathy toward Trotsky in order to be as fair as possible and get a fresh perspective. Together, we dive deep into Leon Trotsky’s Fascism: What It Is and How to Fight It, a sharp and urgent intervention written in the shadow of the Nazi rise to power. We unpack Trotsky’s class analysis of fascism, the role of the petite bourgeoisie, his searing critiques of both sectarian isolationism and liberal class collaboration, and his insistence on the United Front as the only viable revolutionary response. Alongside historical context, we explore in depth whether Trotsky’s framework still applies to today’s far-right movements, neoliberal authoritarianism, Trump's Oligarchic second term, and a decaying capitalist order teetering on the edge. What does fascism look like in 2025—and what must we do to resist it? Outro Song: May All The Lower Realms Be Empty by Friends in Real Life Learn more about, follow, and support Red Menance HERE

    1h 56m

  3. 12 JAN

    City of Ashes: The Los Angeles Wildfires

    Alyson - a lifelong and current resident of Los Angeles - and Breht discuss the wildfires ravaging L.A. Together they discuss the acute and structural causes of the fires, the role played by Climate Change, the reactionary propaganda surrounding the fires, the class dynamics at play, the self-serving careerist motivations of bourgeois politicans, the organized grassroots community response on the ground, and what it all means for the future of California, the US, and the world.  Outro Song: Forest Fire by Mount Eerie

    1h 22m

  4. 5 JAN

    New Years Reflection: Reviewing 2024 and Looking Ahead to 2025 & Beyond

    It's time for our annual Revolutionary Guerrilla Menace episode, where we crossover with Rev Left and the Red Menace in order to review the past year in world events and look forward to what we think will be coming in the next year. Breht, Alyson, Adnan, and Henry discuss Palestine, BRICS, the Alliance of Sahel States, global capitalism, and much more, so be sure to tune in and share widely! This episode will also be on Guerrilla History and Rev Left. Follow RLR on IG HERE Support Red Menace on Patreon HERE

    2h 25m

  5. 2 JAN

    Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism (Upstream)

    Alyson and Breht were invited to join Robbie on the Upstream podcast to talk about Lenin's "Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism".  Capitalism, imperialism, monopoly—far from being separate concepts that just happen to take shape parallel to one another or to overlap from time to time, these terms all really refer to the exact same overall process. We call it capitalism because it’s not always practical to call it “monopoly capitalism in its imperialist stage” or something like that, but really, capitalism is, as we’ll see, inevitably monopolistic and imperialist. The process of capitalism’s historical evolution from its so-called, and somewhat fabricated stage of free-enterprise to monopoly capitalism, and then further into what we refer to as imperialism, was outlined both theoretically and empirically by Vladamir Lenin well over a century ago in his classic text, Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism. The connection between monopoly and imperialism might not seem quite straightforward to you at first, and an understanding of imperialism itself as a process grounded in political economy may seem somewhat counterintuitive—especially if you’re used to thinking of imperialism and empire in the more popular sense of the words. But that’s why we’ve brought on two guests to walk us through this crucial text and help us make sense of it all.  Alyson Escalante and Breht O’Shea are the hosts of Red Menace, a podcast that explains and analyzes revolutionary theory and then applies its lessons to our contemporary conditions, and they’re both return guests of the show. In fact, they’ve been on a number of times to talk about other texts by Lenin but also to explore a wide variety of topics from trans liberation to revolutionary Buddhism. Breht is also the host of the terrific podcasts Revolutionary Left Radio and Shoeless in South Dakota.  In this episode, we unpack Lenin’s Imperialism, The Highest Stage of Capitalism. This episode is an excellent introduction to the text but it also takes deep dives and gets granular at times, picking apart the nuances and various interpretations of the text. We explore the historical context in which Lenin wrote this book and then trace capitalism’s history from its early stages into its monopoly form. We explore how finance capital emerged and became similarly concentrated, how this merging of concentrated finance and industrial capital began to spread out from capitalist countries into the periphery and began to carve up the world, and how this process led to what we now understand to be capitalism’s final and highest stage: imperialism. And, of course, we apply the text to a variety of current events and explore how we can apply Lenin’s ideas in ways that help us grow and strengthen our socialist movements globally.  Learn more about Upstream HERE

    2h 9m

  6. 10/12/2024

    The German Revolution

    Alyson and Breht finally dive into the German Revolution of 1918! Together they discuss this rather ambigious revolution, give a detailed overview of events, and reflect on what lessons we can learn from it. From the toppling of the Kaiser, to the brutal fight between social democrats and communists (including the horrible murders of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht), to the rise of the Freikorp and the Weimar Republic (and beyond), they help listeners understand the importance, the successes, the failures, and the tragedies, of this often neglected revolution. ---------------------------------------- Check out the 3-part series on YT mentioned in the episode HERE Support Rev Left and get access to bonus episodes: www.patreon.com/revleftradio Follow RLR on IG HERE Subscribe to Red Menace on your preferred podcast app Make a one-time donation to Rev Left HERE

    1h 43m

  7. 08/11/2024

    Shattering the Spectacle: Trump, Kamala, and the 2024 Election

    Alyson and Breht analyze the results of the recent presidential election and explore its various meanings. Together they discuss the grotesque hollowness of the Democratic Party, the identity crisis of the post-Trump Republican party, dealignment and realignment, the end of neoliberalism, the rise of the illiberal Right around the world, strategies for developing the socialist left as a serious player on the electoral terrain, how Trump might navigate the Israel issue, the end of neoliberal identity reductionism, the importance of solidarity across identities, building power outside of the Democratic Party, neoliberalism and neoconservatism, challenges to liberalism, Tenant Organizing, the Labor Movement, how Trump's second term might (or might not) be different from his first term, and MUCH more!  Support Rev Left and get access to bonus episodes: www.patreon.com/revleftradio Follow RLR on IG HERE Subscribe to Red Menace on your preferred podcast app

    1h 11m

  8. 19/10/2024

    Yahya Sinwar: Living and Dying for National Liberation

    Alyson and Breht reflect on the life and death of the Palestinian resistance leader Yahya Sinwar. Outro Song "Gaza Strip 2 Detroit" by Sammy Shiblaq

    55 min
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    Ratings & Reviews

    5
    out of 5
    3 Ratings

    About

    Red Menace is a podcast that explains and analyzes revolutionary theory and then applies its lessons to our contemporary conditions. Hosted by Alyson Escalante and Breht O'Shea.

    Information

    • Creator
      Red Menace
    • Years Active
      2019 - 2025
    • Episodes
      83
    • Rating
      Explicit
    • Show Website
      Red Menace

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