Red Flag Radio

Stalinism equates socialism/communism with state-controlled industry and a one party dictatorship. We reckon nothing could be further from genuine socialism and Marxism. Unfortuntely, this zombie idea from the 20th century has risen from the dead in the past few years and is gaining popularity among left wing people. In this ep, we debunk neo-Stalinism's main arguments: that the left needs to support "actually existing socialism", ...

Since Labor's budget dropped we've heard a chorus of whingers and sooks from the business class (though they call themselves 'founders' and 'entrepreneurs') about having a few of their tax dodges taken away. In this episode we explain why they should stfu, why Labor can barely defend their own measures, and how much further socialists want to go in taxing the rich (and expropriating them). 

We also explain the Marxist theory o...

Chloe and Emma talk about the police riot in Sydney orchestrated by Chris Minns. The NSW government sent 3,500 police to bash, stampede and pepperspray a peaceful pro-Palestine demonstration of 20-30,000 people, against the rolling out of the red carpet for a war criminal who should be in the Hague.

We talk about what this event reveals about the police, the Australian Labor Party and the Australian ruling classes' commitment to Is...

Emma and Chloe talk about Trump's ICE gestapo terrorising American cities and the inspiring working class resistance to their murderous regime in Minneapolis. 

Also, an update on the continued ruling class campaign to silence pro-Palestine protests in Australia. 

Links:

Marxism Conference!! 

Register to protest Isaac Herzog! 

"Our union leaders are unmoved by genocide and indifferent to pay cuts" by Zak Borzovo...

Chloe and Emma discuss that meeting between NYC mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani and  Donald Trump. They talk about what the meeting and Mamdani's campaign reveal about the limitations of a strategy for social change that looks to the Democratic Party. 

Some further reading:

"Mamdani, that meeting and why the Left needs to wake up" by Sarah Garnham for Red Flag 

"After the surreal summit" by Ashley Smith for Tempest&n...

Chloe and Emma discuss the protest at the Indo-Pacific arms expo in Sydney, and what it reveals about Australian imperialism. We talk about the AUKUS deal, why Australian politicians are so committed to the US alliance, and their imperialist plans for the Indo-Pacific region. 

Further reading:

News.com.au article: "Pro-Palestine activist ‘surrounded’ by cops at press conference after 13 arrested at arms expo blocka...

Chloe and Emma talk about the major shift in world politics in 2025. The political, economic and social structures of world capitalism are being reshaped to meet the demands of a new era of instability and imperialism. From the new Trump administration and the rise of other vicious far right forces, to the ramping up of imperialist tensions. We also point to the mass struggles against the system in recent months and years: the Gen ...

Emma and Chloe critique mutual aid from a socialist perspective and discuss Dean Spade's 2020 book Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (And the Next). While mutual aid might feel good, we argue that it can't meet the needs of working class people, can't challenge the capitalist state or the bosses, and won't help us build the socialist party we need. 

Further Reading:

"Mutual aid is nice but it doesn't challeng...

Emma and Chloe discuss the ceasefire in Gaza, before an interview with Josh Lees, eye witness to the historic general strikes for Palestine in Italy. Josh is a regular on the pod, a socialist activist for Palestine and leader of the historic March for Humanity across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 

Further reading:

Italy's general strike shows the way forward - by Josh Lees 

Ceasefire in Gaza: relief but not enough - by Tom ...

Emma and Chloe review the authoritarian offensive of Trump and the far right in the US, who have used the assassination of Charlie Kirk to intensify a crackdown on left-wing speech. We discuss the far right in the UK, who just mobilised their biggest street march ever. And we discuss developments in Australia, where Andrew Hastie and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price are pushing for a hard right turn in the Liberal Party. How can we underst...

Workers in Europe have been rising up to fight for Palestine and against their own governments. It all began with the "bloquons touts" movement in France, which mobilised millions of workers and students to block everything to oppose their government's latest austerity bill - they shut down railway stations, blockaded city squares and went on strikes across public sector work places. 

Next, something incredible happened. Up to...

Chloe interviewed Anneke Demanuele about the anti-migrant demonstrations led by Nazis around Australia last week. Anneke is a leader in the Melbourne-based Campaign Against Racism and Fascism, which mobilised thousands of pro-Palestine, anti-fascist protestors to confront the racists in the streets. She discusses how anti-migrant racism has been whipped up by mainstream Australian politics, the organising role of open Nazis like th...