From Alpha To Omega
352 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 79 ratingsWhat is happening to our economy and our politics? Are we stuck forever in this corporate dystopia? What can we learn from the failures of radical politics over the last 100 years? Commandante Alpha talks in depth to experts from the fields of Political Economy, Politics, Science, Philosophy, Complexity, Mathematics, Music, and the Environment.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Episode 318: #032 Understanding Class Series
February 26, 2024 00:00 - 48 minutes - 45.1 MBWe finish our discussion of Chapter 9 - “Is the Precariat a Class''. Da Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oNY1SPxFk0Xg-NndRJPh0l_cOWyLMOGY6rFhC0zGIyc/edit?usp=share_link Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega
Episode 317: #205 Book Update Livestream
January 08, 2024 00:00 - 1 hour - 102 MBDonal and I host a livestream where we talk all about the progress of our socialist planning book. https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/
Episode 316: #204 The Twilight of Unionism w/ Geoffrey Bell - Part 2 TEASER
December 11, 2023 00:00 - 6 minutes - 6.4 MBWe continue our discussion with Geoffrey Bell about his book ‘The Twilight of Unionism: Ulster and Future of Northern Ireland’.
Episode 315: #203 The Twilight of Unionism w/ Geoffrey Bell - Part 1
December 10, 2023 00:00 - 44 minutes - 43.1 MBThis week I am delighted to welcome Geoffrey Bell to the show, to discuss his book ‘The Twilight of Unionism: Ulster and Future of Northern Ireland’. Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/
Episode 314: #202 Rivalry & Central Planning w/ Donal
November 13, 2023 00:00 - 1 hour - 62.7 MBThis week Donal and myself discuss a really excellent book we recently read on the socialist calculation debate. The book is called Rivalry and Central Planning, and is written by the Austrian economist Don Lavoie. The Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega
Episode 313: #201 From the Commodity to Communism w/ Peter Åström
October 12, 2023 00:00 - 55 minutes - 50.4 MBWe welcome Peter Åström to the podcast, to discuss an article he recently wrote for the Riff-Raff journal. Riff-raff describes itself as a ‘journal for a theoretical discussion of communism as a real movement’. The article: http://www.riff-raff.se/texts/en/the-commodity-and-communism The book project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/
Episode 312: #031 Understanding Class Series
September 13, 2023 00:00 - 42 minutes - 39.2 MBWe continue our discussion of Chapter 9 - “Is the Precariat a Class''. Our socialist planning book project: theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com
Episode 311: #200 LL Men w/ Donal - Part 2 TEASER
August 23, 2023 00:00 - 4 minutes - 4.58 MBWe continue our discussion of LL Mens "The Capitalist Nature of the 'Socialist' Countries: A Politico-Economic Analysis"
Episode 310: #199 LL Men w/ Donal - Part 1
August 20, 2023 00:00 - 42 minutes - 41.4 MBToday Donal and myself discuss an amazing text by the little known Hong Kong based Left Communist L.L. Men. You can download the text from libcom.org here: https://libcom.org/article/ll-men-two-texts-defining-communist-programme The self-publishing friendly version of the pdf: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jQYDzqw_dLIDYc1zt8B9tRdE-DvCXLsQ/view?usp=sharing Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/
Episode 309: #030 Understanding Class Series
August 06, 2023 00:00 - 43 minutes - 40 MBWe start our discussion of Chapter 9 - “Is the Precariat a Class''. Book Project: theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com. The slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oNY1SPxFk0Xg-NndRJPh0l_cOWyLMOGY6rFhC0zGIyc/edit?usp=share_link
Episode 308: #029 Understanding Class Series
July 20, 2023 00:00 - 55 minutes - 51.1 MBWe continue our discussion of Chapter 8 - “The Death of Class Debate''. Drunken Russian Miners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgnmWYy-9ds&ab_channel=JustBenii Socialist planning book: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oNY1SPxFk0Xg-NndRJPh0l_cOWyLMOGY6rFhC0zGIyc/edit?usp=share_link
Episode 307: #198 Critique of the Gotha Program w/ Prof. Peter Hudis
July 04, 2023 00:00 - 1 hour - 60.4 MBWe are delighted welcome back Prof. Peter Hudis to the show to talk about the introduction he wrote for the new edition of the Critique of the Gotha Program by PM Press. Critique of the Gotha Program (PM Press): https://pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1241 Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/
Episode 306: #197 Modelling Organisational Variety w/ Donal
June 08, 2023 00:00 - 49 minutes - 47.6 MBWe welcome back Donal to the show, to talk about a paper he wrote for the new radical journal - The Black Lamp. The paper is called: ‘Viability Guided Decision Making: Modelling organisations using Viability Guided Decision Making’ It’s a very interesting paper which proposes a novel approach to fairly recent developments in cybernetic theory, and applying them to complex social systems. Donal, on top of the book project we are working on, has just completed a masters in System E...
Episode 305: #028 Understanding Class Series
May 22, 2023 00:00 - 58 minutes - 52.9 MBWe continue our discussion of Chapter 8 - “The Death of Class Debate''. The Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oNY1SPxFk0Xg-NndRJPh0l_cOWyLMOGY6rFhC0zGIyc/edit?usp=share_link
Episode 304: #196 The Mass Strike w/ Dr. Sara Swerdlyk
May 12, 2023 00:00 - 3 minutes - 2.9 MBWe talk with Dr. Sara Swerdlyk about Rosa Luxemburg’s Mass Strike. Sara has a PhD from the Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology at the Central European University and works for Between the Lines, a leftist book press based out of Toronto. https://btlbooks.com/
Episode 303: #027 Understanding Class Series
April 22, 2023 00:00 - 37 minutes - 36.1 MBWe continue Chapter 8 - “The Death of Class Debate''. The Planning Book Project: http://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com The slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oNY1SPxFk0Xg-NndRJPh0l_cOWyLMOGY6rFhC0zGIyc/edit?usp=share_link
Episode 302: #026 Understanding Class Series
April 11, 2023 00:00 - 42 minutes - 41.2 MBWe begin Chapter 8 - “The Death of Class Debate''. https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega Socialist Planning Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ The slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1oNY1SPxFk0Xg-NndRJPh0l_cOWyLMOGY6rFhC0zGIyc/edit?usp=share_link
Episode 301: #195 Otto Neurath and Socialist Planning w/ Prof Thomas Uebel - Part 2
March 28, 2023 00:00 - 3 minutes - 3.73 MBWe continue our conversation with Professer Thomas Uebel to the show to talk all about Otto Neurath and his impact on economic theory, the socialist calculation debate, and socialist planning. Planning Book Website: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega
Episode 300: #194 Otto Neurath and Socialist Planning w/ Prof Thomas Uebel - Part1
March 23, 2023 14:49 - 49 minutes - 49.6 MBThis week I’m really delighted to welcome Professer Thomas Uebel to the show to talk all about Otto Neurath and his impact on economic theory, the socialist calculation debate, and socialist planning. Professor Uebel was the editor of 'Otto Neurath - Economic Writings Selections 1904-1945'. Planning Book Project Website: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/
Episode 299: #193 Negotiated Coordination w/ Pat Devine Part 2 TEASER
February 23, 2023 00:00 - 5 minutes - 4.77 MBPart two of our conversation with Pat Devine on his thoughts about socialist planning.
Episode 298: #192 Negotiated Coordination w/ Pat Devine Part 1
February 21, 2023 00:00 - 45 minutes - 45.1 MBThis week I’m delighted to welcome Pat Devine to the show. Pat is an honorary research fellow at Manchester University and the author of ‘Democracy and Economic Planning: The Political Economy of a Self-Governing Society’. Planning Book Website: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega
Episode 297: UNLOCKED! - The Venezuelan Communes w/ Cira Pascual Marquina - Pt 2
February 12, 2023 00:00 - 43 minutes - 40 MBWe continue our discussion with Cira Pascual Marquina about the Venezuelan commune movement. Cira is a Political Science professor at the Universidad Bolivariana de Venezuela in Caracas and a writer and editor for Venezuela Analysis. El Panal Commune: https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/15629 Indorca Workers: https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/15542
Episode 296: #025 Understanding Class Series
February 07, 2023 00:00 - 57 minutes - 55.2 MBWe begin Chapter 7 - “The Ambiguities of Class in Thomas Piketty’s Capital in the 21st Century''. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega Socialist Planning Book: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1H22tkE7UmVQWgRPC_vt3GpCLCVZM5JmzA6SQ2-3qVLk/edit?usp=share_link
Episode 295: #191 Reading Marx w/ Ed George Part 2 - TEASER
January 25, 2023 00:00 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBWe continue our discussion Ed George from the Ed George’s Reading Marx Blog. We talk about a paper Ed wrote about long waves in history and what they mean for revolutionary action. The paper we discuss: https://edgeorgesotherblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/through-what-stage-are-we-passing/ Reading Marx's Capital blog: https://readingmarx.wordpress.com/ Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega
Episode 294: #190 Reading Capital w/ Ed George Part 1
January 23, 2023 00:00 - 57 minutes - 53.1 MBThis week I’m delighted to welcome Ed George from the Ed George’s Reading Marx Blog. Ed’s blog is a great resource for anybody who is serious about trying to understand Marx’s work. https://readingmarx.wordpress.com/ Book project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/
Episode 293: #024 Understanding Class Series
January 06, 2023 00:00 - 54 minutes - 49.5 MBWe finish Chapter 6 - “Occupations as Microclasses''. Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega The book project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ The slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mkSN9fmij-0ZhUnKaIcDaA7iDuQ7WSnscYIORth3HA8/edit?usp=share_link
Episode 292: #189 The Venezuelan Communes w/ Cira Pascual Marquina - Pt 2 - TEASER
December 23, 2022 00:00 - 4 minutes - 3.8 MBWe continue our discussion with Cira Pascual Marquina about the Venezuelan commune movement. Cira is a Political Science professor at the Universidad Bolivariana de Venezuela in Caracas and a writer and editor for Venezuela Analysis. El Panal Commune: https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/15629 Indorca Workers: https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/15542
Episode 291: #188 The Venezuelan Communes w/ Cira Pascual Marquina - Pt 1
December 22, 2022 00:00 - 58 minutes - 53.4 MBWe welcome Cira Pascual Marquina to the show to talk about the Venezuelan commune movement. Cira is a Political Science professor at the Universidad Bolivariana de Venezuela in Caracas and a writer and editor for Venezuela Analysis. El Panal Commune: https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/15629 Indorca Workers: https://venezuelanalysis.com/interviews/15542
Episode 290: #023 Understanding Class Series
December 14, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 53.5 MBWe continue our reading of Chapter 6 - “Occupations as Micro-classes'' Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega The book project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ The slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mkSN9fmij-0ZhUnKaIcDaA7iDuQ7WSnscYIORth3HA8/edit?usp=share_link
Episode 289: #022 Understanding Class Series
November 30, 2022 00:00 - 50 minutes - 50.4 MBWe continue our reading of Chapter 6 - “Occupations as Microclasses'' Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega The book project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ The slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mkSN9fmij-0ZhUnKaIcDaA7iDuQ7WSnscYIORth3HA8/edit?usp=share_link
Episode 288: #021 Understanding Class Series
November 18, 2022 00:00 - 50 minutes - 45.8 MBWe start Chapter 6: “Occupations as Micro-classes'' Planning Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1mkSN9fmij-0ZhUnKaIcDaA7iDuQ7WSnscYIORth3HA8/edit?usp=share_link
Episode 287: #187 Critique of the Gotha Program w/ Donal - TEASER
November 03, 2022 00:00 - 8 minutes - 7.76 MBOn this episode we give an analysis of the excellent recent paper by Andrew Kliman on the Critique of the Gotha Program. Paper: https://www.marxisthumanistinitiative.org/economics/marxs-critique-of-the-gotha-program-on-capitalism-vs-communism.html Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega
Episode 286: #020 Understanding Class Series
October 29, 2022 00:00 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MBWe continue Chapter 5 - “Michael Mann’s Two Frameworks of Class Analysis'' Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega The Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VsmYazOfhWjueQI7OqbUC7qCAU8J49mlUZNV4WTWLYw/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 285: #019 Understanding Class Series
October 17, 2022 00:00 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MBWe continue Chapter 5 - “Michael Mann’s Two Frameworks of Class Analysis''. Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ The Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VsmYazOfhWjueQI7OqbUC7qCAU8J49mlUZNV4WTWLYw/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 284: #018 Understanding Class Series
October 10, 2022 00:00 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBWe continue Chapter 5 - “Michael Mann’s Two Frameworks of Class Analysis”. The Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ The Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VsmYazOfhWjueQI7OqbUC7qCAU8J49mlUZNV4WTWLYw/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 283: #017 Understanding Class Series
October 03, 2022 00:00 - 43 minutes - 40.2 MBWe start Chapter 5 - “Michael Mann’s Two Frameworks of Class Analysis” Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1VsmYazOfhWjueQI7OqbUC7qCAU8J49mlUZNV4WTWLYw/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 282: #186 Rudolf Hilferdings Finance Capital w/ Frieder Otto Wolf
September 26, 2022 00:00 - 46 minutes - 44.1 MBThis week we welcome Frieder Otto Wolf to the show to talk about Rudolf Hilferdings marxist classic ‘Finance Capital’. Frieder is a philosopher, political scientist, politician, and humanist, and an honorary professor of philosophy at the Freie Universität Berlin since 2007. He has also recently co-edited with Judith Dellheim ‘Rudolf Hilderding: What Do We Still Have to Learn from His Legacy?’ from Palgrave, New York. We talk about what we have to learn from Hilferdings seminal work...
Episode 281: #016 Understanding Class Series
September 16, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 64.8 MBWe finally finish Chapter 4 - ‘Class, Exploitation, and Economic Rents: Reflections on Sorensen’s “Toward a Sounder Basis For Class Analysis”’. But not before we get down and dirty with worker rents. Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1z0yNkmlmN30z2pW-Q7hoxboqzdCeasQZ8mxWSxDq8nc/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 280: #015 Understanding Class Series
September 05, 2022 00:00 - 48 minutes - 44.2 MBWe continue Chapter 4 - ‘Class, Exploitation, and Economic Rents: Reflections on Sorensen’s “Toward a Sounder Basis For Class Analysis”’ and give neoclassical economics both barrels Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ The slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1z0yNkmlmN30z2pW-Q7hoxboqzdCeasQZ8mxWSxDq8nc/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 279: #014 Understanding Class Series
August 24, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 62.8 MBWe continue Chapter 4 - ‘Class, Exploitation, and Economic Rents: Reflections on Sorensen’s “Toward a Sounder Basis For Class Analysis”’ Slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1z0yNkmlmN30z2pW-Q7hoxboqzdCeasQZ8mxWSxDq8nc/edit?usp=sharing Book Project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FromAlpha2Omega
Episode 278: #019 Fundamental Principles Series
August 15, 2022 00:00 - 52 minutes - 50.3 MBWe finish our reading of the Paul Mattick 1970 Introduction to the ‘Fundamental Principles’. https://libcom.org/library/introduction-paul-mattick Book Project website: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/
Episode 277: #185 Labour Time Planning & The Commune w/ Sorrel Part 2 TEASER
July 31, 2022 00:00 - 2 minutes - 2.35 MBThe second part of our discussion with Sorrel on his time living in egalitarian communes.
Episode 276: #184 Labour Time Planning & The Commune w/ Sorrel Part 1
July 30, 2022 00:00 - 48 minutes - 44.8 MBThis week we welcome Sorrel to the podcast to talk about his experiences living in egalitarian communes. These communes are based upon a labour time system, similar to that proposed by the GIC in the Fundamental Principles.
Episode 275: #018 Fundamental Principles Series
July 16, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 64.3 MBToday we read Paul Mattick's 1970 introduction to the Fundamental Principles of Communist Production and Distribution. The book project website: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ The Paul Mattick Introduction: https://libcom.org/book/export/html/616
Episode 274: #013 Understanding Class Series
July 09, 2022 00:00 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBWe begin Chapter 4 - ‘Class, Exploitation, and Economic Rents: Reflections on Sorensen’s “Toward a Sounder Basis For Class Analysis”’. The book project website: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/ The link to the slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1z0yNkmlmN30z2pW-Q7hoxboqzdCeasQZ8mxWSxDq8nc/edit?usp=sharing
Episode 273: #183 The Cordones w/ Nicholas Scott - Part 3 TEASER
July 03, 2022 00:00 - 5 minutes - 4.92 MBThis is part three of our discussion with Nicholas C. Scott about the role of the self organised Cordones in the Chilean revolution.
Episode 272: #182 The Cordones w/ Nicholas C. Scott - Part 2
June 20, 2022 00:00 - 43 minutes - 40.8 MBThis week is part two of our discussion with Nicholas C. Scott about the role the self organised Cordones played in the Chilean revolution. Nicholas recently had an article about the Cordones published in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/04/26/chile-is-writing-new-chapter-its-history/ The book project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/
Episode 272: #181 The Cordones w/ Nicholas C. Scott - Part 2
June 20, 2022 00:00 - 43 minutes - 40.8 MBThis week is part two of our discussion with Nicholas C. Scott about the role the self organised Cordones played in the Chilean revolution. Nicholas recently had an article about the Cordones published in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/04/26/chile-is-writing-new-chapter-its-history/ The book project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/
Episode 271: #181 The Cordones w/ Nicholas C. Scott - Part 1
June 13, 2022 00:00 - 46 minutes - 44 MBThis week I’m delighted to welcome Nicholas C. Scott to the podcast to talk about the role the self organised Cordones played in the Chilean revolution. Nicholas is a PhD candidate in Latin American history at the University of Virginia and a specialist on the history of the role of the Cordones during the Chilean revolution. The book project: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/
Episode 270: #017 Fundamental Principles Series
June 04, 2022 00:00 - 1 hour - 55 MBToday we read Chapter 17 ‘Final Considerations’, which finishes our reading of the book. The book project website: https://theclasslesssocietyinmotion.com/