Marx Engels Lenin Institute

Ruling Class Paranoia - The Case of Luigi Mangione

In this episode we examine the case of Luigi Mangione, the (alleged) killer of Brian Thompson, CEO of United Healthcare. We examine the bizarre behavior of the NYPD and why the ruling class is unable to make rational decisions. This is situated within the context of the growing isolation and paranoia of the US ruling class as well as their resorting to ever greater state repression.

Decline & Fall Episode 7

In the latest episode of 'Decline & Fall' Alex and Kit look at the involvement of the British in the war on Syria over the last decade. This leads to a discussion on the nature of the Russian General Kirillov and the German coup that may not have been much a coup at all.

Imperialism Cannot Be Appeased

In this episode I address the question of why imperialism cannot stick to any agreements, why it breaks every treaty and violates every sacred peace. It all comes back to the nature of the imperialist system and the fact that it is in a very profound crisis that has now got to such severe a point where it requires the destruction of its most powerful opponents.

Episode artwork is 'The Battle of Poltava' by the Soviet Russian artist Pyotr Ivanovich Zhigimont

Q&A - Take 2

Following on from the Sunday Q&A livestream going through some technical problems we follow up with this programme. In this we expand further on the questions addressed on the Sunday show and look at further developments in Syria.

Episode Artwork is 'Battle of Stalingrad' by the Soviet artists - N.Ya. Bout, V.K. Dmitrievsky, P.T.Maltsev, G.I.Marchenko, M.I.Samsonov, F.P.Usypenko

Sunday Q&A - Part 1

In this episode I answer questions from listeners on the nature of international law and its uses and whether the fascist forces who fight for imperialism contain many true believers.

Germany & The Crisis of Imperialism

In this episode I sat down with Alex & Max of the Kommunistische Organisation to discuss the crisis of German imperialism. We cover a lot of ground in this conversation including the nature of German imperialism, the possibility of it separating from the US, the limits of sovereignist parties and the German bourgeoisie needing to conquer Russia.

Decline & Fall Episode 6

In the latest episode of 'Decline & Fall' Alex & Kit examine the recent events in Syria and talk about the decade long dirty war waged on that country. Kit draws comparisons with what happened in Yugoslavia and Alex talks about the failures of actually existing socialism to reckon with the multiple tactics used by imperialism. We also look at the, now impeached, President Yoon of occupied Korea and ask what the hell the US was up to with the recent attempted coup there.

Siege Warfare & Colour Revolutions - Can They Be Prevented?

In this episode we talk about the way the US imperialists have used sanctions as siege warfare. The case of Syria is the most prominent case but this has been done to numerous other nations with the idea that it can secure a regime change without the US having to fire a shot. We look at how Russia has (so far) avoided this fate and why only a revolutionary path offers a secure way forward for those who seek independence from the US imperialist system.

Episode artwork is 'The Same In Battle And In Labour' by the Soviet Russian artist Viktor Koretsky

The Syrian Collapse

As President Assad resigns and goes in exile we look at the reasons for the sudden, dramatic collapse of the Syrian state. In doing so we consider the role of the sanctions regime, the always treacherous gulf monarchies, the pro-imperialist left in Britain and the flaws of Ba'athism.

Episode artwork is the flag of the United Arab Republic

Carlson - Lavrov

In this episode we examine the recent interview conducted by US television personality Tucker Carlson and Russian Federation Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. We consider who Lavrov was trying to appeal to and how, even now, bourgeois tendencies are weakening the Russian struggle against US imperialism but how they are still winning the real war.

Episode artwork is 'Evening In The Mountains' by the Soviet Kyrgyz artist Gapar Atiyev

Ourselves Alone

In this episode I address a specific problem that afflicts us in the west and that is that too many of us expect other nations to do the hard work of liberation for us. In doing so I look at the unfolding debacle in Syria and the tendency of some people to wait for the meme "do nothing-win" to come true.

Episode artwork is 'Oath' by the Soviet Russian artist

Why Does The British Left Love Imperialism?

In this programme we begin with breaking news of an attempted coup in US occupied South Korea. Then for the main part of the programme we look at why the British (and the wider western) left so easily default to supporting imperialism. In doing so we consider the example of the likes of George Orwell and his latter day imitators.

Russia Winning On The Battlefield & Sheinbaum Tries To Educate Trump

In this episode we look at how Russia is winning on the battlefield, despite all the noise from the imperialists to the contrary. We also look at Putin's visit to Kazakhstan and how President Sheinbaum is responding to the threats made by Trump towards Mexico.

Episode Artwork is 'The Nobleness of Being Yourself' by the Soviet Russian artist Yevgenia Adamova.

Decline & Fall Episode 4

In this episode of the Decline & Fall show myself and Kit Klarenberg look at the relationship between British and US imperialism. In doing so we consider the comparison that the former British PM Harold Macmillan made about being "as the Greeks were to the Romans" and the bourgeois obsession with the Roman empire.

Patreon Special - The Collapse Of Syria

In this special edition I examine the collapse of Syria and the reasons for it. In doing so we look at how the much hyped "Blitzkriegs" of the Nazis and US imperialists actually depended as much upon intelligence and subversion operations as they did on military techniques.

The Wars Of The West

In this episode we look at the way the US imperialists and their allies wage war. This includes looking at the strength of their propaganda versus the reality of their profound weakness in terms of industry. Along the way we look at the propaganda done by the video games industry and their close ties to the Pentagon.

Episode Image is taken from Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 where Russia invades the USA.

Interview With Iskolat - Part 2

In the second part of our discussion with Iskolat we cover a lot of ground including the Great Patriotic Class War, the Nazis stay behind terror network in the Baltic states and the failures of revisionism. This is a very valuable interview as it covers the proletarian perspective on the history of the Baltic states which has been systematically covered up by the ruling classes of Britain and the USA.

Episode artwork is the painting 'Shepherds' by the Soviet Russian artist Alexander Kirchanov

The World War 3 Question - Patreon Edition

In this patrons edition of the programme I examine a question from a listener about the likelihood of World War 3 breaking out in the form of a direct fight between the Russians and the US imperialists. In response to this I make the argument that what will be categorised as WW3 by future historians began as early as 2008 with the Georgia war and has been evolving ever since. I also address the likelihood of NATO forces being directly deployed into Ukraine and remain unconvinced this will happen for a variety of economic, political and military reasons.

Decline & Fall Episode 3

Kit Klarenberg returns to talk about the machinations of British imperialism and the recent Stormshadow missile strikes on Russia. We talk about Kit's reporting on British plans to launch Gladio sytle operations in against Russia and the decline of the actual British armed forces to be replaced by outsourced armies overseas.

Netanyahu Indicted

This is the audio version of the hour long stream done before the latest episode of 'Decline & Fall'. In this I discuss the recent indictment of Netanyahu and what (if anything) it means.

Beyond The Hype - The Meaning Of The ATACMS Strikes On Russia

In this programme we look at the missile strikes on Russia that took place after Biden gave permission for this. We examine some of the overheated commentary from certain quarters and argue that the US and their European allies are simply trying to prolong the war by adopting this tactic.

Episode Artwork is 'Guarding The Maritime Borders Of Our Country' by the Soviet Russian artist Victor Bibikov

Interview With Iskolat - Part 1

In this interview I spoke with Latvian communist Iskolat. Our discussion will be in two parts with the first one covering the years up to the entry of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia into the USSR in 1940. As part of this interview Iskolat talks about the Latvian revolution of 1917 and its crushing by British imperialism, the comprador regimes of the interwar period and the overthrow of the fascist regime in 1940 by the Latvian workers and peasants.

Episode artwork is the work 'With Large Steps' by the Soviet Latvian artist Karlis Dobrais

Fascism & Corporatism - Part 2

We'll be continuing our examination of fascist claims of "anti capitalism" this Thursday 21st November at 14:00. In this episode I'll be considering the work of Palme Dutt, Dmitrov and Georg Lukacs on the nature of fascism and comparing it to what the fascists said about their own programme. We will then look at the claims that fascism is a form of socialism.

Fascism & Corporatism - Part 1

In this latest patrons stream we look at a question from a listener regarding the nature of fascism. In answering this we look at the writings of Mussolini and Hitler in terms of if they have any "anti capitalist" content and asses if Mussolini's corporatist system can be regarded as having resolved class contradictions.

Putin At The Valdai Club

In this edition of the programme we look at the recent speech given by President Putin at the Valdai Club in Sochi. We look at the speech in the context of the shifting view of US imperialism taken by the post Stalin soviet leaders and argue that the view of the Russian government now is actually more radical in many respects than the later Soviet view.

Episode Artwork is 'Expanse' by the Soviet Azerbaijani artist Mikhail Abdulayev

Upcoming (Belated) Halloween Review

Last year I did a review of 'The Exorcist' for a Halloween special on patreon. I have missed time for Halloween but as a review was requested I've decided to review a work of the authentic genius/lunatic Ken Russell in the form of his 1971 classic 'The Devils'. This film was notoriously butchered by the studio after it received very negative reviews both in Britain and the United States due to its rather notorious content. I will be reviewing the directors cut version which is the most complete version I could find.

The Legacies Of October

In this special episode I argue that the legacies of October continue to guide us in the 21st century. In doing so I draw from the work of Stalin, Mao, Ho Chi Minh and Fidel Castro and advance the argument that the global anti imperialist struggle entered a new phase after October 1917 which we are still in to this day. I also argue that the legacy of the first workers state cannot be erased by the bourgeoisie no matter how hard they try and it is these two legacies that must animate the working of communists in this century.

Episode artwork is 'Rest After Storming The Winter Palace' by Vladimir Aleksandrovich Serov

Decline and Fall - Episode 1

This is a new show in which frequent guest Kit Klarenberg returns for a regular discussion of stories emerging from the fall of the Anglo-American empire. This week we look at the victory of Trump, why it was allowed to happen, the British interference and why the German government has collapsed.

Patron's Stream #3

In this patron's audio stream I look at the US presidential election. I examine the successes and failures of the Republican embrace of the christian right, why Trump hasn't managed to break out of the GOP's growing problem of social conservatism having a limited appeal and why this may lead to Trump losing this election.

The ACP And The Reality Of Working Class Life In The USA - Interview With Carlos Garrido

Carlos Garrido of the American Communist Party and Midwestern Marx joins me to discuss the realities of working class life in the centre of declining imperialism. We talk about how the ACP hopes to become part of US working class communities and how the left has not done that for many decades. We also discuss the Trump campaign and what his demagogic appeals to American workers tell us about liberals and the left.