Marx Engels Lenin Institute

Stalin - On The Opposition - Part 3

In part of 3 of this series we look at the beginning of the major controversies over the internal organisation of the CPSU.

This begins with a debate instigated by followers of Trotsky in late 1923 as analysed by Stalin in this article.

Election Fever!

Yes you read that right! It's election time in perfidious Albion! That means we get to choose between a former banker and a functionary of the British security services. What wonderful choices bourgeois democracy offers!

In this episode we will be listening to and responding to the speeches of Sunak and Starmer and looking at the possible outcomes of the election to come.

Zelensky Runs Out Of Time

In this programme we discuss the expiry of Zelensky's official term as President and what this will mean for his already shredded authority. This leads into a discussion of the nature of a comprador regime. We also visit my own past with an enlightening incident from many years ago in Istanbul.

The Death of Raisi and The Coming Doom Of Netanyahu

We examine the death of the Iranian President and Foreign Minister in a helicopter crash and ask what effect, if any, this will have on the trajectory of Iranian politics. We also consider the various theories that have been put forward with regard to possible explanations for this event including interventions from the usual suspects.
In the latter part of the episode we look at the request for a warrant to be issued for the arrest of Netanyahu by Karim Khan, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. In doing so we make the argument that this should be seen as part of a move to pin everything on Netanyahu by US imperialism.

Episode artwork is 'Fituli' by the Soviet Azerbaijani artist Sattar Bahlulzade

The China-Russia Declaration - An Analysis

As part of the talks between the Chinese and Russian government a significant document was issued (a translated version of which is attached to this episode) outlining the positions the two governments share on a variety of issues. In this programme we work through this document looking at why these two governments have taken the positions that they have and what this means in terms of their clashes with US imperialism.

Mr Putin Goes To Beijing

In this programme we look at the visit of President Putin to China and his meetings with various officials of the PRC government. As part of this we look at the nature of both China and Russia as well as how their relationship has evolved over the last 30 years.

The Attempted Assassination Of Robert Fico - Interview With Kit Klarenberg

Following a (thus far) unsuccessful assassination attempt that was made against the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico we speak to investigative journalist Kit Klarenberg. In our discussion we cover the plots against Fico, how these link to events in Ukraine, Georgia & Armenia and what the view is from Serbia.

Stalin - On The Opposition - Part 2

In the second episode of this series we look at the debate regarding failures of the party during the early part of the NEP period. We look at the points of failure identified by Stalin in his article from late 1923, which was published in Pravda, and ask what this can tell us about the revolutionary process in Russia at the time. We also look at what lessons can be draw out for the situation we find ourselves in today.

You can read the article 'On The Party's Tasks' here

Ukraine & Palestine - Axes Of Change

In which we discuss the wars in Ukraine and Palestine and how these are the axes around which the world is turning.

Multipolarity, BRICS and Xi In Budapest

In this episode we talk about the recent cabinet reshuffle in Russia with the promotion of Andrei Belousov to be the new Minister of Defence. We then move to talk about President Xi's visit to Serbia and Hungary, the nature of the Orban government and how he compares to other reactionaries.

Episode artwork is 'Dream of the Earth' by the Soviet Azerbaijani artist Sattar Bahlulzade

Victory Day Special

In this programme we talk about the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow and how historical memory in being distorted in the west. We also discuss the nature of the war, how it actually ran from 1931-1952 and the US imperialists running of fascist terror campaign against the USSR after 1945.

Episode artwork is 'Glory to the Fallen Heroes' by the Soviet Russian artist Fyodor Bogorovsky

Stalin On The Opposition - Part 1

In this first part of a new series we examine the first chapter of Stalin's debates with Trotsky and others in the 1920's.

In this episode we look at the 1921 debate on the trade union question, what was at stake, the historical context and why these questions still matter in our era.

Episode artwork is 'Joseph Stalin' by the Soviet Russian artist Isaac Brodsky

Karl Marx, Bobby Sands & The Looming Defeat of NATO

We begin this programme by commemorating the legacy of Karl Marx as it was 206 years since this birth. We end the programme by talking about Bobby Sands and the hunger strikers of 1981 who sacrificed their lives in the struggle against British imperialism and its criminal prison regime.

In the middle of the programme we look at the oncoming defeat of NATO in Ukraine and how the delusions of the US imperialists led them to this point.

Robocop - Review and Analysis

The long promised Robocop review is here! We will be discussing the 1987 and 2015 films in this review and why one works and the other does not.

Perfidious Albion - Election Special

As the bourgeois press desperately tries to proclaim Keir Starmer to be a "winner" in the local election we examine the reality. In truth the local council election results show us that the labour party is incapable of winning a national election.

Episode Artwork is 'Sea Landing' by the Soviet Russian artist Leonid Baikov

The Student Protests and Bipartisan Genocide

As the student protests face mass repression on the USA we look at the bipartisan support given to the repression by both Biden and Trump.

Episode artwork is 'Going To The Ocean' by the Soviet Russian artist Leonid Baikov.

US Imperialism Is the Primary Contradiction

In this episode we return to the topic of how US imperialism became the premier imperialist power. In doing so we look back at the development of US imperialism from it's earliest period to its rebuilding of the European powers after 1945.

Episode Artwork is 'Summer Landscape' by the Soviet Russian Artist Leonid Baikov

Music intro/outro is taken from 'The Dance of the Red Cavalry'

Performer: Orchestra of the Soviet Army Song and Dance Ensemble 

Year recorded: 1969

Composer: Boris Alexandrov

Back To Business

Returning to business after a week away we take questions on a variety of issues covering the Gaza war, Ukraine, China and the nature of MAGA.

Episode Artwork is 'Evening Over The Caspain Sea' by the Soviet Azerbaijani Sattar Bahlulzade

On Vacation

I'll be on holiday for one week between 19th April and the 26th so there will be no programmes during this time. I'll be back on the regular schedule from the 26th however.

Answering Correspondence

As we've had quite a lot of emails and comments over the last few weeks I decided to answer some of these and questions from commenters. We talk a lot about the Gaza war, the role of Iran, the emerging multipolar world and the rottenness of imperialist culture.

Episode Artwork is 'Shepherds' by the Soviet Kyrgyz artist Gapar Aytiev

Lenin & The April Theses

On the 107th anniversary of the issuing of the April Theses we discuss this seminal document and the reasons why Lenin issued it. Along the way we look back at the 1905 revolution, the weak nature of the Russian capitalist class, the cynical manouvres of the imperialists and the wild claims of Trotsky.

Episode artwork is 'Lenin At The 3rd Congress Of The Komsomol' by the Soviet Ukrainian artist Rudolf Baryshnikov

Georgia and the Question of Colour "Revolutions"

As the Georgian parliament tries to pass a law requiring foreign funded entities to register as foreign agents a predictable storm of protest hits Tblisi. We look at what the US and European NGOs get up to in the post Soviet world, the reason why the "west is best" mentality took root and how it can be beaten.

Episode artwork is 'Raftsman' by the Soviet Russian artist Mikhial Anekeyev

Iran, Israel and the Slow Death of Zionism

As Iran carefully strikes back at Israel we look at how the Iranians might have put the US imperialists in an even more precarious position. We examine how limited the imperialists options actually are when it comes to Iran and why their destabilisation plans have so often failed.

The episode image is a picture of Iranian missiles flying over the Knesset building.

You can now find a transcript of this broadcast attached to this post.

The British Bomb - A History Of An Expensive Deception

As Sir Keir Starmer committs to renewing the British nuclear weapons programme we ask the question of why it is that the British ruling class are so desperate to retain it. In doing so we look at some of the history involved and why the US imperialists are constantly undermining the industrial base of their own allies.

The Limits Of Perfidious Albion (Re-Upload)

This is a re-upload of the previous episode as there were audio issues with the previous version.

In this episode we look at the recent threats made by Macron and Lord Cameron regarding the possible deployment of French and British ground forces to Ukraine. We also consider the complaints of Janet Yellen to the Chinese.

It Ain't Just About Netanyahu

With US imperialism signalling that they think Netanyahu is now a problem for them we look at why this attempt a "rebranding" the war on Gaza will fail. In doing so we also examine why Netanyahu has been as successful as he has been in having a 30 year long career at the top of the Israeli colonial regime.

Episode Artwork Is 'Collective Farm On The Volga' by the Soviet Russian artist Alexey Avdeyevich Anikeenok

The Last Waltz Of The EU

As the EU starts to more visibly fracture we look at it's history and how the contradictions within it were always going to pull it apart.

Episode Artwork is 'Alarm At The Frontier' by the Soviet Russian artist Mikhail Ananievich Ananiev

The Fraud That Was 'New' Atheism

In this episode we discuss the hollow propaganda that was 'new' atheism. In doing so we examine some of the work of Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins. We discuss how the 'new' atheists were in fact merely propagandists whose purpose was to give an intellelctual window dressing to the imperialist wars of the decade after 2001.

Episode artwork is of Thomas Muentzer of the Anabaptists

The Baltimore Bridge Collapse

In this episode, amongst other things, we look at the recent collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore. This leads into a discussion of why the capitaist class doesn't ever want to pay for infrastructure and why "Build Back Better" was always such a con.

The Donaldson Affair And The Twisted History Of Loyalism

In this episode we examine the recent resignation of the the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party Sir Jeffrey Donaldson following allegations of what are described as "historic sexual offences" being made against him. There is a very twisted history of "loyalism" in the occupied six counties of Ireland with the British secret police running agents inside the "loyalist" movements who were known paedophiles such as the notorious William Mcgrath and John Mckeague, both of whom were associated with the Revered Iain Paisley and, Donaldsons old boss, James Molyneaux.