Notorious Navalny’s place in Russian politics, pt. 1 w/ Russian political scientist Stanislav Byshok
“On the Barricades” s06e44
In this two-part release of “On the Barricades,” hosts Boyan Stanislavski and Maria Cernat speak with a pair of academics inside Russia to get at some truth about the figure so well heralded by the West, the “oppositionist” and “honest” challenger to Putin, Alexei Navalny. There’s been some backlash after the Navalny extravaganza and misportrayal went perhaps too far in the Oscar-winning documentary with his name. It’s time to get a better grip on the Russian political system as a whole and Navalny’s role in it.
In this first episode of two, we speak again with Dr. Stanislav Byshok, who is a Russian political scientist living in Moscow. He is frequently described as a scholar deconstructing nationalism and populism in international researcher databases. He's written a number of books and reports on current Russian, Ukrainian, and European politics, including one called “Navalny: the man who stole the forest.”
We discuss the Russian political system and whether Putin has any genuine threats to leadership in the party system. Is Navalny indeed a threat to Putin, and does Putin see it that way? Then we hear an overview of Navalny’s political career and changing way of branding himself and rhetoric: to what extent is/was he a nationalist, or anti-immigration, in his politics at different points? To what extent can we say he is a liberal democrat, and how does that look in Russia? Navalny also wrote a memorandum about the Russia-Ukraine war about a month ago from jail, saying that Ukraine should return to its 1991 borders, which included Crimea. What to make of this while the war continues?
255
views
2
comments
Navalny: fact vs fiction, part 2 w/ Maria Ananyeva
“On the Barricades” s06e45
In this two-part release of “On the Barricades,” hosts Boyan Stanislavski and Maria Cernat speak with a pair of academics inside Russia to get at some truth about the figure so well heralded by the West, the “oppositionist” and “honest” challenger to Putin, Alexei Navalny. There’s been some backlash after the Navalny extravaganza and misportrayal went perhaps too far in the Oscar-winning documentary with his name. It’s time to get a better grip on the Russian political system as a whole and Navalny’s role in it.
In this first episode of two, we have Maria Ananyeva back with us. She is an academic and analyst living in Moscow who is able to share her critical perspective on questions such as: how popular is Navalny in Russia? How progressive is Navalny, really– does his political program go beyond mere opposition to Putin? What function does he play in the political system and society? What is his main purpose according to his backers and in relation to the current ruling regime? Maria explains some of the propaganda circulating that casts Navalny as everything from a saviour, anti-Christ, a horseman of the apocalypse, and more. Less publicized and present in the media is another, perhaps more serious voice of dissent in Russia: Murza Khan, recently jailed and who delivered a speech in the US.
177
views
1
comment
Poland is barking at Belarus while decaying in its own sauce
On the Barricades ― s06e24
💰 You can support us at https://www.patreon.com/thebarricade
🌟 Thanks so much!
Boyan Stanislavski and Maria Cernat provide an overview of news from Eastern Europe in this episode. They begin by discussing how Polish and Baltic ministers decided to issue an ultimatum to Belarus, demanding that its authorities immediately remove Wagner PMC members from Belarusian territory. Then they discuss the ultimate threat to public order in Moldova: popular Serbian singer Goran Bregovich. He was not permitted to cross the Moldovan border or perform a concert there. You see, he's far too ‘pro-Russian.’ There are also other stories, such as a Polish activist who declared that if elected as an MP, he will establish an official registry of gay people.
🚨 Twitter: https://twitter.com/_the_barricade_
🚨 Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/thebarricade
🚨 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TheBarricade:3
🚨 Spotify: http://bit.ly/Barricade_SF
🚨 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/baricada
117
views
Leaked audio: US management of Bulgaria by hand, "Ursula" and the euro
On the Barricades ― s06e02
💰 You can support us at https://www.patreon.com/thebarricade 🌟 Thanks so much!
In an attempt to organize a referendum on whether Bulgaria should join the eurozone, the Bulgarian party Revival collected hundreds of thousands of signatures. The majority of society is opposed to abandoning their local currency and has become increasingly critical of the EU in recent years. Nonetheless, the country's two most powerful parties are conspiring with the European Commission's head to rush Bulgaria into the Eurozone, ignoring all rules, regulations, and requirements.
This and other details were revealed when an audio file containing a recording of a meeting of the top body of one of Bulgaria's leading political parties was leaked to the media. We learned that the American embassy manually directs the Bulgarian political process and that top nominations in the country, such as intelligence chiefs, must be approved by it. We also discuss whether the revival party's surge will be sufficient to galvanize the populace and stop Bulgaria from becoming mince meat in the Ukrainian conflict.
🚨 Twitter: https://twitter.com/_the_barricade_
🚨 Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/thebarricade
🚨 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TheBarricade:3
🚨 Spotify: http://bit.ly/Barricade_SF
🚨 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/baricada
#Bulgaria #Ukraine #war #OtB #EasternEurope #Borissov #Petkov #Vassilev
69
views
1
comment
Bulgaria is following in the footsteps of Ukraine. How far will it go?
On the Barricades ― s06e29
💰 You can support us at https://www.patreon.com/thebarricade
🌟 Thanks so much!
While the Western public (so-called international public opinion) appears to be preoccupied with what is happening on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine, there is little mention of the context and history of the political and social processes that preceded Russia's invasion, which began last year. Ignoring those factors has allowed for ridiculous, but widely accepted, claims about why the Russian administration has decided to use military force to resolve what they consider an existential threat.
A massive campaign of historical revisionism was a major factor in the buildup to the ongoing war in Ukraine. Pathological extremism in Ukraine has been facilitated by a slew of distortions, dishonest interpretations, deliberate manipulations and misinterpretations, and outright lies. The glorification of historical figures who clearly stood behind or even led politics in spreading premeditated massive atrocities and destruction of human lives, as well as organizing brutal pogroms, began long ago in Ukraine, and this process clearly was one of the factors enabling the domination of some gruesomely dark forces over Ukraine's political, social, and cultural processes since 2014.
A similar process, in terms of both quality and quantity, is now taking place in Bulgaria. This former Third Reich ally has had dramatic moments of finally breaking free from its pro-Nazi past, a periodwhich included massive repressions, widespread dictatorial terror, and a deadly crackdown on anti-fascist organizations, political leaders, and evenartists. Despite all of the factors mentioned above, the period in Bulgaria that began in the 1920s and lasted until 1939 is now glorified, and many extremist leaders of that era, proponents of modeling the entire organization of the then Bulgarian state and society on what was introduced in the Reich, are portrayed as heroes, while anti-fascists are portrayed as gangsters and terrorists who had been attacking the state, which had to respond. This clearly is a viscous circle of manipulating history and presenting the situation in pre-WWII Bulgaria in such a contextless manner that if one is not equipped with some more in-depth knowledge of this country's history, such a person will find it very difficult to defend themselves.
Dr. Bozhin Traykov, a Bulgarian journalist and commentator, and author of an upcoming book on historical revisionism, has been invited to discuss this process now taking place in Bulgaria in a manner very similar to what we've seen in Ukraine.
🚨 Twitter: https://twitter.com/_the_barricade_
🚨 Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/thebarricade
🚨 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TheBarricade:3
🚨 Spotify: http://bit.ly/Barricade_SF
🚨 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/baricada
69
views
Julie Bindel On the Barricades
Well-known feminist activist Julie Bindel joins us on the barricades! She recently published an article that appeared translated into Romanian on our platform about a child trafficker and pimp operating in many countries, including Romania. On this occasion we discussed more about the role that members of the academic community in the US and UK in particular had in supporting this dark character.
77
views
Ridiculous Western hysteria over “fascism” in Poland and Bulgaria
“On the Barricades” s06e50
On this second release of the weekend, the hosts of “On the Barricades”, Maria Cernat and Boyan Stanislavski, turn to the political systems of Poland and Bulgaria. There is a major theme in Western coverage of the political process in these countries that operates on the premise that, yes, liberal democracy is not working as it’s supposed to here— take that Bulgaria just had its 5th round of parliamentary elections in 2 years in attempt to form an elected government — but also that somehow, the electorate of the countries is the problem in that they somehow consent to “authoritarian” or non-democratic rule. The threat of fascism is often brought up to depict the process taking place when the pro-capitalist liberal elites can’t keep their grasp on power or provide stable governance.
The question is why the so-called “democracy” fails in these countries— due to underlying historical and systemic economic, institutional failure. Why does this convince many people that there’s no point in voting? And, how do authoritarian-branded political entities— like Borisov’s GERB regime in Bulgaria or Kaczyński’s Law and Justice party in Poland, or even the unelected technocratic governments Bulgaria has seen in the last years— enjoy the popular support they do? We can make sense of these questions given a party system where parties represent competing oligarchic interests completely divorced from the people they’re supposed to serve, where the opposition is in the hands of petty elites who seem to hate the majority of the voting base, and the so-called Left sells out time and time again. From this perspective, democracy in these countries looks like a rivalry between bad and worse imposed rule— and the attitude of the voter base reflects just this.
51
views
"Approved by THE embassy". Treasonous scandal in Bulgaria ― a state manually controlled by the US
On the Barricades ― s06e01
💰 You can support us at https://www.patreon.com/thebarricade 🌟 Thanks so much!
During a recent meeting of the leadership of one of Bulgaria's leading political forces, a party called "We Continue the Change" (really!), scandalous and shocking statements were made.
One of the party's co-chairmen, Assen Vassilev, discussed how appointments to the state's intelligence and counterintelligence organizations were "our people" who had previously been "approved by THE embassy." There can be no doubt about which embassy he is referring to. Other things mentioned include the European Commission's head, Ursula von der Layen, promising to fast track Bulgaria into the eurozone while circumventing all rules and regulations. There have also been numerous other scandalous revelations.
One of the Bulgarian MPs leaked the audio file to the media last week, revealing that the meeting had been recorded. The ensuing scandal is impeding Bulgaria's (or perhapsUS embassy'sin Bulgaria)efforts to form a new government after five rounds of parliamentary elections over the past two years. In this episode, Bozhin Traykov and Arto Artinian, two Bulgarian analysts and commentators, join us for a discussion.
🚨 Twitter: https://twitter.com/_the_barricade_
🚨 Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/thebarricade
🚨 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TheBarricade:3
🚨 Spotify: http://bit.ly/Barricade_SF
🚨 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/baricada
58
views
Moldova: New Saviours from Previous Governments
“On the Barricades” s06e46
On today’s release of “On the Barricades”, host Maria Cernat invites Vitalie Sprînceană on to discuss a local perspective on the current crisis and events in Moldovan politics. Vitalie is a committed activist and founder of the media platform platzforma.md, located in Chișinău, Moldova.
Moldova was placed on the map for the international audience due to its tense geopolitical context and the war in Ukraine– especially in relation to Transnistria, which is a piece of land on the Ukraine border that’s declared autonomous from Moldova without international recognition, its population composed mainly of former soldiers in the USSR army living there since 1989. Vitalie explains the history with respect to Transnistria and the risk of its calling for “liberation” by Russia were they to capture nearby Odessa. And what is the current mood surrounding Moldova’s involvement in the war? The country initially took the stance of neutrality, but now not so much, under various changing pressures.
While Moldova has a Western-praised President Maia Sandu at its head, the likewise pro-Western technocrat-brand Prime Minster, Natalia Gavrilita, unexpectedly resigned from power in February, to be replaced by Dorin Recean. Recean is just as right-wing and involved in several scandals. The news has recently heard the name of opponent and pro-Russian oligarch Ilan Shor, who had ties to a demonstration which was said by Pres. Sandu to be a coup-attempt. Around the same time, one billion euros was stolen from the state by politicians and financial elites– an amount that would set such a small country back a decade.
Vitalie delivers a breakdown of is driving this huge recent turmoil, what is the context, and where could it lead for Moldova?
43
views
NGOs Ruin our Societies: Lessons from Sweden
Maria Cernat and Boyan Staniskavski's special guest is Tord Björk, recently elected to the board of the Institute Peace Bureau, an organization with a decades-long tradition of global peace advocacy. Tord Björk is also the coordinator of the FoE Sweden EU committee and a member of the peace committee and the farmer and indigenous committee. Tord Björk is passionate about the changes in Central and Eastern Europe and warns of the dangers facing our societies based on the lessons of the West. He shows the dangers that established NGOs dependent on elite funding are posing to democratic societies.
91
views
Remarks on the recent Polish election's insignificance (pt. 2)
On the Barricades -- s06e34
💰 You can support us at patron.com /thebarricade
🌟 Thanks so much!
Boyan Stanislavski continues his examination of the political situation in Poland following the most recent round of parliamentary elections. This time, the host of "On the Barricades" discusses democracy and whether it can be "regained" or "restored" in Poland, as many seem to believe.
🚨 Twitter:
/ _the_barricade_
🚨 Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/thebarricade
🚨 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TheBarricade:3
🚨 Spotify: http://bit.ly/Barricade_SF
🚨 SoundCloud:
/ baricada
What happened to Polish democracy?
Is Poland's democracy under threat?
Is Poland a democratic or authoritarian country?
Who exactly is Kaczyski?
What does Law and Justice party stand for?
#Poland #Kaczyński #authoritarianism #elections #Sejm #Tusk #EU #wybory2023
73
views
Polish pre-election landscape: complete irrationality and emotional abuse of the public
On the Barricades ― s06e32
💰 You can support us at https://www.patreon.com/thebarricade
🌟 Thanks so much!
Boyan Stanislavski provides some general remarks on the situation in Poland right before the elections in this episode. He mentions Donald Tusk's opposition Million Hearts March and Ukraine's recent masterclass in realpolitik for the Polish government. However, the latter is still stunned and has no intention of drawing any conclusions or lessons for the future. How is it possible that Kiev was not emotionally blackmailed and that it does not crawl in front of Warsaw in gratitude? Actually, politics are run by some very different rules than crazy emotional outbursts. Polish political culture has consistently demonstrated an inability to comprehend this.
🚨 Twitter: https://twitter.com/_the_barricade_
🚨 Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/thebarricade
🚨 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TheBarricade:3
🚨 Spotify: http://bit.ly/Barricade_SF
🚨 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/baricada
61
views
What drives right-wing populism in Eastern Europe?: part 2, Bulgaria and Poland
“On the Barricades” s06e52
This weekend we analyze the political animal dubbed right-wing populism Eastern Europe, with Romania, Bulgaria, and Poland serving as reference points. So-called right populism is on the rise– it’s in power in Poland and Hungary– and the world including the liberal intellectual establishment of these countries seem shocked by it. To the extent that this brand of politics is ideologically coherent, what is it? Does it offer anything, and is it in any sense a viable prospect given the complete void of established Left political opposition in the region? Hosts Boyan Stanislavsky and Maria Cernat discuss how the historical context of the region explains such backlash, as a reaction to the false promises of capitalist restoration. The “transition”, that was supposed to bring progress in an EU-NATO bundle, instead sacked the state resources and institutions, drove the standard of living down, and ended a relatively more stable period in the socialist republics.
In this second segment, we turn from Romania to the situation in Bulgaria and Poland, looking at the opposite pole in the dynamic of populism: the civic-intellectual vanguards, that is the NGOs and civil society established to defend those criminally accumulating capital. This layer of society failed, Boyan says, to acculturate Eastern Europe to a neoliberal agenda and “European values”, given how hard the capitalist restoration failed to deliver. In this light the reaction behind populism is a healthy rejection. But crucially, the question remains of what to do next. The neoliberal paradigm, which lead nowhere, is only capable of bemoaning the “fascists” but not of offering a better alternative. What can these populist movements and parties actually achieve, and what do they need in order to not just let their electorate down? This and more.
41
views
Remarks on the recent Polish election's insignificance (pt. 1)
💰 You can support us at patron.com /thebarricade
🌟 Thanks so much!
Boyan Stanislavski analyzes the situation in Poland following the recent round of parliamentary elections in this episode. The hype surrounding this election in Poland and elsewhere (mostly in the EU) is out of proportion. Boyan contends that, with Tusk taking over from Kaczynski, little, if anything, will change significantly in Polish politics. The host discusses the election results by referring to questions posted in our comments section on YouTube and Substack, as well as statements he came across in the media.
Boyan discusses the following topics in this first segment:
1. Poland's democratic opposition has won the elections! Is it true or false?
2. By massively attending the parliamentary election, the Polish society demonstrated enormous political engagement and responsibility. Almost 75% turnout! Is this really the case?
🚨 Twitter: https://twitter.com/_the_barricade_
🚨 Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/thebarricade
🚨 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TheBarricade:3
🚨 Spotify: http://bit.ly/Barricade_SF
🚨 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/baricada
#Poland #Tusk #Kaczynski #democracy #populism #EU
55
views
Bulgaria: a non-representative “democracy” case, part 1 w/ Bozhin Traykov
“On the Barricades” s06e47
With threat of war at its doorstep, on April 2 Bulgaria saw its fifth parliamentary election in two years. The result is much similar to the dysfunctional results of the last four: a vote iikely too fragmented across contesting parties to allow formation of a ruling coalition government. Only 40% of Bulgarians turned out to vote, one percent more than time’s record low 39%, and the bulk of votes went to two establishment blocks which so far refuse to work together and instead compete for least evil. Right-wing GERB, known as the mafia lynchpin with boorish Boiko Borisov at the head, returns to highest vote recipient, a first since the initial snap election two years ago that ended his some 12-year rule. GERB inched ahead of the conglomeration of pro-West and heavily pro-Ukraine bidders based on Democratic Bulgaria and We Continue the Change (PP) parties.
Boyan speaks to Bozhin Traykov, a political commentator, analyst, journalist and teacher in Bulgaria, to get us up to date on where this election result puts Bulgaria and how it got into this deep morass. In this first release of two, they discuss the political landscape in general, and why the mood is so disaffected among the electorate— based on the total void of credibility among the traditional or even recently-formed parties. What is the significance of this election being framed as a “civilizational choice” of whether to absolutely support the West in the Ukraine proxy war? Boyan and Bozhin explain the massive void on the Left, owing to the self-annihilation of the Bulgarian Socialist Party, which has a 100 year history but for the last 20-30 years has a record of embracing neoliberalism and imperialism. This and more.
35
views
Donald Tusk led a spectacular demonstration in Warsaw. So, what?
On the Barricades ― s06e06
💰 You can support us at https://www.patreon.com/thebarricade 🌟 Thanks so much!
The international media is in a frenzy for the fourth day in a row over the massive march of opposition forces led by Donald Tusk last Sunday (June 4). What's the big deal? Is the opposition bringing anything new to the table? Is there a change in the polls? Nothing of the sort. Kaczynski and his Law and Justice party appear to be on track to win their third parliamentary term in October. While the Polish opposition keeps repeating how Kaczynski is a 'fascist' and a 'dictator' and hurling ever more venomous insults at his supporters, the leader of Law and Justice appeals to ordinary people by demonstrating respect and affirming their dignity.
🚨 Twitter: https://twitter.com/_the_barricade_
🚨 Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/thebarricade
🚨 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TheBarricade:3
🚨 Spotify: http://bit.ly/Barricade_SF
🚨 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/baricada
#Tusk #Kaczynski #LawandJustice #EU #CivicPlatform #opposition #Poland
34
views
Remarks on the recent Polish election's insignificance (pt. 2)
On the Barricades -- s06e34
💰 You can support us at patron.com /thebarricade
🌟 Thanks so much!
Boyan Stanislavski continues his examination of the political situation in Poland following the most recent round of parliamentary elections. This time, the host of "On the Barricades" discusses democracy and whether it can be "regained" or "restored" in Poland, as many seem to believe.
🚨 Twitter: https://twitter.com/_the_barricade_
🚨 Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/thebarricade
🚨 Odysee: https://odysee.com/@TheBarricade:3
🚨 Spotify: http://bit.ly/Barricade_SF
🚨 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/baricada
What happened to Polish democracy?
Is Poland's democracy under threat?
Is Poland a democratic or authoritarian country?
Who exactly is Kaczyski?
What does Law and Justice party stand for?
#Poland #Kaczyński #authoritarianism #elections #Sejm #Tusk #EU #wybory2023
50
views
Revolutionary Feminists – Barbara Winslow comes On the Barricades!
Many of the rights we enjoy today were won through hard-fought battles. Too often we forget that real women sacrificed so that today we can enjoy freedoms that once seemed unattainable. Imagine a world where you risked sterilization if you were a black woman, where you couldn't have a card in your name, where you couldn't have a termination. It's the world in which Barbara Winslow and other feminist fighters organized to build a better world. In a commendable initiative, she wrote about these fighters who in the Seatle of the 60s, and 70s changed society from the ground up. Her work ”Revolutionary Feminists: The Women's Liberation Movement in Seattle” was published in August this year. We invited Barbara to chat with us about her book, the defeats, but most of all the victories of the women's liberation movement.
48
views
Violence and cheapened education in the capitalist school system in Romania
“On the Barricades” s06e49
Two recent incidents of teacher abuse in the Romanian school system— one on April 5 at an elite high school in Bucharest where a student stabbed a teacher who announced a test, and one on April 7 involving sexual harassment of a teacher in a rural school— are the basis of today’s discussion of structural causes for the breakdown of relations and lowering of learning conditions in the capitalist approach to public education. Hosts Maria Cernat and Boyan Stanislavski discuss the philosophy and aims of the current education system compared to that of the socialist schooling system: protecting student “freedom” and hyper-individualism vs discipline; the status of students as clients in a per-student funding model, and the issue of including (formally, versus with real state investment) of students with special needs.
23
views
Activist hysteria as measurement of reality, the case of Poland and Hungary
"On the Barricades" s06e57
Maria Cernat and Boyan Stanislavski discuss in this edition of On the Barricades a report claiming that Poland is the worst place for the LGBT community despite the fact that recent research shows that the LGBT community's acceptance in Polish society is improving. Maria Cernat then goes on to analyze the successes of Hungarian president Viktor Orban, whose prospects of winning elections grew significantly, according to a poll taken in March. The poll indicates that he would win three quarters of the parliamentary seats. Meanwhile in Hungary the police repressed a couple of thousands of protesters gathered in front of Viktor Orban's office. Maria Cernat tries to analyze the sources of Orban's success despite strikes and protests. She also makes the point that essentializing the LGBT stance the performance and success of a politician does not offer a comprehensive explanation. Moreover, linking the LGBT cause to that of security institutions and corporations of the collective West may prove a very dangerous strategy in the long run.
26
views
Tansform!europe comes on the Barricades!
We are now starting a series of interviews that are part of a larger project. We want to introduce our audience to important figures of the European left. We start with Marga Ferré, co-chair of the largest network of left-wing organisations, Transform!europe. Marga is a left-wing activist with great experience in political organising. She comes from Spain, where until recently a left-wing coalition was in power. She tells us about the difficult position of negotiating in a political coalition, the achievements and shortcomings of the governing period. It is very important for the public to understand that left-wing parties exist, govern, and often come up with measures that lead to progress for large sections of society. We need to move beyond the rhetoric that inextricably links the left with authoritarianism and this interview is one of the steps we want to take in that direction.
40
views
“I was a paid propagandist” for President Tudjman in ex-Yugoslavia: Joe Tripician
“On the Barricades” s06e53
On this weekend’s release of “On the Barricade”, host Maria Cernat invites Joe Tripician, an American Emmy-award-winning filmmaker with very interesting Balkan connections. In 1997 Joe accepted a job to write the "official" biography of the president of Croatia, Franjo Tudjman. He had to decide whether to write what the Croatian government wanted and help the president escape a war crimes indictment, or to tell the truth and become an enemy of the State. He shares his personal experience of being a paid propagandist for a Balkan war criminal– which lends some insights and reflection on the workings of the Croatian state propaganda campaign after the break-up of Yugoslavia and a bloody fratricidal war.
Joe wrote about his experiences in the book “Balkanized at Sunrise” which is soon to become a documentary, “I Was a Paid Propagandist”, linked below.
Book:
https://www.amazon.com/Balkanized-at-Sunrise-Joe-Tripician/dp/0557494516/
Documentary:
https://www.thefilmcollaborative.org/fiscalsponsorship/projects/iwasapaidpropagandist
Joe’s website
https://joetripician.com
66
views
How does a socialist planned economy work? China, Romania, Bulgaria, Part 3
“On the Barricades” s06e56
In this three-part release of this week’s “On the Barricades”, hosts Maria Cernat and Boyan Stanislavski invite back Pat Byrne, the UK-born, Brazil-based political analyst, author, and historian of the European left who is currently writing a book, “Why China will lead the world and what it could look like.”
Inspired by Maria’s article* on “Socialism with Romanian Characteristics”, a phrase lifted from China, Pat wanted to provide us with an understanding of China’s planned economy and how it works– in comparison to Romania and also Bulgaria, which we get to in part 2. How did Eastern European economies in the socialist republics balance between market and centralization pressures, and what can we learn from the experience and current reality of China? In Part 3, we get to the question of what is to be done now, to possibly bring back the advantages of the economic models of the socialist period and to not repeat the mistakes of the past? The hosts weigh in on what would be priorities for Eastern Europe in terms of fundamental change in structuring the energy sector, agriculture, the army, and in terms of geopolitical orientation?
*https://thebarricade.substack.com/p/socialism-with-romanian-characteristics
33
views
“Imperialism with social justice characteristics” and other modern-left nonsense
"On the Barricades" s06e58
In this edition of On the Barricades the hosts discuss the moral bankruptcy of the whole NGO establishment. Charity is a concept criticized in classical Marxist literature and also in books and articles from other areas of the ideological arena. Boyan Stanislavski and Maria Cernat discuss why feminism and the LGBT community should be very skeptical with regards to the power of the NGO to fundamentally change the status quo. On the contrary, serving as a feel-good medicine meant to appease a guilty conscience by the rich and as a socially responsible substance to be sprayed-on produce, charity is a strong reinforcer of the status quo. As for the activists, it is often a kiss of death in terms of their abilities to build a huge movement capable of really changing the structure of power in a society.
30
views
The Saga Of The Russian Drone And Shocking Documentary About The Romanian Army
In today's installment, we discuss the Russian drone fragments that apparently landed on Romanian soil close to the ports of Reni and Izmail which were heavily bombed by Russian artillery. We also discuss a shocking documentary by Recorder.ro about the worrying state of Romania's army beyond slogans and encouraging statements.
46
views