Marxist Audio Archive

Episodes

• Canada in Crisis — who pays? | RCP Political Perspectives 2026 10.06.2026 36m

  “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.”This presentation by Joel Bergman outlines the key processes shaping the class struggle in Canada. The changing world situation, and in particular the relative decline of US Imperialism, leaves Canadian capitalism in a dead end. Mounting government debt, a looming recession, inflation, and low productivity weigh heavy on Canada's economy. Carney is stuck with an economy which is uncompetitive and which requires massive investment. In order to invest, the capitalists are demanding cuts to wages, social programs, and public spending. This will inevitably push the working class to defend against attacks on their standard of living. The road is being prepared for class battles ahead. The fault lines of capitalism are beginning to crack. This is being expressed through the rise of separatism in Alberta, renewed talk of Quebec independence, and the heating up of the Indigenous movement. Everywhere, people are looking for ideas, for answers. Canada is broken, and someone will be made to pay for the crisis. The question is, "who pays?"This presentation served as the introduction to a discussion on "Canada and the new world order", as part of the Third congress of the RCP. The discussion was based around our 2026 perspectives document (linked below), which was amended and approved by the congress.📖 Further reading:Perspectives document - Canada and the new world order (2026 Perspectives)Read more about the Congress - Third RCP Congress: A party up to the taskWatch more from the Congress🫵 Join the Revolutionary Communist Party📰Subscribe to Communist Revolution, the newspaper of the RCP▶️ YouTube📱Apple Podcasts📸 Instagram💬 X💻FacebookRecorded live in Toronto on May 16, 2026.
• Revolution in Ireland: The Legacy of James Connolly 03.06.2026 1h 4m

  "For our demands most moderate are, We only want the earth." - James Connolly, 1907James Connolly is often portrayed as simply an Irish nationalist. This couldn't be further from the truth. The leader of the Easter rising, he was a revolutionary Marxist. His study of Marx and Engels guided his fight for an Irish socialist republic, independently bringing him to similar conclusions as Lenin and the Bolsheviks. From the question of national liberation, to international socialism, and the struggle for working class unity, Connolly's legacy offers invaluable lessons for revolutionaries today.In this presentation, Ben Curry (from the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International) explains the impact of Connolly's life and ideas. Connolly's unfinished work - for an Irish socialist republic, and a socialist world - is up to us to complete. Armed with his ideas, as well as those of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Trotsky, the working class will win.This presentation was recorded live in Toronto on May 19, 2026.Further reading:James Connolly and the Easter RisingIreland: Republicanism and Revolution Buy the book!Join the Revolutionary Communist Party
• Imperialist War and Class Struggle: World Perspectives 2026 27.05.2026 44m

  The global crisis of capitalism is shaking the world order, bringing about imperialist wars, class struggle, and revolution.In this presentation, Ben Curry (from the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International) explains the processes underneath the events unfolding on the world stage. He explains that the nation state and private property relations - the very things which first helped capitalism develop - are leading it into an unprecedented crisis. Ben breaks down the direction the world is headed in, and outlines the opportunities it will present for revolutionaries in the coming period.This presentation was part of a discussion held at the Revolutionary Communist Party's Third Congress, which took place in Toronto May 16-18. Read more about the congress here.Further reading:2026 kicks off to the sound of imperialist war drums and class struggleTrump’s defeat in Iran and its worldwide consequencesAI investment prepares new attacks on the working classThe meaning of the rise of ChinaHow the global crisis is strengthening RussiaTen Theses on the 2026 Minnesota General StrikeAustralia faces “nightmare scenarios” after ruling class backs Iran WarThis presentation was recorded live in Toronto on May 16, 2026.Note: translation has been edited out for clarity.Join the Revolutionary Communist Party
• The Role of the Individual in History 29.04.2026 1h 16m

  Most textbooks and documentaries would like us to believe that all historical progress is the product of ‘Great Men and Women’ with ‘Great Ideas’, in which the masses are merely the passive recipients of charismatic, determined, and resolute individuals. Marxism is opposed to this unscientific approach.Many academic critics attempt to paint Marxism as being rigid and mechanical, accusing the theories of scientific socialism of being ‘economically deterministic’. Yet Marx never denied the importance of human agency in determining the course of history. Indeed, ‘history’, Marx stressed, is not some mystical force. There is no ‘destiny’ or ‘fate’.History is made by people. But we need to uncover the dialectical relationship between the individual (the subjective) and the great forces (the objective) that govern the movement of society and see the individual’s role in its historical context.This presentation, given by Holly Quilty, was recorded live in Montreal on April 10, 2026.Recommended readings:Adam Booth - The individual and the Marxist view of history Rob Sewell - The Decisive Role of the Individual in HistoryG.V. Plekhanov - On the Role of the Individual in HistoryJoin the Revolutionary Communist Party
• Marxism or Mutual Aid? 22.04.2026 40m

  As the crisis of capitalism deepens, millions of people are looking for a way out. This has caused many on the left to look to the ideas of mutual aid. But what is mutual aid, and can it help us end capitalism?In this video, Josie Seaton (from the Central Committee of the RCP) explains the Marxist approach to mutual aid, its historical role, and what we can do today in to build a force that will truly end capitalism.This presentation was recorded live in Toronto on April 10, 2026.Recommended readings:A communist critique of mutual aidBase-Building or Bolshevism?The class, the party and the leadership: How to organize revolutionFAQ: Marxism, Bolshevism, and Mutual AidCommunism or Mutual Aid? (Booklet)Referenced texts:Nechayev's The Revolutionary CatechismJoin the Revolutionary Communist Party
• Myths of Canadian Confederation 18.04.2026 38m

  Canada is often painted as a calm country of polite compromise. Confederation is presented as the bright, hopeful moment when this friendly land of peace, order, and good government was born.The real history is very different. Confederation was a rotten deal for the majority of people, achieved through the putting down of revolutions, the genocide of Indigenous peoples, and underpinned by ruthless oppression of francophones.In this presentation from the 2026 Montreal Marxist Winter School, Marco La Grotta (member of the RCP Executive Committee) exposes the reality of confederation, which allows us to understand the crises facing Canada today.This presentation was recorded on February 14, 2026.Suggested readings:Why would Alberta separate?What is behind Trump’s threat to annex Canada?How to abolish the monarchyWhy John A. Macdonald needed to fallNote: This presentation has been edited to remove translation. Additionally, the sound for his presentation was corrupted, and had to be salvaged from the camera audio. Please excuse the poor audio quality.
• Hugo Chávez and the Venezuelan Revolution 01.04.2026 56m

  The Venezuelan Revolution and the unprecedented upsurge of the Venezuelan people in the early 2000s was one of the most inspiring events in recent history. The oppressed masses, rallying behind Hugo Chávez, waged a heroic struggle against imperialism. They carried out vast land seizures and nationalizations, and showed that it is possible for workers to run their workplaces without bosses.But the revolution did not unseat the Venezuelan oligarchy. And now the country is in the midst of a humanitarian crisis—a fact that right-wingers and reactionaries love to point to as an example of “why socialism never works”. These events illustrate a vital lesson that all revolutionaries must grasp: a revolution cannot stop half-way. In this presentation from the 2026 Montreal Marxist Winter School, Marcus Katryniuk (member of the RCP Executive Committee) explains the revolution, and what communists today can learn from it.This presentation was recorded on February 14, 2026.Suggested readings:The Venezuelan Revolution: A Marxist PerspectivePermanent Revolution in Latin America (Buy the book)Five years on: revolutionary legacy of Hugo ChavezTrump’s escalation in the Caribbean – US imperialism attempts to reassert control over its ‘backyard’Join the Revolutionary Communist Party
• Quebec 2012: How a Student Strike Brought Down the Government 31.03.2026 54m

  In 2012, Quebec students went on a months-long strike to reverse a planned 75 per cent tuition increase. At its height, hundreds of thousands of students refused to attend class, making it one of the largest movements in Canada’s history. It ended with the fall of the provincial government and the cancellation of the tuition hike. Quebec students had fought and won.Today, post-secondary education is being cut to the bone. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced that student funding to help pay for tuition will be changed from being mostly grants to mostly loans—plunging students deeper into debt. Similar cuts have been announced, or are being threatened, in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and B.C.Given all of this, it’s no surprise that Quebec 2012 is being discussed in English Canada like never before. People want to know how this movement was built, and why was it able to win.Julien Arseneau explains the lessons of the Quebec 2012 Student Strike movement - how it was able to beat the tuition hikes, how the movement could've gone further, and what's needed today.This presentation was recorded live in Toronto on March 27, 2026.Interested in reading more? Check out our new book Lessons from the 2012 Quebec Student Strike, available here!Join the Revolutionary Communist PartySubscribe to Communist Revolution
• Are we doomed? Communism and the climate crisis 26.03.2026 50m

  The rich are killing the planet. Millions of students and youth have taken to the streets worldwide to confront this existential threat. Millions have concluded that the crisis cannot be solved without a radical break with the capitalist system. Communists call for exactly this—an end to capitalism and for building a communist society of superabundance.At the same time, many people, even self-described socialists, argue that the environmental crisis can only be addressed by reducing our consumption in order to produce less – that the solution is a “degrowth” of the economy.What do communists propose to do to solve the climate crisis? Is a reduction in the standards of living of the working class necessary? Are degrowth and socialism actually compatible?In this presentation from the 2026 Montreal Marxist Winter School, Josie Seaton (member of the RCP Central Committee) explains the Marxist solution to the climate crisis.This presentation was recorded on February 14, 2026.Suggested Readings:Climate chaos: capitalism to blameCommunism versus ‘degrowth’: How to combat the climate crisisWho is to blame for climate change: ‘consumerism’ or capitalism?The Part played by Labour in the Transition from Ape to ManSubscribe to Communist Revolution, the newspaper of the Revolutionary Communist PartyJoin the Revolutionary Communist Party ⁠
• Canada and the new world order - RCP Political Perspectives 2026 23.03.2026 1h 3m

  As Carney said in his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, “We know the old order is not coming back. We shouldn’t mourn it.” The Munich Security Conference this year also echoed this, stating: “more than 80 years after construction began, the US-led post-1945 international order is now under destruction.”But what new order will take its place? And what place will Canada take in it?In this presentation, Joel Bergman (from the Executive Committee of the Revolutionary Communist Party) lays out the political perspectives for the coming year, and how revolutionaries can fight for a new world.Recorded on March 21, 2026, at a meeting of the Central Committee of the RCP.Join the Revolutionary Communist Party here
• The Relevance of Trotsky’s Permanent Revolution 18.03.2026 35m

  Trotsky’s theory of permanent revolution is one of the most important—and most misunderstood—ideas in the theoretical arsenal of Marxism.Drawing on the experience of the 1905 Russian Revolution, Trotsky explained that the capitalists in undeveloped or colonized countries could not play a progressive role; they would be a barrier in the fight for agrarian reform, parliamentary democracy, and national independence. The leadership of the revolutions in these countries would thus fall to the working class.This perspective was brilliantly confirmed in 1917, when the Bolsheviks led the proletariat of undeveloped Russia to power, creating the world's first workers’ state. But this is not just the perspective of a century ago. With billions labouring under imperialist exploitation, it’s more relevant than ever.In this presentation from the 2026 Montreal Marxist Winter School, Joel Bergman (member of the RCP Executive Committee and host of The Class Line) explains the theory of permanent revolution, how its distortion has led to disaster, and why it is vital that revolutionaries understand it today.This presentation was recorded on February 14, 2026.Note: translation has been edited out for clarity.Join the Revolutionary Communist Party ⁠here⁠
• Reform or Revolution? 11.03.2026 1h 15m

  New left-wing figures like Zohran Mamdani in New York and Zarah Sultana in the UK are generating tremendous enthusiasm. These self-described socialists denounce capitalism and billionaires and propose bold reforms to alleviate the immediate problems of workers.These reforms can appear more realistic or practical than the messy business of revolution.Yet all over the world, capitalism is in an existential crisis. Far from granting reforms, the ruling class is ruthlessly clawing back reforms that were won in the past.So can we really reform our way to socialism? Is revolution necessary? And if so, is there any use fighting for reforms within capitalism? Finally, what should be the attitude of Communists towards these reformist figures?In this presentation from the 2026 Montreal Marxist Winter School, Josh Holroyd (member of the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International, editor of In Defence of Marxism magazine) explains the shortcomings of reform-ism, how Marxists approach reforms, and how we can fight for a successful socialist revolution.This presentation was recorded on February 15, 2026.Note: translation has been edited out for clarity.Join the Revolutionary Communist Party here
• The Real History of the 1979 Iranian Revolution 06.03.2026 51m

  As U.S. imperialism once again circles Iran with the threat of intervention, those who oppose Washington’s reach often mistake the Islamic Republic for an anti-imperialist ally. This perception is rooted in the regime’s origins in the revolution of 1979. To understand the republic’s true character, however, communists must seriously study this history and draw the correct lessons.In 1979, in one of the most inspiring revolutionary episodes of the post-war era, the hated Shah was ousted by a spontaneous mass movement that seized control of society without a pre-existing program or leadership. Yet, due to the disastrous policies of Stalinism, the revolution was betrayed in the true sense of the word; power was handed back to the ruling class, represented no longer by the monarchy, but by the supposedly "anti-imperialist" clergy.This historic tragedy offers vital lessons for revolutionaries today, highlighting the necessity of a revolutionary party, the true nature of the fight against imperialism, and the enduring relevance of the theory of permanent revolution. Recommended readings:Thirty years since the Iranian RevolutionThe Iranian RevolutionJoin the Revolutionary Communist Party here
• Minneapolis Uprising: Report from American Communists 25.02.2026 42m

  The Minneapolis general strike marked a turning point in the American class struggle. Hundreds of thousands of ordinary people have begun realizing that they cannot trust the cops, politicians or any arm of the state, and are taking matters into their own hands.This is extremely significant. The only force capable of bringing down American capitalism and imperialism — the American working class itself — has begun to move.What does this mean for communists? What is our role in this process, and how can the movement actually win?Tom Trottier, from Revolutionary Communists of America, presented on this topic at this year's Montreal Marxist Winter School. Afterwards, comrades in Minneapolis report on their activity on the ground during this historic moment.
• The Crisis of European Capitalism 18.02.2026 48m

  European capitalism is in crisis. Faced with industrial and economic decline, a deep rot within the system has been exposed. This presents massive opportunities for the workers of Europe to overthrow this decaying system. Social movements have exploded across the continent, and "anti-establishment" populist politicians are on the rise. Josh Holroyd explains the underlying processes behind all of this, and the perspectives for the coming period.Josh Holroyd is a member of the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International, and an editor of the In Defence of Marxism magazine.Get your copy hereThis presentation was recorded in Toronto on February 12, 2026, at the national headquarters of the Revolutionary Communist Party.Join the Revolutionary Communist Party here
• Hands Off Venezuela: How to Fight Imperialism 16.01.2026 36m

  On January 3, the United States bombed cities across Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Donald Trump has clearly exposed the reality of the ‘rules-based international order’, which is nothing but a fig leaf for the interests of western imperialism. This is only the beginning of a drawn out, bloody process for the masses of Venezuela and all Latin America, as Trump looks to reclaim the USA’s backyard by any means necessary.This talk, delivered by comrade Marcus from the Executive Committee of the Revolutionary Communist Party, analyses this situation, explaining how we got here. Recording on January 14, 2026Register for the Montreal Marxist Winter School here: https://www.marxist.ca/schoolJoin the Revolutionary Communist Party: https://www.marxist.ca/join
• NEW - First Episode of The Class Line out now! 15.01.2026 1m

  The first episode of our new podcast The Class Line is out now!Check it out here: tinyurl.com/5n6huxz5
• Crisis in the labour movement 19.12.2025 1h 47m

  The trade union movement faces a crisis. From mass layoffs to austerity measures and attacks in the right to strike the class struggle is back. This week, Joel is joined by Donovan Ritch to discuss the crisis facing the labour movement and what needs to be done about it. Related Article - Labour movement at a crossroadsRegister for the Montreal Marxist Winter School hereJoin the Revolutionary Communist Party here
• How to Organize Revolution 12.12.2025 37m

  2025 has been a year of revolutions and mass movements.From the "Gen Z revolutions" to the Italian general strikes for Gaza, to the "Block Everything" movement in France - the working class has shown it's capable of shaking society to the core. But in all these movements, despite tremendous bravery, nothing has fundamentally changed. The same oppressive conditions that fuelled the revolutions continue to persist, as capitalism remains intact.History shows that the spontaneous uprising of the oppressed is not enough to change society for good. What's needed is a revolutionary organization, to crystallize the experiences of the past into a program and tactics, and lead the workers to victory.This presentation was recorded at a public event organized by the University of Toronto chapter of the Revolutionary Communist Party.For more talks like this, sign up for our⁠ Montreal Marxist Winter School. This year we'll have a total of 11 inspiring presentations on Marxist theory and history, revolving around the theme of Reform or Revolution. With over 600 participants from across the country last year, this is the event for anyone serious about changing society.Get your tickets ⁠hereSubscribe ⁠to Communist Revolution⁠Join the Revolutionary Communist Party⁠
• NDP leadership race begins with a whimper 05.12.2025 1h 8m

  This week, Joel and Marco discuss the New Democratic Party leadership race and the disastrous first debate. We discuss why the party is in such dire straits to begin with and why this is representative of broader problems on the left. We explain how the crisis of capitalism is forcing some of the candidates to criticize capitalism, talk about the working class and the need for a general strike. We also go into how the party is using anti-democratic methods to exclude Yves Engler.Related Article - What the piss-poor NDP leadership debate was missingRegister for the Montreal Marxist Winter School hereJoin the Revolutionary Communist Party here