Red Star Over the Third World w/ Vijay Prashad: Lessons of Soviet History, Part 2 

So glad to see Vijay back! Vijay is the new Michael Parenti!! ❤️❤️

So happy to see Vijay back so soon. Cant get enough of his talks

Everyone needs to read 'Washington Bullets' by Vijay Prashad too. Small book but so packed with information about why the world is as unfair as it is today.

My admiration for Prof Prashad cumulates every time I hear him speak. I am most moved by his simple compassion and empathy for other humans.

Fantastic episode. Vijay is amazing! Keep it up 💯

Love Vijay ❤️🙏🏽 great episode!!

Coming from a family of socialists and having lived the first 15 years of my life in a socialist economy, there is a lot that can be said about the successes of that economy and society then the failures. My home country, not USSR, is an interesting case study of socialist economy and how much was achieved in the short spin of 45 years only. Now, despite the “growth” trends of our GDP shown by the EU, my home country is just a ghost of the economy that was used to be before.

It's so nice seeing REAL socialists/communists talking!!! I am so alone here in New Zealand.... :(

My favorite scholar!

The USA hosts over 2.5 million children without a home. When Regan was questioned about the level of homelessness, he replied 'They have freedom of choice'. The USA is also the home of 25% of the world's prison population but only 5% of the world's population. What does all this mean? Simple, the Yankee way of dealing with poverty and homelessness is imprisonment.

Loving this USSR series.

The flow of wealth from the 3 rd. World to the Capitalist block defeated the International.

This is a great episode, thanks!

Dropping much KNOWLEDGE!! Thank you

The Socialist Program needs more Vijay !

Much love for This program and Vijay Prashad from a mexican in one of the heartlands of the Mexican Revolution. Fantastic conversation, thank you for what you do. Viva la Revolución en todas las tierras del mundo!

I'm loving this series so far!

I feel like I needed to hear this.

I'm learning so much from this. Wow

If nothing else, the October Revolution brought us the new China, which I will argue is the single most significant geopolitical event of the world since 1945.

I'm Chinese. I'm a Christian. And I want to declare it loud and proud - I'm also a Communist. Why? 'Cuz "Socialism is Humanity". Amen.

THE REVOLUTION IN IRAN WAS 1906. THE FIRST CONSTITUTION REVOLUTION IN M.E. AND ASIAN REVOLUTION. I AM A IRANIAN COUMMINST. LOVE YOUR PROGRAM!!!!!!!!!.....

Love Vijay

Amazing conversation!

Seriously, I've never heard of a lot of this! I had no idea about it. We really need some good socialist history, especially of a kind that takes seriously the realities of material conditions. I've heard many third world Marxists hammer this point in frustration because comfortable Westerners never seem to appreciate just what kind of stark, hard choices have to be made from a position of poverty and deprivation. Hell, sometimes it even seems like Westerners think revolution and war can be made genteel somehow, as if they aren't the bloody, chaotic, uncertain things that they are. I think Domenico Losurdo has a book that touches on this about a trend in recent historiography in which the idea of revolution is being sworn off as the cause of all evil. I can see how third world Marxists can get tired of this obsession with purity when the status quo is already terrible. Even well-meaning Marxists can undermine the possibility of amelioration because they don't want to risk doing the wrong thing. It paralyzes them into inactivity and uselessness. Am I making sense, or am I just blowing smoke out of my ass?

Really interesting topic. Mind opening explanation for us who were with a perception as socialism was a system led by violent personalities.

Brian fills in ever so mildly but surely which makes the discussion so enriching.So historically materialist.Vijay speaks with the felicity born out of knowledge,research and passion put into action in the real world.Indeed we are born as a species.It takes a long struggle to become human.Vencemeros !

Excellent dialogue, between two dedicated and clear thinkers. Great sincere vibes

Love this guy, could listen to Vijay for hours.

Thank you for your explanations. #NoMore

Dear Breakthrough News comrades, please include in the video description, the links to the other 2 episodes of this USSR series.

Vijay , you are the best !!! .

I'm impressed by these 2.Brian Becker? Vijay Prasad.

Vijay Prashad and the guys at BT News are some of the best one can get for enlightenment.

I learned a lot from Vijay his knowledge is spot on. He doesn't sugar coat anything about socialism that it's not a walk in the park.

Yaaaas I've been waiting for this! Thank you so much. I appreciate you all

I have watched Break Through News grow phenomenally. Just 2 years ago, it had about 34,000 subscribers. Now its over half a million. This reflects the quality of its discussions. This really is a University of Ideas.

❤ Vijay Prashad and Brian Becker! Can it get better. Shut up and learn. 😊❤

Vijay is great as always!

Please do an entire 1 hour and interview on the White Terror and the post-war history of Taiwan.

Thanks again Brian Becker as one of my favourite news caster for Vijay Prashad experienced Analysis on US overthrow government all over the world.

Excellent, informative, intelligent presentation. Thank you.

Fantastic!!

Such a valuable conversation. But very few Americans will listen to it no matter how conveniently it is offered to them. We are too far gone in extremism to listen to anything outside our own echo.

god damn this is excellent

Loving this series. Breakthrough is on the rise!

I see Vijay I just click play

Vijay is such a great coommunicator and educator! Thank you for platforming him! Awesome work all around, i learned much. Thanks and cheers.

Great show. Thanks from here in Australia.

Vijay have best observation and clearly explain。He must be reading lots of books and he is able to absolve it。hat of to you

Awesome talk. Thanks!

Profound sights ! Thank You

Thank you for this information

Great awareness and enlightenment. Thanks

Great episode!!!

Great talk

Amazing talk

This is for the algorithm.

Great video! Thank you for your work.

I F ing love the results ❤

​comrade lefty should have more conversation regarding the UUSR, china and others' socialism and their great achievement and their struggle and barriers which has been imposed by capitalism, and imperialism. This is the only way lefty can wash out all the rubbish and garbages which has been piled up and capture their people"s minds by the capitalist system and their media. Knowledge is a tool to succeed and pave the road for a socialist system.

This episode is beyond inspiring. Recalling the enormity of the Soviet achievement, I am actually experiencing chills of awe. I had the extreme good fortune to visit the Soviet Union in 1982. Within days, I fell in love with the country, despite decades of Cold War indoctrination in the U.S. -- and 41 years later, I'm still in love. The Soviet Union was not Utopia: In a way, it was the negation of Utopianism and the creation of a shockingly human society. Vijay Prashad has it exactly right: Communism means human-centric. I wonder how Vijay Prashad and Brian Becker have acquired such detailed knowledge of the history of the communist struggle -- not just knowledge but sensitivity and empathy. I see that living in the U.S. is living in intellectual darkness. Yes, indeed, the October Revolution opened wide a gateway to another world, a gateway that was kept open with a titanic struggle, a gateway that is once again opening, over a hundred years later. In Apr 1945, Churchill came up with "Operation Unthinkable" -- enlisting captured Nazi battalions in a war against the Soviet Union. Then, in the fall of 1945, the U.S. drew up JIC-329, a plan that called for dropping a-bombs on 20 Soviet cities, with a projected death toll of 12 million. After Dresden and Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Stalin knew that JIC-329 and the subsequent plans were not idle threats. This may be why Stalin threw cold water on a new revolutionary struggle in Europe, a struggle with no guarantee of successs: He did not want a repeat of the earlier debacle in Germany in 1919, and he did not want to push the U.S. rulers over the atomic brink. And this may be why Putin, 75 years later, has reined in the 24 Feb 2022 intervention. Slow or fast, it doesn't matter, because communism is driven by necessity. It's not something people choose. Sooner or later, the seed finds a way to break through the asphalt. That's a lesson IZrael is now learning. Bravo, bravo, bravo! I had some of those precious Progress Press publications. They were a labor of love.

Solidarity forever ✊

These two know. Thank you Vijay and Brian.

This video should be mandatory for high school curriculum just like vaccination. Thank you

You guys are so awesome, thankyou

such an amazing interview deserves definetly more views. sadly i have no one to share this with

I read this book by Vijay year ago. It was excellent; just wish it was longer.

thank you for this.

This channel is great!

if someone couldt split these videos to small parts they would go huge

❤❤❤

I have long been listening to many smart Indian intellecrual. Vijay has it all and inspires more than less.

I love listening to and reading Vijay Prashad. But it would be wonderful to find a truly balanced history of the U.S.S.R. and the revolution. Prashad makes excellent points about the incredible achievements of the Soviet project left out in the bombardment of U.S. propaganda and western - and internal - hostilities. The profound influence on cultures oppressed by colonialism. (Not to mention, the indispensable role that Russia played in WWII and the staggering losses suffered). But he doesn't seem to acknowledge the horrors of Stalin's purges, the gulags, the K.G.B.'s torture, and so on. The entire history is far too complex for only taking sides. As a sidenote, it's still relevant - for all that has changed since China adopted a hybrid economy in the 1980's - that in 1949 when Mao said "China has stood up", in Washington the common lament was "We 'lost' China". America has wanted control of China since WWII. The U.S.A. wanted neocolonial dominance, then, eventually, economic exploitation, and now that China is an emerging economic giant we want to militarily bully them.

Respectfully appreciative of your meticulous analyses of the global socialism historical fast-tract exploits and critical challenges from 1917 to date! Each of your clips is an interesting if highly educative history lesson. Patiently yearning for more of your top class videos!

How can i find Part ONE -?? This is great - Vijay always is!! Love him truly!! Elizabeth (91)

1965 The Jakarta Method

Excellent conversation! I, ME, & MINE constitute the drive for individual survival. When human consciousness can gain appreciation for WE, WE ARE, WE HAVE we can share, cooperate, engage humility, respect, equality & learn that we can thrive together while ALSO retaining our unique individuality. It is a constant struggle within oneself, for those who wish to engage in this struggle. Each of us especially in capitalist culture is constantly beset with the seeming imperative of "looking out for #1" (me) at the expense of everyone else.

The USSR from start relied on the development of science and technology. During the Civil War in 1918-1920, about 50 research institutes were created. In 1920, in less than one year, the government of the RSFSR under the leadership of V.I. Lenin developed a long-term plan for the electrification of the country, GOERLO, which was completed in 10 years.

No Marshall plan for the Soviets,their economy was war ravaged and look what they did.Look what they did, amazing.

awesome

This is sublime! And I have hardly started looking. Tried to like several times but it felt futile after a while. Alienating.

For fuck sake I love this man

This is full of wonderful content!! An insightful expose of critical Marxism!!

this comment section is simply awesome. Have a good day everyone

Cultural and language diversity seems to be a thing, the Chinese have kept from the USSR. Something fascist capitalist countries always aim to stamp out. Along with near universal ignorance of the captured colonial possessions. The more I learn the more militant I get, against capitalist imperialism. I also get more intolerant of capitalist imperialism.

WELL DONE !!!!!!! TO YOU BOOTH!!!!!!!!! LOVE RESPECT FROM A ANCIENT CULTURED CIVILIZED LAND OF THE PERSIANS!!!!!!!! IRAN!!!!!!!! IRANIAN COUMMINST.

William J. Duiker said that Ho Chi Minh was at the Comintern as a token Asain, to make the Comintern appear international. The level of pessimism in this sentiment is overwhelming. Glad Vijay is providing this perspective.

The Resurrection captivated me when I read it.

Woodrow Wilson an anti-colonialist? Unlike the USSR’s govt, Wilson was very racist, supporting the KKK, and their film “Birth of a Nation”, for example.

Thank you for such an interesting discussion. The book and talk are very illuminating. I wonder if anyone - be it Brian Becker or Vijay Prashad or anyone seeing the comments -might know or have evidence and / or literature they can refer us to regarding the USSR "invasion" of Afghanistan in 1979. People argue that the economic and "imperialism" (?) motives led to terrible atrocities there and this demonstrates quite a different picture of the USSR than is discussed in the video. I recall several sources from the past arguing that the USSR was interested in building a pipeline through Afghanistan to Iraq oil fields - and for example, here is a source critical of the USSR and its motives. Is this a correct or incorrect view of the USSR's motives? Did they see it as fighting the imperialism of the US? I thank anyone for your attention.

Thanks for pointing out, Brian, that the USSR was competing in a hostile environment. To expand that title a little, the environment was one of the western world against USSR. they couldnt trade with the west and the remaining regions/ markets were very poor or devastated by war and the great depression. The USSR had a massive job ahead of it after it lost 30,000,000 in the WW2, whereas the west lost that much again but over a much greater population. The equivalent outcome in the west under the same circumstances would have been catastrophic for the working people.

It takes a lot of work and planning to set up the statistical miracle, comrades! The struggle continues! 🤘😅

I liked the example with Alex Tsipras and Varoufakis in Greece . I remember also the Greek referendum were vote NO won but Tsipras didn't accept the peoples choice Then came division and Ianis Varoufakis left the SYRIZA party Finally banks won in Greece ...the years after SYRIZA did well governing the country but no major social changes and Greece is still left behind in many areas ...economy , education , industry and new technologies Last 2 years with Nea Dimokratia things are worst ...many scandals and back stepping SYRIZA will win next elections because people are fed up in Greece but I don't feel that SYRIZA and Alex Tsipras will make the breakthrough that Greek society wants and needs

🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻❤️❤️❤️💕💕💕

I can't find part 1

Where is the first part to this???

The left needs to establish shadow governments at every level, citizen councils that govern in place of the existing governments. This not only shows how the left socialist perspective is differs from the establishment's perspective; it also develops alternative structures that can be deployed when the current system collapses.

Vijay? Shit is hype!

I like your title of this vid. Your going to find out what it really means