On October 12, 2018, Platypus member Richard Rubin delivered a talk at New York University on what it means to be a Marxist in the 21st Century.
On this episode, Pamela Nogales, Laurie Rojas and Suzy Vogenthaler talk about the Kavanaugh hearing, his virginity and the failing Democratic Party strategy in the midterm electoral campaign. Laurie and Pamela interview Jack Devine from the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and discuss the organization's strategy and long term goals. We end by interviewing Tana Forrester, from the Socialist Party USA (SPUSA), on the need to build a mass socialist party today.
Articles for further reading:
(1) Jack Devine, "The death agony of meritocracy" in the Platypus Review 109 (September 2018)
platypus1917.org/2018/09/04/the-d…-of-meritocracy/
(2) Erin Hagood & Stephanie Gomez, "What was the Socialist Party? An interview with David McReynolds" in the Platypus Review 110 (October 2018)
platypus1917.org/2018/10/01/what-…avid-mcreynolds/
Hosted by Laurie Rojas, Pamela C. Nogales C. and Suzy V.
Held October 4, 2018 at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Panelists:
John Abbott, Senior lecturer of history at UIC
John Bachtell, Chairman of the Communist Party USA
Fred Mecklenburg, News and Letters
David Faes, Platypus / Campaign for a Socialist Party
Panel Description:
The term ‘socialism’ appears to be enjoying a resurgence of public interest - both favorably where it is self-prescribed and pejoratively where it is meant to degrade the respectability of public figures. From early 2016 at the height of Bernie Sanders's campaign for the Democratic Party nomination to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s victory over Joe Crowley in June, the term ‘socialism’ appears to be gaining some level of purchase and a whole lot of press. In many instances, ‘socialism’ is commingled with terms as varied as ‘social democratic’, ‘communist’, ‘marxist’, ‘anarchist’, etc. As such, we view this is as an opportune moment to ask, “what is socialism after all?” What do public figures mean when they identify as socialists or any one of its varied strains? What do their opponents think it means? What does it mean and what can it mean? And perhaps, most important of all, what did it mean in the past?
