Sure China has billionaires, a strictly enforced class system, State Owned Enterprises that are evaluated on stock market performance, private property, wage labor and commodity production but is it REALLY capitalism guysReading: Red Dust (2019) by Chuang.Send us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https:/…

In which we regain our lost optimism.Reading: Peace for our Time (2025) by Critisticuffs, The American Sulla (2025) by Edith Fischer and Notes on the War (2025) by Jack ConradSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/273xScQKBy Jack & Dan

In which we inaugurate the Chantal Mouffe era of the show.Reading: Neither Vertical Nor Horizontal (2021) by Rodrigo NunesSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/EAHjv96UBy Jack & Dan

Alright, this time we're really gonna figure out what dialectics is.Reading: Dialectical Thinking and Science: The Case of Richard Lewontin, Dialectical Biologist (2020) by Pierfrancesco BiasettiSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/FUpZKFE3…

How do you do communal politics in an individualized, atomized world? How do you do individualism in a communal world?Reading: Antiindividualistic Individuality: Anarchism's Legacy (the early 1990s) by Gabriel KuhnSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: discord.gg/CD8wXpzc…

In which the Austrians do antifascism by definitely not recreating any fascist aesthetics.Reading: Antifascism, Sports, Sobriety: Forging a Militant Working-Class Culture (2016) by Gabriel Kuhn & Julius DeutschSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/CD8wXpzc…

Well after a month of being locked out of our Soundcloud account we're finally back in our social democracy era.Reading: Reform or Revolution? (1908) by Rosa LuxemburgSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/arZSSVw6By Jack & Dan

In which we try to get past our kneejerk sect bashing.Reading: "There are Parties and Then There are Parties" by Archie Woodrow, "Why a Party and What Sort?" by Mike Macnair and "The Communist Party, Yesterday and Tomorrow" by Lawrence Parker (all 2024) from Prometheus, available here: https://prometheusjournal.org/Send us a question, comment or va…

In which we encounter the unknowable concept of the S P H E R E.Reading: The Logic of Gender (2013) from Endnotes 3 by Maya Gonzalez and Jeanne Neton.Send us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/4r47b7UFBy Jack & Dan

*banging head against the wall* POLITICALCAPITALISMTECHNONEOFEUDALISMNEOLIBERALISMReading: Seven Theses on American Politics (2022) by Robert Brenner & Dylan RileySend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/G22EcdhRBy Jack & Dan

SKIP THE ELECTION BANTER: 27:47In which we sneak into an academic conference and stick out like two sore thumbs.Reading: Nothin'INDEP network: https://www.indep.network/Send us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/vC5r2MmABy Jack & Dan

Lousy workers! Why won't you do industrial unionism?!Reading: Riot. Strike. Riot by Joshua CloverSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/4zW4DsM9By Jack & Dan

Just how bad is the looming global population decline going to be for capitalism? Will it be able to AI its way out of the productivity losses? More importantly, what does this mean for my own political project? Reading: After the Wave, Winter: Demographic Decline and the "Production of Men" in the Twenty-First Century by Jason E. Smithhttps://broo…

Six months later, we come to the end.Chapter discussion timestamps:CLOUDS UNFOLD 8:26A COLD AND FROSTY MORNING 16:57ROUND THE BEND 33:53BURNING GOLD 1:01:18THE RAFTERS AND THE BEAMS 1:16:41THE STEPS OF ALL SAINTS 1:38:01EATING FLOWERS 1:54:30CORNERED 2:14:35THE ROOD IN THE WALL 2:27:01THE JOLLY SMOKERS 2:39:04GO SEE NOW THIS CURSED WOMAN 2:50:29CHA…

Back on our value theory bs - this week we discuss just what it is that makes a society socialist and what makes it capitalist. Is it all just vibes??Reading: The Capitalist Nature of the "Socialist" Countries (1986) by L.L MenSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/d3rRXNEb…

We're back and talking pancakes bay-bee.Reading: Anton Pannekoek and the Theory of the Transition (1990) by Bob ShepardSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/pMFhHCvrBy Jack & Dan

In which we record live from an orgone accumulator.Reading: Society and Mind in Marxian Philosophy (1937) and Marxism and Psychology (1938) by Anton PannekoekSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/Vs6CG8etBy Jack & Dan

In which we finally finish this book and talk productive labor, production price and yeah I don't know a lot more I'm too tired to write this caption.Reading: Essays on Marx's Theory of Value, Chapters 17-19 (1923) by I. I. RubinSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/6QVe5kbp…

In which we finally stop joking about reading Lenin and actually do it.Reading: The State and Revolution (1917) by Vladimir LeninSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/QScuasDHBy Jack & Dan

Is Marxism science? Is science Marxism? Is the strategy of patience all it's cracked up to be? What about all this riot business? All these questions and more answered by the podcast's second ever repeat guest, Viv Soni as we discuss his recent essay in the journal The Black Lamp.Reading: High priests of telescopes and cyclotrons: Marxism and revol…

Abstract labor eh? Seems like a simple enough concept.Reading: Essays on Marx's Theory of Value, Chapters 12-16 (1923) by I. I. RubinSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/c7QwVz26By Jack & Dan

In which we have a look back at what hasn't worked, and why it will continue to not work.Reading: Reflections on the Economics of Socialism (2022) by Nick RogersSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/daKyRFAWBy Jack & Dan

Well this just keeps getting better. In this episode, Jack pretends he knows anything about occultism.Reading: Book Two: Mansoul from Jerusalem (2016) by Alan MooreChapter discussion timestamps:UPSTAIRS 9:07AN ASMODEUS FLIGHT 19:12RABBITS 39:00THE SCARLET WELL 48:23FLATLAND 59:55MENTAL FIGHTS 1:14:38SLEEPLESS SWORDS 1:25:50MALIGNANT, REFRACTORY SPI…

In which we theorize the potential for a protracted people's war in the outer suburbs of Miami.Reading: Philosophy of the Urban Guerrilla, Section III - What Can Be Done? (1973) by Abraham GuillénSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/xUqsPs24…

Back on the value theory grind...Reading: Essays on Marx's Theory of Value, Section Two - Marx's Labor Theory of Value, Chapters 8-11 (1923) by I. I. RubinSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/fDdf6qkxBy Jack & Dan

In which recently departed podcast favorite Loren Goldner discusses the immense promises and successes of the anarchists in Spain, as well as their eventual (and perhaps inevitable) defeat.Reading: "The Spanish revolution, past and future: grandeur and poverty of anarchism; how the working class takes over (or doesn't), then and now" from Revolutio…

Well here it is, the episode no one asked for. A three hour plunge into the first section of Alan Moore's masterpiece Jerusalem.Reading: Prelude "A Work in Progress" & Book One: The Boroughs from Jerusalem (2016) by Alan MooreChapter discussion timestamps:Prelude - 12:03A Host of Angles - 36:00ASBOs of Desire - 50:48Rough Sleepers - 1:14:10X Marks …

Value theory?? On auxiliary statements???Reading: Essays on Marx's Theory of Value, Section One - Marx's Theory of Commodity Fetishism (1923) by I. I. RubinSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: discord.gg/YkEg2XadBy Jack & Dan

Back on our ultra-left bs. If we don't read some Lenin soon, people will begin to talk...Reading: Hinterland (2018) by Phil A. NeelSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/YkEg2XadBy Jack & Dan

In an effort to understand the philosophy of technology and our relationship to it as humans, we turn to a 60 year old essay by Murray Bookchin.Reading: Towards a Liberatory Technology (1965) by Murray BookchinSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/YpmDM5Sd…

We finally decided it would be best if we solved quantum mechanics. Big thanks to Viv for coming on and helping us out. Find his work at The Black Lamp: www.black-lamp.comReading: The Crisis in Physics (1937) by Christopher CaudwellSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/gGh5Xe8k…

This episode we a classic Moishe Postone essay in an attempt to further our understanding of the abstract domination of capital, and how misunderstandings of it tend to very often manifest themselves in violent and unspeakable ways.Reading: "Anti-semitism and National Socialism" (1980) by Moishe PostoneSend us a question, comment or valid concern: …

Auxiliary Statements is back to reading Capital?!? Well, just the last section. We had to go back to our origin of capitalism bugbear sometime, after all. And maybe we should have just read this first.Reading: Capital, Section 8: The So-Called Primitive Accumulation (1867) by Karl MarxSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatement…

Well folks, here it is. Our big value theory episode. In this ep we discuss what it is that most people get wrong about value theory, and why using the David Harvey companion may not be the best idea for first time readers of Capital.Huge thanks to Mark again for coming on and setting us straight.Reading: A Companion to David Harvey's Companion to …

If you aren't sure what family abolition means...you are not alone. In fact, its meaning has changed drastically over the course of capitalism's development. So what could it mean today?Reading: "To Abolish the Family" (2018) by M.E. O'Brien from endnotes 5https://endnotes.org.uk/articles/to-abolish-the-family.pdfSend us a question, comment or vali…

Well we held off as long as we could, but we're back to discussing transition debate stuff. This time we attempt to take on Japan's unique path to capitalism and its equally unique brand of "feudalism."Reading: "Japanese Feudalism" from Lineages of the Absolutist State (1974) by Perry Anderson and "The Prussia of the East?"(1991) by Perry AndersonS…

That's right dear listener, we've somehow actually made it to 100 episodes. From those articles in Tribune & Jacobin in episode two, to reading the man himself, it's safe to say we've come a long way. For this special episode, we returned to Marx's Critique of the Gotha Program with fresh perspectives. Strap in, because this is one of our longest e…

Emancipatory religion rooted in proto-communism? Heh. Sorry bub. Don't you know I'm an......atheist???Reading: "Religion and Politics Today From a Marxian Perspective" (2008) by Gilbert AchcarSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/MWPap7xJ…

Well it's probably about time we approached the question of what role the exploitation and appropriation of African labor both before and during colonization played in the development of capitalism. Turns out, it was quite a large one. Reading: Chapters 3-5 from How Europe Underdeveloped Africa (1972) by Walter RodneySend us a question, comment or …

Unfortunately, we are back to discussing Althusser.Critisticuffs piece (specifically That Economy section): https://critisticuffs.org/texts/fantastic-thoughts-and-where-to-find-themGegenstandpunkt piece: https://en.gegenstandpunkt.com/books/work-and-wealth-2nd-revised-editionReading: The Problem of the Capitalist State by Nicos Poulantzas (1969) an…

In which two non-scientists discuss agricultural research and the philosophy of science.Reading: Chapters 8-11 of The Dialectical Biologist (1985) by Richard Lewontin and Richard LevinsSend us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/KQGJNY3GBy Jack & Dan

Wait wait wait - you're telling me some proles are getting bourgeois-ified?!?? And some bourgeois are getting aristocratizied?!!???Reading: "The Bourgeois(ie) as Concept and Reality" (1988) by Immanuel Wallerstein Send us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/XaTRvyGZ…

SURELY no self-proclaimed socialist would be out here defending reactionary despots and the regimes they uphold right?? SURELY THERE HAVE NEVER been communists that would have supported the commie killing, anti socialist Turkish developmental regime right?! Not any of our favorite historical figures right? Right?!?Reading: "'Socialism in One Countr…

This week we tackle the for some reason controversial topic of economic degrowth. Should we be shrinking our economies to match utility based production? Or should we just end the world? A very tricky question to ponder indeed.Send us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comReading: "Planned Degrowth" by John Bellamy F…

Somehow, we're back to the communizers. What makes the common prole decide revolution is the best course of action? And what can mae the long awaited (and first ever) communist revolution actually stick? I don't know. Something about the prisoner's dilemma I guess.Send us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comReading…

This week, Dan and Jack discuss indigenous philosophy in an attempt to answer the question of what we can learn from pre-capitalist societies. Say goodbye to your teleological Marxism, friends. Send us a question, comment or valid concern: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comReading: Karl Marx and Radical Indigenous Critiques of Capitalism (2022) by No…

In which the fellas do their best to plod through the history of the transition from the Imperial Chinese tributary mode to the socialist developmental regime of the CCP.Send us an email: auxiliarystatements(at)gmail.comDISCORD: https://discord.gg/BXgVXqTpLINKTREE: linktr.ee/AuxiliaryStatementsPodcast…

We are back at this systems theory business attempting to answer the question of just how we can de-alienate our workplaces. Last week a listener named Roger reached out with some of the ideas he's come across in researching democratic workplace systems. He sent us some critiques of the VSM as well as the essays linked below and we figured how bett…

Well here we go reading entirely unnecessary accounts of century-old communist strategy again. What is democratic centralism? Whatever you want it to be, baby.Reading: Party Organization in Lenin’s Comintern (2020) by John Riddell https://johnriddell.com/2020/11/08/party-organization-in-lenins-comintern/DISCORD: https://discord.gg/wMYg8TWhWuLINKTRE…

Link to full essay & much, much more: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CtzmDZk0j1jeoygovUndoI7sZJ7pZg3U?usp=sharingA few months ago a listener of ours named Will sent us this essay on how we can begin thinking about planned, sustainable food systems. It blew both of us away so, will his permission, we're going to be releasing a recording of …