Peaceful protest could be seen as the hallmark of political movements in the late 20th and early 21st century, causing disruption to everyday life with mass gathering and turning the political headwind through chants, crowds and banners. From the Iraq War protests in 2003 to the Extinction Rebellion direct actions of 2019 turning the other cheek and love thy neighbour have been core tenants around a politics and respectability. The key questions is though, did they change anything? Does Capital listen to Labour without a threat?


Our guest this week is author and associate lecturer at Lund University Andreas Malm. Andreas is a prolific writer on climate change and capitalism with titles including "Fossil Capital" Corona, Climate, Chronic Emergency" and "White Skin Black Fuel". We discuss the sanitising of political and civil movements, the strategic value of property destruction for a cause and combating climate despair and fatalism.

Links
How to blow up a Pipeline
https://www.versobooks.com/books/3665-how-to-blow-up-a-pipeline

kim stanley Robinsons' Ministry for the future
https://www.waterstones.com/book/the-ministry-for-the-future/kim-stanley-robinson/9780356508832

Ende Gelaende- the climate activsts Andreas has worked with
https://www.ende-gelaende.org/en/

Shout outs
Ende Gelande- climate activists based on germany taking on lignite mining
@Ende__Gelaende

Low Carbon Homes- for supporting the retrofit Get-in Project
@lowcarbonhomes

Friends of Carrington Moss- defending local green space in Greater Manchester
@FriendsMoss


Trees not cars - Congrats on beating Manchester council on the building of a carpark
@TreesNotCars


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Keir Starmer had been enjoying a grace period. New characters gave the media new exciting things to talk about and with that came the praising of a forensic leader who could make Labour an electoral contender again. That sheen is beginning to wear off, the popular policies of Labour are not front and center anymore and there is worry on the left of the party that the radical eco socialist agenda has been put to the wayside and a return to neoliberal economics could be on the cards. So what is the policy direction of Starmers Labour? Is our new Shadow Chancellor returning to the center and will it be enough to tackle the twin crises of climate breakdown and economic inequality.

On the pod this week we are joined by James Meadway (@meadwaj). James is an economist whos' previous work includes being the chief economist at the New Economic Foundation and also advising John McDonnell. We discuss if Starmer has abandoned popular Labour economic policy, what Labour has to do to stay relevant against the pro spending Tories and how a Green New Deal has to be about more than just state control.


Shout out

Manchester Bus drivers going on strike against Go north Wests fire and rehire program.
@Unite_NorthWest

Diem25, celebrating their 5th Birthday
@DiEM_25

Prestwich environmental Forum
@PrestwichForum

Big tech workers attempting to unionise like the amazon staff in Bessemer, Alabama.
@BAmazonUnion

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.