D'oh! Kapital
From the Australian Kapital Territory, Ben and Jacob (plus the occasional guest) discuss the good, the bad and the ugly of the international class struggle at home and abroad. There's usually beer involved.
In which the fellas return to a favourite topic of discussion: can the ALP be a vehicle for socialism in Australia? They're lucky to be joined by Osmond Chiu, a rigorous left-wing thinker (an endangered species) who works at Per Capita and edits Challenge Mag.
Follow Osmond @redrabbleoz on Twitter
Osmond's piece in Challenge: https://www.challengemag.org/post/a-labor-party-that-reflects-australia-s-diversity
V. G. Childe, 'How Labour Governs': https://www.marxists.org/archive/childe/how-labor-governs/index.htm
(more links to follow)
In which Ben and Jacob are joined by absolute legends Amy Haddad and Tim Dobson to wrap up the hellacious year that was 2020, examine the ways COVID19 has altered the landscape for industrial and political organising, speculate on the future of climate action and pine sweetly for the leadership of one of our all-time Loosest Aussie Blokes, one Edward Joseph McGuire.
In which Jacob and Ben chat to Canberran socialist and Chilean expat Jose Muñoz about the long skinny country's history since the Pinochet dictatorship baked neoliberalism into its constitution; the recent triumphant referendum to hold a new constitutional convention; and the radical potential of the democratic revolution which filled the streets to demand it.
In which Ben and Jacob are joined by Amy Haddad for an ACT election spectacular. We discuss the Greens' big win, Labor's (illusory?) electoral stasis, minor party shenanigans and the Canberra Liberals' big flop. This one's a goody!
In which it's election season, baby! Ben and Jacob get warmed up for next week's big ACT election episode with some idle chit chat about the concurrent elections in New Zealand and Bolivia. Did Bolivians really just "vote out fascism" as our beloved liberal columnists like to say? Will the Warm and Compassionate Jacinda finally do something about New Zealand's housing crisis?
In which, after some discussion of the impending ACT election, Melbournians' anti-lockdown protests, and the jackbooted response by Victoria Police, Ben and Jacob pare open the recent bust-up between youtuber Jordan Shanks and members of the Australian Unemployed Workers' Union.
Phillip Mendes, "From Protest to Acquiescence: Political Movements of the Unemployed" in Social Alternatives, Volume 18, No.4, October 1999, pp.44-50.
Slack Bastard on Jordies v. AUWU: https://slackbastard.anarchobase.com/?p=46800
Savannah Benson in Challenge: https://www.challengemag.org/post/power-in-a-union-why-attacking-grassroots-unions-is-against-labor-values
Closing music: The Clash - Career Opportunities (Live at Shea Stadium) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsE5NAAU39k
In which Ben and Jacob are joined once again by Matt Byrne for a deep dive into the recent branch-stacking scandal in Victoria. We talk history, factions and party organising. Consequences dissected, recent history half-remembered, and crises of faith averted: this episode's got it all.
Outro music: Skinny by Kilroy (2020) https://open.spotify.com/track/5mUBTlL1WXWZlAsJ17tPKA?si=1j9Hi8xFT2WOnEvrr-HNDQ
In which Ben takes Jacob on a rollicking ride through the militant history of Canberra's far left. Forget the pathos-mongering of Joe Cinque's Consolation - we're talking about the rumbles, the occupations and the victories from AIDEX '91 to the anti-globalisation movement.
Good news! this is the final episode recorded on Zoom with garbage microphones - from now on each episode of D'Oh! Kapital is absolutely, 100% guaranteed to increase in value (not a guarantee).
Works cited:
Luke Deer, The Parliament House Riot of 1996 - https://sa.org.au/interventions/riot.htm
Iain MacIntyre, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: the AIDEX '91 story - https://commonslibrary.org/always-look-on-the-bright-side-of-life-the-aidex-91-story/
Andy Fleming's Slackbastard - https://slackbastard.anarchobase.com/
Closing Music: Kilroy - Habitat https://open.spotify.com/track/5b7U8xZqEjhMcaR7XIP5WT?si=xdIVr3RTSmypsQ1Vvg4C9g
In which Ben and Jacob are joined from the land of moule-frites and lambic by former Secretary of ACT Labor, Matthew Byrne. They discuss the impact of COVID-19 on election campaigning and party democracy, before diving into the meanings and consequences of the now infamous 'Labor Leaks' scandal over in the UK.
Again, sorry about the poor audio quality!
Episode 1; in which Ben and Jacob chat about party democracy, and the former Australian Greens leaders' intervention in the party's recent push for one-member-one-vote leadership elections.
Sorry about the dodgy audio quality - we started recording in person with proper mics from episode 4 onwards!
Closing music: Valerio by Kilroy kilroycanberra.bandcamp.com
