The Russian Oligarchy and the “Civilization State”
Historian Jeffrey Sommers analyzes the plunder of public resources in the ‘90s and how the Putin-led state has embraced a toxic mix of religion and nationalism. Hosted by Paul Jay.
Why the Soviet Union Imploded – Jeffrey Sommers (pt 2)
The Soviet Union became dependent on easy energy sales, and consumer production stagnated, says Sommers. Gorbachev’s democratic and economic reforms supposedly meant to head towards a European style social-democracy, but instead created conditions for the rise of the oligarchs and the free for all of the ‘90s. Jeffrey Sommers joins Paul Jay on theAnalysis.news.
Why the Soviet Union Imploded – Jeffrey Sommers (pt 1)
“Terror and tyranny in the USSR arose more from war and the demands of state security services required to survive, and the paranoid politics it enabled, rather than any “inevitable” path from the socialist path taken,” writes Jeffery Sommers. He joins Paul Jay on theAnalysis.news to discuss the end of the Soviet Union.
Gorbachev Paved Way for Oligarchs – Aleksandr Buzgalin
By opposing deep democratic reforms from below, Gorbachev laid the groundwork for privatization and the looting of the 1990s. Buzgalin joins Paul Jay on theAnalysis.news.
Mini Doc: Gore Vidal’s History of the National Security State
When Julian Assange was arrested, he was holding up a copy of Paul Jay’s book, “Gore Vidal’s History of the National Security State.” This mini-documentary is the original 2005 interview with Vidal, upon which the book is based. We republish it now as a way of protesting the persecution of Assange and the threat to what’s left of press freedom in the United States.
Ellsberg on Milley, China and the Danger of Nuclear War
In a commentary, Daniel Ellsberg explains that Gen. Milley’s call to China may have prevented a near catastrophe, as happened in 1983 when the Soviet Union believed Reagan had gone mad and planned a first strike. He calls for a fundamental change in U.S. nuclear strategy.
A Conversation With Paul Jay – Pt1
Paul is interviewed by Andrew Van Wagner, and in this segment, he talks about working with Daniel Ellsberg on a documentary film based on the book Doomsday Machine.
Matt Taibbi on Reality Asserts Itself (pt2)
Matt Taibbi talks about the rise of Putin, Russia-gate, and Rachel Maddow and Russophobia in the U.S. He joins Paul Jay on theAnalysis.news
Matt Taibbi on Reality Asserts Itself pt1
In a biographical interview, Matt tells the story of how he became a left-fielder for the Uzbek and Russian baseball teams and wound up as a journalist for Rolling Stone and a best selling author. Matt Taibbi on Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay.
Military-Industrial Congressional Frauds – Lester Earnest on RAI Pt 2/5
Corporations bribed politicians—it’s legal, it’s called campaign contributions—and they funded projects the Defense Department contracted out, giving the crooks a lot of money; that’s still going strong today – says Lester Earnest, founder of the AI Lab at Stanford. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced December 26, 2018.
AI Should Improve Quality of Life, Not Make Capitalists Rich – Lester Earnest on RAI Pt 5/5
Artificial Intelligence can make the world better or be a tool for war – says Lester Earnest, founder of the Artificial Intelligence Lab at Stanford, on Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced January 4, 2019.
DOD Criterion for Success Spend all Your Money by Year-End – Lester Earnest on RAI Pt 3/5
After working on the MIT SAGE radar system and at the Joint Chiefs, Earnest concluded “it’s basically a money-making system, that’s what it’s about and has nothing to do with real defense” – Lester Earnest on Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced December 28, 2018.
Cold War Radar System a Trillion-Dollar Fraud – Lester Earnest on RAI Pt 1/5
Profit and deception drove cold-war militarization, says Lester Earnest, founder of the Artificial Intelligence Lab at Stanford; Earnest says the anti-nuclear bomber SAGE radar system never worked and carried on for 25 years – Lester Earnest on Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced December 24, 2018.
Convert Military to Green Production, or Perish – Daniel Ellsberg on RAI Pt 13/13
A massive reduction in ICBM’s and transforming the economy away from the military-industrial complex are prerequisites for our survival – says Daniel Ellsberg on Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced November 29, 2018, with Paul Jay.
A Strategy of War Crimes, Killing Civilians to Win a War – Daniel Ellsberg on RAI Pt 10/13
General Curtis LeMay, who directed the firebombing and nuclear attacks on Japan said, “War is killing people, when you kill enough of them, the other guy quits” – quotes Daniel Ellsberg on Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced November 21, 2018, with Paul Jay.
U.S. Refuses to Adopt a Nuclear Weapon No First Use Pledge – Daniel Ellsberg on RAI 7/13
Every President since Truman has used a nuclear first strike threat as leverage in U.S. foreign policy; it’s institutional insanity says Daniel Ellsberg on Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced November 12, 2018, with Paul Jay.
U.S. Planned Nuclear First Strike to Destroy Soviets and China – Daniel Ellsberg on RAI Pt 6/13
U.S. cold-war nuclear plan called for all-out attack on China, even if it was not involved in the war, says Daniel Ellsberg on Reality Itself with Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced November 9, 2018, with Paul Jay.
Why Does the West Hate Putin? – RAI with Aleksandr Buzgalin (10/12)
On Reality Asserts Itself, Prof. Aleksandr Buzgalin says the West doesn’t like Putin defying the American world order, but this does not make Russia a progressive country – with host Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced July 25, 2018.
Why is Putin so Popular When People are so Poor? – RAI with Aleksandr Buzgalin (9/12)
On Reality Asserts Itself, Prof. Aleksandr Buzgalin says under the slogans liberal democracy and market capitalism was delivered chaos and crime; Putin stands for traditional Russian values and culture, social order and making Russia great again – with host Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced July 23, 2018.
Is Putin’s Rule a Dictatorship? – RAI with Aleksandr Buzgalin (8/12)
On Reality Asserts Itself, Prof. Aleksandr Buzgalin says while Putin heads a powerful state, this is not a system of one man rule; more than 100 billionaires and a stratum of top bureaucrats have political power – with host Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced July 22, 2018.
Putin is Anointed King, but Big Capital has the Real Power – RAI with Aleksandr Buzgalin (7/12)
On Reality Asserts Itself, Prof. Aleksandr Buzgalin says after the chaotic ‘90s, the Russian oligarchs needed a stronger central state to defend their class interests, but Putin’s individual power should not be exaggerated – with host Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced July 20, 2018.
Shock Without the Therapy: A New Russia is Born in Chaos and Plunder – RAI with Aleksandr Buzgalin (6/12)
On Reality Asserts Itself, Prof. Aleksandr Buzgalin says the collapse of the Soviet Union was followed by the rise of billionaire oligarchs as the “free market” led to the impoverishment of the people – with host Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced July 19, 2018.
I Returned from Vacation to Find the Soviet Union had Collapsed – RAI with Aleksandr Buzgalin (5/12)
On Reality Asserts Itself, Prof. Aleksandr Buzgalin says that he returned from a vacation in the countryside to find Gorbachev was arrested, Yeltsin was leader and the Soviet Union was no more – with host Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced July 16, 2018.
Turning Power into Money, the End of the Soviet Union – RAI with Aleksandr Buzgalin (4/12)
On Reality Asserts Itself, Prof. Aleksandr Buzgalin says that many Communist Party leaders supported Gorbachev’s perestroika reforms, but what they really wanted, was to drop restrictions on accumulating great wealth – with host Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced July 15, 2018.
Communism and Consumerism – RAI with Aleksandr Buzgalin (3/12)
On Reality Asserts Itself, Prof. Aleksandr Buzgalin says that “market fetishism”, the hunger for commodities, became a major obstacle to building socialism – with host Paul Jay. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced July 13, 2018.
Success and Mutation in the Soviet Union – RAI with Aleksandr Buzgalin (2/12)
On Reality Asserts Itself, Prof. Aleksandr Buzgalin says the threat of European fascism propelled the militarization and bureaucratization of the USSR. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced July 12, 2018.
Growing Up in the U.S.S.R. – RAI with Aleksandr Buzgalin (1/12)
Prof. Aleksandr Buzgalin joins Paul Jay on Reality Asserts Itself; born two years after the death of Stalin, he talks about growing up in the Soviet Union. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced July 11, 2018.
Plundering Our Freedom with Abandon – Robert Scheer (pt 1/10)
On Reality Asserts Itself, Robert Scheer talks about democracy, journalism, and his new book, “They Know Everything About You: How Data-Collecting Corporations and Snooping Government Agencies Are Destroying Democracy”. This interview was originally published on June 9, 2015.
Racing to a Dead End – Heiner Flassbeck on Reality Asserts Itself Pt 2/5
Mr. Flassbeck, former head of UNCTAD, says current economic policy is heading back to the 1930s, a race to the bottom, they have no solution at all, we will end up again in trade wars or other wars. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced July 29, 2014, with Paul Jay.
Kennedy Was A Cold War Warrior to the Core – Glen Ford on Reality Asserts Itself Pt 5/5
On this episode of Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay, Glen Ford says there is no evidence that Kennedy differed from other U.S. presidents in striving for global hegemony. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced November 23, 2013, with Paul Jay.
Questioning the Underlying Structures of Property and Power is Off the Table – Vijay Prashad Pt 2/4
In part two of Reality Asserts Itself, Paul Jay and Vijay Prashad discuss the limits imposed on questioning the roots of inequality and how those who own the majority of property set the terms for everyone else. This is an episode of Reality Asserts Itself, produced August 8, 2013, with Paul Jay.