People's History of Ideas Podcast
In this podcast, Matthew Rothwell, author of Transpacific Revolutionaries: The Chinese Revolution in Latin America, explores the global history of ideas related to rebellion and revolution. The main focus of this podcast for the near future will be on the history of the Chinese Revolution, going all the way back to its roots in the initial Chinese reactions to British imperialism during the Opium War of 1839-1842, and then following the development of the revolution and many of the ideas that were products of the revolution through to their transnational diffusion in the late 20th century.
- Update frequency
- every 9 days
- Average duration
- 27 minutes
- Episodes
- 128
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
Land Revolution and Communist Party Growth: The High Tide of the Jinggangshan Base Area (Summer 1928)
In the wake of their military victories in late Spring 1928, the Communists carried out a major land redistribution and a mass recruitment drive. There were some unforeseen complications.
Further read…
Beating Back Suppression Campaigns and Expanding the Jinggangshan Base Area (May to June 1928)
Mao Zedong and Zhu De learn warfare through warfare as they face continuing onslaughts from Guomindang forces.
Further reading/watching:
Stephen Averill, Revolution in the Highlands: China’s Jinggangsh…
The Jinggangshan Junction of Forces: Mao Zedong and Zhu De Unite (April to May 1928)
The unification of Mao Zedong’s and Zhu De’s forces. Some discussion of the problems involved in unifying the Communist armed forces.
Further reading:
Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times …
The Wages of Revolution: Life Underground in Shanghai in the Late 1920s (Part 3)
Discussing pay for professional revolutionaries, the role of servants in the lives of Communist leaders, and the Comintern in Shanghai.
Further reading:
Patricia Stranahan, Underground: The Shanghai Co…
Friendship, Compartmentalization, and Assassination Squads: Life Underground in Shanghai in the Late 1920s (Part 2)
How did the Communist Party try to protect itself in Shanghai? We discuss the compartmentalized party organization and the creation of the Special Services Division.
Further reading:
Patricia Stranahan…
Life Underground in Shanghai in the Late 1920s (Part 1)
The Communist Party Center remained underground in the dangerous city of Shanghai during the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Further reading/watching:
Patricia Stranahan, Underground: The Shanghai Communis…
Mao’s (Temporary) Expulsion from the Communist Party and the Collapse of the South Hunan Uprising (March and April 1928)
The Party Center puts the South Hunan Special Committee in charge of the Jinggangshan, and the contrast between the strategies advocated by Mao and the Party Center are put on vivid display.
Further r…
The Southern Hunan Uprising (Early 1928)
We look at the successful conquest of three cities (and one heart) by Zhu De during the course of the uprising he led in south Hunan at the beginning of 1928.
The link for my new course on academia.ed…
Studying Marxism and Getting Thrown in Jail: Zhu De in Germany (1922-1926)
Following Zhu De in Shanghai and Germany, finishing up our four-part detour through the early life of Zhu De.
Further reading:
Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De]
Some …
Zhu De and The Army for the Defense of the Republic in Sichuan and Yunnan (1916-1922)
As the Army for the Defense of the Republic faces defections from the revolutionary nationalist cause as well as powerful warlord enemies, Zhu De rethinks the military vocation.
Further reading:
Agnes …
From Gym Teacher to General: Zhu De in Revolution and Rebellion (1907-1916)
Following Zhu De from his time as a teacher of physical training at a modern school, through his time at the Yunnan Military Academy, the Revolution of 1911 and the rebellion against Yuan Shikai.
Furt…
From Poor Peasant to Gym Teacher: The Early Life of Zhu De
Taking a look back at the early life of Zhu De, the man who would later be Mao’s main partner in revolution.
Further reading:
Agnes Smedley, The Great Road: The Life and Times of Chu Teh [Zhu De]
Some n…
Engels on Insurrection
The story behind how guidance on communist armed struggle got into a major American newspaper in 1852. Listener requested background on the text used by Lenin and which was so influential in the Guan…
The Guangzhou Commune (December 11-13, 1927)
The last major armed uprising of 1927, in which the Communists temporarily took over Guangzhou.
Further reading:
Arif Dirlik, “Narrativizing Revolution: The Guangzhou Uprising (11-13 December 1927) in …
Red Canton: Background to the Guangzhou Uprising of December 1927
Some background on the situation in Guangzhou leading up to the uprising.
Further reading:
Arif Dirlik, “Narrativizing Revolution: The Guangzhou Uprising (11-13 December 1927) in Workers’ Perspective”
M…
‘Blind Actionism’ in Action: Understanding the Hundreds of Small Revolts Led by Communists at the End of the 1920s in China
Using the early November 1927 peasant revolt in Jiangsu province to illustrate features common to the many small Communist-led uprisings at the end of the 1920s.
Further reading:
Marcia Ristaino, China…
Summing Up Failures, or Playing the Blame Game? The November 1927 Politburo Meeting in Shanghai
The Politburo meets to decide whether the leadership’s overall policy was wrong, or whether all the cadres carrying out the policy are just bad.
Further reading:
Marcia Ristaino, China’s Art of Revolut…
Sedan Chairs, Tired Intellectuals, and Indifferent Masses: The Denouement of the Nanchang Uprising/Southern Expedition (August to October 1927)
We follow the Southern Expeditionary force from Ruijin in Jiangxi province to Shantou in Guangdong.
Further reading:
Marcia Ristaino, China’s Art of Revolution: The Mobilization of Discontent, 1927 and…
Hearts, Minds, and a Head on a Spike: The Unification of People and Forces in the Jinggangshan
How Wang Zuo and Yuan Wencai’s forces were brought into the Red Army, and Mao cemented the loyalty of the locals by marrying the Two-Gunned Girl General.
Further reading:
Stephen Averill, Revolution in…
Secret Agent for International Maoism: José Venturelli, Chinese Informal Diplomacy and Latin American Maoism
A podcast version of an article published a few years back. The Chilean artist José Venturelli was a supporter of Maoist China. This article, a brief political biography of Venturelli, shows how he a…