Working Class History

Preview extract of our bonus episode about the history and politics of football culture in Argentina. Part of our miniseries on the 2001 Argentina uprising, which toppled the government, and saw the spread of neighbourhood assemblies and factories taken over by workers. In conversation with Tomas Rothaus, a participant in the uprising and author of Argentina, a Tale of Two Utopias.Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes without ads, bonus episodes, two exclusive podcast series – Fireside Chats and Radical Reads – as well as free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryListen to the whole exclusive bonus episode without ads by joining us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/e115-1-football-149318192More infoGet Tomas’ book: Argentina, a Tale of Two Utopias: Anarchism, Soccer, NeoliberalismAlso check out Tomas’ other book, Another War I

Part 1 of a double episode about the 2001 uprising in Argentina, which toppled the government, and saw the spread of neighbourhood assemblies and factories taken over by workers. In conversation with Tomas Rothaus, a participant in the uprising and author of Argentina, a Tale of Two Utopias: Anarchism, Soccer, Neoliberalism.Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes without ads, bonus episodes, two exclusive podcast series – Fireside Chats and Radical Reads – as well as free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryListen to part 2 early and without ads by joining us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/e116-argentina-2-149907446Listen to our bonus episode about Argentine football culture, exclusively on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/e115-1-football-149318192Listen to our bonus episode on Argentine politics and the anti-globalisa

Fireside Chat podcast available exclusively for our Patreon supporters where we make fun of Trump’s absurd text to the Norwegian Prime Minister, and what it means for the rest of the world that the US President is a half-witted narcissist.Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryWhen Trump’s letter to the Norwegian PM came out, we all thought it was extremely funny. And, at WCH, we thought we’d try to produce some newsy/current affairs style content for a change.As you can see, we failed. The news cycle proved too fast for us, and we’ve basically just made another history episode (albeit about more recent history than usual!).Regardless, we’ve decided to release it anyway. So tune in to listen as Matt and John make fun of everything from Trump’s punctuation and

Teaser extract of our latest Fireside Chat podcast available exclusively for our Patreon supporters in which we sit down for a bit of a chat about the year past, for WCH and the world, and plans we have for the year ahead.We discuss a year of the podcast, sick leave, full kit wankers, the rise of the far right and social democratic responses to it in the US, UK and elsewhere, and more. We also let listeners know about projects in the works for 2026.Listen to the complete episode here by joining our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/146576665Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryAcknowledgementsThanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands.Edited by Jesse FrenchOur theme tune is Montaigne’s version of the

This is a teaser preview of one of our Radical Reads episodes, made exclusively for our supporters on patreon. You can listen to the full 67-minute episode without ads and support our work at https://www.patreon.com/posts/e113-radical-of-143322722In this episode, we discuss Beverly Silver's pioneering work, Forces of Labour: Workers' Movements and Globalisation Since 1870, a book which was hugely influential on many of us at Working Class History. The book is epic in its breadth (looking at labour unrest around the world and across a long period of time), but also firmly committed to viewing class struggle from the bottom up.But most important about the book is how deeply materialist and methodical it is in how it outlines the concrete conditions that gave space for working-class struggle, and how those struggles forced capital to think of new strategies in order to deal with it. Moreover, in doing so, her book also helps us to think and to strategise about working-class organising today.Listen to the full ep

An update for you on the Working Class History podcast and its future. In short, we began releasing much more frequent podcast episodes 18 months ago, in an effort to get more supporters on Patreon. While we were able to grow our support, it has not been sufficient to cover our increased costs, and we have now run out of episodes. So we will be taking an end of season break, to work on new episodes to release in the New Year.Patreon is how listeners like you make our work possible, and enables us to cover the cost of making the podcast. Some series we work on take several years, hundreds of hours of work, and cost thousands of dollars, not to mention all of our other costs. Learn more and join us at https://patreon.com/workingclasshistoryThe price of our exclusive content on Patreon hasn't gone up since 2020, whereas inflation has gone up by 25% and costs have gone up even more.So in the New Year we are going to have to increase the cost of our Patreon benefits to new members. However, if you join us on Patre

As part of our Radical Reads series, we speak about our latest book, Be Gay, Do Crime: Everyday Acts of Queer Resistance and Rebellion, with editors Zane McNeill, Blu Buchanan and Riley Clare Valentine.Radical Reads is one of our Patreon-only exclusive series, where we discuss texts – both old and new – that have either influenced the WCH project, or texts that we generally think that people involved in radical and working-class movements should be engaging with, discussing, and using to inform their activism. Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes without ads, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Supporters also get access to two exclusive podcast series: Radical Reads and  Fireside Chats. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryAs attacks on queer and trans people around the globe escalate, we felt it was more important than ever to highlight stories o

Preview extract of a bonus episode of our double podcast on the successful mass direct action campaign against the UK poll tax in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In conversation with Dave Morris from the Tottenham Anti-Poll Tax campaign and Haringey Solidarity Group. This part covers more information about Dave’s life and activism, different left strategies within the campaign, undercover police infiltration of the campaign, and community organising today.Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes without ads, bonus episodes, two exclusive podcast series – Fireside Chats and Radical Reads – as well as free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryListen to the whole exclusive bonus episode without ads by joining us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/e111-1-poll-tax-138554022More informationHaringey Solidarity GroupDanny Burns, Poll Tax

Second of a double podcast episode about the successful mass direct action campaign against the UK poll tax in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In conversation with Dave Morris from the Tottenham Anti-Poll Tax campaign and Haringey Solidarity Group. This part covers repercussions from the poll tax riot, the non-payment campaign, legal defence, repression, how the struggle was won, and lessons for todayOur podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes without ads, bonus episodes, two exclusive podcast series – Fireside Chats and Radical Reads – as well as free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryListen to an exclusive bonus episode by joining us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/e111-1-poll-tax-138554022More informationHaringey Solidarity GroupDanny Burns, Poll Tax Rebellion (AK Press, 1992).Sources, photos, more information and eventually

First of a double podcast episode about the successful mass direct action campaign against the UK poll tax in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In conversation with Dave Morris from the Tottenham Anti-Poll Tax campaign and Haringey Solidarity Group.This part covers the background, Thatcherism, introduction of the tax in Scotland, the beginnings of resistance, and the poll tax riot.Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes without ads, bonus episodes, two exclusive podcast series – Fireside Chats and Radical Reads – as well as free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryListen to part 2 early and without ads by joining us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/e111-poll-tax-2-138013003Listen to an exclusive bonus episode by joining us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/e111-1-poll-tax-138554022More informationHaringey Solidarity Grou

Following our double-episode on the Florence Working-Class Literature Festival back in February, our co-host Matt was invited to this year’s festival, recording this episode on-site at the ex-GKN factory in Florence. Featuring the various writers, researchers, organisers, and activists in attendance, this episode captures the atmosphere of the festival at this critical time for the GKN struggle.Our podcast is brought to you by patreon supporters of both Working Class Literature and Working Class History. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryTaking place on 4-6 April 2025, the opending day of the festival marked the 1367th day since the 400+ workforce at the GKN car parts factory in Florence was first made redundant. They subsequently seized the factory and remain in control of it to this day, despite receiving their third – and now

Concluding part of our double episode about the crucial role played by women in the great miners’ strike in Britain, 1984-5, in conversation with Heather Wood, chair of the Easington women’s strike support group. Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes without ads, bonus episodes, two exclusive podcast series – Fireside Chats and Radical Reads – as well as free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryPart 2 is about the formation of a national organisation and national protest, the media, the end of the strike, the effect on the women, and possibilities for the future.These are re-edited and improved versions of our original episode 13. More information, sources, and eventually a transcript on the webpage for this episode: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e108-women-in-the-miners-strike/AcknowledgementsThanks to our Patreon supporte

Double episode about the crucial role played by women in the great miners’ strike in Britain, 1984-5, in conversation with Heather Wood, chair of the Easington women’s strike support group. Our podcast is brought to you by our Patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes without ads, bonus episodes, two exclusive podcast series – Fireside Chats and Radical Reads – as well as free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryPart 1 is about the background, how women’s organising began, and what forms it took.Part 2 is about the formation of a national organisation and national protest, the media, the end of the strike, the effect on the women, and possibilities for the future – Currently available for early listening for our supporters here on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/e109-women-in-2-134227615These are re-edited and improved versions of our original episode 13. More inform

Teaser of our latest Fireside Chat, available in full exclusively for our supporters on Patreon. A couple of years ago, John from WCH and Ade from our Farsi-language sister project, Daily Worker History Farsi, were interviewed for the Hope Dies Last podcast by musician and journalist Ryan Harvey. Ryan didn't end up having the time to finish the episode, so we thought we would turn it into a Fireside Chat, for people to learn a bit more about WCH and Daily Worker History Farsi. John and Ade talk about their respective projects in Iran, and in English, what inspires them, how they organise, and more.Listen to the full episode here on PatreonMore informationDaily Worker History TwitterDaily Worker History TelegramDaily Worker History InstagramRyan Harvey WebsiteArchive of the Hope Dies Last podcastAcknowledgementsThanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Jamison D. Saltsman, Fernando López Ojeda and Old Norm.Final editing by Tyler Hill. Some initial editing

This is a teaser preview of one of our Radical Reads episodes, made exclusively for our supporters on patreon. You can listen to the full 122-minute episode without ads and support our work at https://www.patreon.com/posts/e106-radical-in-129688227In this episode, we speak to Eli Friedman and Kevin Lin about their new book, China in Global Capitalism: Building International Solidarity Against Imperial Rivalry. The book (co-written with Rosa Liu and Ashley Smith) does an excellent job of looking at the actions of the Chinese state from the perspective of workers and marginalised groups to produce a picture of a capitalist nation that is not simply 'the same' as other nations, but not all that different either.The full episode is out longest Radical Read yet, and covers a range of topics from the conditions and struggles of China's working class both inside the workplace and out, to women's and LGBT+ rights. We also talk about China's relationship to its "internal peripheries" of Tibet and Xinjiang, as well as

Part 2 of our double episode on working-class author Jack Hilton, with Jack Chadwick whose literary detective work rescued Hilton from almost total obscurity. This part covers his novel Caliban Shrieks in more detail and how it compares to other working-class novels from the same period; his later writing and life, and how his writing career would come to an end (despite George Orwell’s efforts); and, finally, the amazing series of events that led to the rediscovery and republication of Caliban Shrieks.Our podcast is brought to you by patreon supporters of both Working Class Literature and Working Class History. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryMore informationBuy Caliban Shrieks from an independent bookshopListen to the bonus episode to this double episode, exclusively for our supporters on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/pos

Part 1 of our double episode about Jack Hilton, a working-class author, World War I veteran, unemployed movement organiser, and trade union activist from Rochdale, north-west England.For this episode, we spoke to Jack Chadwick whose literary detective work rescued Hilton from almost total obscurity. We discussed Hilton's life growing up in Rochdale's slums, starting work at nine years old, and his activism in the National Unemployed Workers' Movement. We also talked about how he began writing, how Caliban Shrieks was celebrated within the London literary scene, and his long-term (and complex) relationship to George Orwell.More informationBuy Caliban Shrieks from an independent bookshopFull show notes including sources, photos, and eventually a full transcript are available on our website: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/wcl12-13-jack-hilton-rochdale-caliban/AcknowledgementsImage: Jack Hilton. Credit: Jack Chadwick.Thanks to all our patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to

This is a teaser preview of one of our Fireside Chat episodes, made exclusively for our supporters on Patreon. You can listen to the full 104-minute episode without ads and support our work at https://www.patreon.com/posts/e105-fireside-in-127749416 In this episode, we spoke to one of our hosts, John, about his experiences organising at work in the public sector, first as an agency worker, then a permanent employee, and as a member and representative of Unison, the UK’s largest public sector union. In the full episode, we go into detail about some small local disputes and victories, and how these connected with the dynamics of large, national disputes – in particular, the public sector pensions dispute of 2011. We also talk about the relationship between union officialdom and struggles on the shopfloor.While these experiences are specific to John, we do think many of the dynamics are pretty common, with similarities with many workplaces – especially office-based ones.Our podcast is brought to you by our Patre

Second of a double podcast about the Golden Age of Piracy, with historian Marcus Rediker. Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryPart 2 covers the extent of piracy, how pirates organise themselves, how colonial powers fought them, the decline of pirates, and their legacy today.More information, and eventually a transcript on the webpage for this episode here: https://workingclasshistory.com/podcast/e103-pirates/Get Marcus's Books:Marcus Rediker, Villains of All Nations: Atlantic Pirates in the Golden AgeMarcus Rediker and David Lester, Under the Banner of King Death: Pirates of the Atlantic, a Graphic NovelAcknowledgementsThanks to our Patreon supporters for making this podcast possible. Special thanks to Jazz Hands, Jamison D. Saltsman, Fernando López Ojeda,

First in a double podcast about the Golden Age of Piracy, with historian Marcus Rediker. The legendary pirates of this era weren’t just thieves—they were daring rebels challenging the very systems of power and authority of their time. Fighting every colonial empire, and creating their own ways of living free from authority, pirates became symbols of liberty and resistance to working-class and poor people everywhere.  Our podcast is brought to you by our patreon supporters. Our supporters fund our work, and in return get exclusive early access to podcast episodes, ad-free episodes, bonus episodes, free and discounted merchandise and other content. Join us or find out more at patreon.com/workingclasshistoryPart 1 covers the historical and economic background, the different eras of piracy in the golden age, about life at sea, how people became pirates.Our patreon supporters can listen to part 2 now early, covering the extent of piracy, how pirates organise themselves, how colonial powers fought them, the decline