Dr. Michael Parenti 1986 Lecture “Yellow Parenti”

Blackshirts and Reds: Rational Fascism and the Overthrow of Communism

But that expropriation of the Third World—has been going on for 400 years—brings us to another revelation—namely, that the Third World is not poor. You don’t go to poor countries to make money. There are very few poor countries in this world. Most countries are rich! The Philippines are rich! Brazil is rich! Mexico is rich! Chile is rich—only the people are poor. But there’s billions to be made there, to be carved out, and to be taken—there’s been billions for 400 years! The Capitalist European and North American powers have carved out and taken the timber, the flax, the hemp, the cocoa, the rum, the tin, the copper, the iron, the rubber, the bauxite, the slaves, and the cheap labour. They have taken out of these countries—these countries are not underdeveloped—they’re overexploited!

  • anarchoilluminati [comrade/them]@hexbear.net
    3·
    1 day ago

    This reminds me that I’ve wanted to ask you in particular, since you made that nice reading list, do you have a recommendation of documentaries or lectures that you could please recommend on any politically left subject that would be helpful in introducing people to radical politics or radicalizing them further?

    I just know ones like Pilger’s War on Democracy, Black Power Mixtape, and (I know, I know) Zizek’s Pervert’s Guide to Ideology.

    I have some best friends who aren’t really readers, unfortunately.

    • Cowbee [he/they]OP
      3·
      1 day ago

      Honestly? Blowback. Seeing the unspeakable evils of empire really jolts you into radicalization real quick. Also, Parenti, of course.

      I tend to prefer reading over listening, but those are a couple notable exceptions.