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Throughline

American Socialist

Throughline

NPR

Society & Culture, History, Documentary

4.715K Ratings

🗓️ 19 March 2020

⏱️ 64 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

It's been over a century since a self-described socialist was a viable candidate for President of the United States. And that first socialist candidate, Eugene V. Debs, didn't just capture significant votes, he created a new and enduring populist politics deep in the American grain. This week, the story of Eugene V. Debs and the creation of American socialism.

Transcript

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0:00.0

Let the wealth of the nation belong to all the people, and not just the millionaires.

0:15.1

The ruling class has always fought and trained you to believe it to be your patriotic duty

0:20.7

to go to war and to have yourself slaughtered at that command.

0:25.4

In all the history of the world, you the people have never had a voice in declaring war.

0:34.4

We need in this country and throughout the world an economic system in which we produce

0:39.5

goods and services for the use of all and not for the profit of the few.

0:54.7

The president spent a lot of time using the S word.

0:57.4

Here in the United States, we are alarmed by the new calls to adopt socialism in our country.

1:06.9

They're trying to scare people.

1:08.7

Scared people.

1:09.7

The same as communism.

1:10.7

And as well, it says, we're going to be living in Venice and Wembley.

1:14.7

Attitudes are changing towards socialism.

1:16.9

You've heard the phrase a lot lately, democratic socialist is suddenly very common on the left.

1:21.4

Bernie Sanders has called himself a democratic socialist.

1:24.1

Every other industrialization has a strong socialist movement.

1:28.2

Why not in America?

1:31.6

You're listening to Thru Line from NPR.

1:33.8

Where we go back in time.

1:36.9

To understand the present.

1:39.4

Hey, I'm Ramteen Adabluy.

1:42.9

I'm Ramda De Fateh.

...

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