This episode of The Dig is brought to you by our supporters on Patreon.com and by

University of California Press which publishes loads of titles of

interest to Dig listeners like you. One that you might find interesting is

Social Revolution, Politics and the Welfare State in Iran by Kivon Harris.

Political observers have long characterized the Islamic Republic of Iran as an ideologically rigid

state with a narrow social base teetering on the edge of collapse.

Harris convincingly demonstrates how they are wrong.

Today, more Iranians are connected to welfare and social policy institutions than to any other form of state

organization. In fact, much of Iran's current political turbulence is the result of the success

of these social welfare programs, which have created

newly educated and mobilised social classes advocating for change.

Social Revolution, politics in the welfare state in Iran, by Kivon Harris, out now from

University of California Press. Welcome to the Dig, a podcast from Jacobin magazine. My name is Daniel Denver and I'm broadcasting

from Providence, Rhode Island. America, we just don't win anymore. It's almost

like we're a third world country. ISIS is laughing at us. China is laughing at us.

Mexico is laughing at us. In fact, China invented global warming as some sort of trick to

destroy our economy and Mexico

outsmarted our feckless leaders by conspiratorily sending us all the criminals.

This Donald Trump explained is why he had to make America great again.

The implication being that America, at least for a little bit,

was kind of shit before.

Just one nation among many others in a global battle for wealth and power that we have been losing.

...