logo
episode-header-image
Today
50m 15s

Confronting Capitalism: Why the French R...

JACOBIN
About this episode

On July 14, 1789, the storming of the Bastille in Paris marked the transition of the French Revolution from an elite negotiation into a truly mass event. But what kicked off this insurgency and what does it have to do with left politics?

On the latest episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber and Melissa Naschek discuss the radical origins of Bastille Day, examine the class politics of the French revolutionaries, and challenge the old Marxist notion of a bourgeois revolution.

The latest issue of Catalyst is out and you can subscribe for just $20 using the code CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM: https://catalyst-journal.com/subscribe/?code=CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM

Have a question for us? Write to us by email: confronting.capitalism@jacobin.com

Confronting Capitalism with Vivek Chibber is produced by Catalyst: A Journal of Theory and Strategy, and published by Jacobin. Music by Zonkey.

Up next
Yesterday
Jacobin Radio: World Cup Update w/ Laurent Dubois
On Jacobin Radio, the team behind the People’s Game podcast continue their unique coverage of the 2026 World Cup, analyzing the men’s football games on the field as well as the political, social and economic subtexts of the world’s most popular sporting event. Guest hosts Alan Mi ... Show More
55m 11s
Jul 6
Behind the News: Outlines of a Socialist Economy w/ Aaron Benanav
Aaron Benanav, author of a report for the Autonomy Institute, on what a future socialist society might look like. Amy Laura Hall, author of Erecting the Pulpit, on muscular Christianity. Behind the News, hosted by Doug Henwood, covers the worlds of economics and politics and thei ... Show More
53m 1s
Jul 2
Long Reads: Trillion Dollar Baby w/ Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff (Part 2)
In September 2025, Elon Musk spoke by video link to a fascist rally in London. Tommy Robinson, the organizer of the rally and a convicted criminal, has been trying to incite a racial war on the streets of Britain. That record of incitement won him the admiration of Musk. Since de ... Show More
51m 37s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2022
Over a Barrel: Saudi/US strains and OPEC+ cuts
The New Arab Voice is back!For our fifth season, we're starting with a look at the recent upheaval witnessed in US-Saudi relations. Saudi Arabia sparked the ire of the US earlier in October, when it was announced that OPEC+ would be cutting oil production by 2 million barrels a d ... Show More
27m 29s
Jun 2017
Succession shake-up in Saudi Arabia
The elevation of Mohammed bin Salman to crown prince of Saudi Arabia has come during the worst crisis facing the Gulf region in decades. Siona Jenkins spoke to the FT’s deputy editor Roula Khalaf and energy correspondent Anjli Raval to understand how the heir apparent is likely t ... Show More
7m 3s
Nov 2022
More or Less a Recession?
Is the UK economy headed for its longest ever recession? Tim Harford, BBC presenter and “Undercover Economist”, unscrambles the latest figures, explains what happens when the economy starts to shrink, and chats to Adam about his uni lessons with former PM Liz Truss.Also, as Just ... Show More
36m 8s
Oct 2022
US-Saudi ties at an all-time low
<p>There was outrage in Washington over Saudi Arabia’s decision to back Opec output cuts during a global energy crisis. What was the kingdom’s motive for putting its strategic partnership with the US at risk? As a regular visitor to Saudi Arabia, Emile Hokayem of the Internationa ... Show More
27m 31s
Mar 2022
Arabian Flights
Boris Johnson heads to Saudi to talk oil supply... Adam is joined by Laura and oil-expert, Prof Karen Turner, to discuss the trip and unpick the government’s energy strategy.The BBC’s correspondent in Moscow, Carrie Davies, is outside the court where Russian journalist, Marina Ov ... Show More
31m 46s
May 2015
Saudi Arabia's political reorganization and its impact on global oil markets
Is it the end of an era in Saudi Arabia? Platts associate editorial director for oil news Mriganka Jaipuriyar and senior editor Tamsin Carlisle look at how recent political developments in Saudi and the separation of Saudi Aramco from the Ministry of Petroleum could affect intern ... Show More
5m 50s
Jun 2023
A daring high-wire act: Inside the Asda buyout
<p>Saudi Arabia is cutting oil production, Turkey has a new finance minister and Apple is unveiling a mixed-reality headset today. Plus, the FT’s Kaye Wiggins explains how Asda has been able to take on enormous debt and whether its luck is about to change.&nbsp;</p><br><p><strong ... Show More
11m 11s
Oct 2022
Trying to make sense of the UK economic mess
What's happening in the UK right now has heads spinning around the globe. New Prime Minister Liz Truss is already scrambling to survive. Her new chancellor Jeremy Hunt today brought down the axe on nearly all of her tax-cutting plan after it sent the markets spiraling. To make se ... Show More
56m 25s