Current Affairs

Before Bernie and Mamdani, There Was Eugene Debs

October 9, 2026·43 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

🌹 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membershipShawn Gude is the former editor of Jacobin and author of American Socialist: The Life and Legacy of Eugene V. Debs. He joins Current Affairs editor in chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss how Debs went from moderate railroad unionist to one of America’s most influential socialist leaders.✊ Get the book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/American-Socialist/Shawn-Gude/97816680567380:00–3:51 Why Eugene Debs Still Matters3:51–10:10 How Debs Became a Socialist10:10–18:30 Debs’s Personality and Political Appeal18:30–25:28 When Socialism Thrived in the Midwest25:28–29:24 What Socialism Meant to Debs29:24–35:31 The Defeat and Decline of Debs’s Movement35:31–40:26 What Debs Can Teach the Left Today40:26–43:28 What Shawn Learned About Debs While Writing the Book🦩Subscribe to Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership

Podzilla Summary coming soon

Sign up to get notified when the full AI-powered summary is ready.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.

Listen to This Episode

Get summaries like this every morning.

Free AI-powered recaps of Current Affairs and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.