Explaining History

The Soviet Gulag and Stalin's Great Terror

Episode Summary:In this episode of Explaining History, Nick takes a deep dive into the grim reality of the Soviet camp system. Drawing on Anne Applebaum’s Gulag: A History, we explore how the camps evolved from disorganized prisons into a vast industrial complex of slave labour.We examine the "Great Terror" of 1937-38 not just as a political purge, but as a bureaucratic process driven by quotas and paranoia. Why did Stalin purge the very men—Yagoda, Yezhov, Berman—who built the Gulag system? How did the failure of forced industrialization lead to a search for scapegoats? And why were the death rates in the camps actually higher during the famine of 1932-33 and the war years than during the height of the political terror?Plus: A huge announcement for A-Level and IB History students! Nick unveils the dates for our upcoming live masterclasses on Russia, America, China, and Germany. Listen to the end for details on how to book your spot.Key Topics:The Great Terror: Why 1937-38 marked a watershed moment for the camps.Quotas of Death: How the NKVD assigned arrest targets to regions like production goals.The Purge of the Purgers: The downfall of the Gulag's founders.Clientelism and Paranoia: Why Stalin feared networks of loyalty within the Soviet bureaucracy.Books Mentioned:Gulag: A History by Anne ApplebaumEveryday Stalinism by Sheila FitzpatrickExplaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Age of Extremes: Eric Hobsbawm and the Problem of Historical Amnesia

Episode Summary:In the first episode of 2026, Nick embarks on a year-long exploration of Eric Hobsbawm's monumental work, The Age of Extremes: The Short Twentieth Century, 1914–1991.We begin by examining Hobsbawm’s premise: that the 20th century was defined by a binary struggle between ideologies that mutually excluded one another—capitalism vs. communism, democracy vs. fascism. But as Nick argues, this Western-centric view often simplifies the complex realities of national liberation struggles in China, Vietnam, and the Global South.The episode also delves into one of the most pressing issues for modern historians: "historical amnesia." Why, despite living in an age of information saturation, do we feel increasingly disconnected from the past? Drawing on Tony Judt and Hobsbawm, we explore how the breakdown of intergenerational storytelling and the allure of the "endless now" have created a society adrift in a permanent present.Plus: Important announcements about our upcoming live masterclasses for history students launching later this month!Key Topics:The Short 20th Century: Hobsbawm’s definition of the era from 1914 to 1991.Historical Amnesia: Why the destruction of social memory is the eerie hallmark of the late 20th century.The Problem of Judgment: Why understanding the context of atrocities like the Holocaust does not mean forgiving them.The Binary Trap: Moving beyond the simple "Good vs. Evil" narrative of the Cold War.Books Mentioned:The Age of Extremes by Eric HobsbawmPostwar by Tony JudtExplaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fascism, Austerity, and the Class War in 1920s Italy

Episode Summary:In this episode of Explaining History, Nick explores the neglected connection between economic austerity and political repression in the early years of Fascist Italy.Drawing on the groundbreaking work of economist Clara Mattei, we delve into how Mussolini's regime used budget cuts, regressive taxation, and mass layoffs not just to balance the books, but to crush the Italian working class. We examine the "Two Red Years" (Biennio Rosso) that terrified the bourgeoisie and how Fascism was welcomed by liberal elites as a necessary tool to restore order and protect private capital.From the hiking of third-class rail fares to the slashing of veteran benefits, we unpack how economic policy was weaponized to reverse the democratic gains of the post-WWI era. Was austerity the true engine of the Fascist counter-revolution?Key Topics:Austerity as Repression: How economic policy was used to discipline the working class.The Liberal-Fascist Alliance: Why mainstream economists supported Mussolini.The Biennio Rosso: The socialist uprising that terrified Italy’s elites.The Motto "Nothing for Nothing": De Stefani’s ruthless approach to public spending.Resources:"Austerity and Repressive Politics: Italian Economists and the Early Years of the Fascist Government" by Clara Mattei (Institute of Economics, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna)Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beyond the Campus: Why the American New Left Failed to Ignite a Working-Class Revolution

Episode Summary:In this episode of Explaining History, Nick continues his exploration of 1960s radicalism, focusing on the disconnect between the student-led "New Left" and the American working class.While the counterculture is often remembered through images of campus protests and the SDS, the reality was far more complex. Drawing on Kim McQuaid’s The Anxious Years and Mike Davis’s Set the Night on Fire, we examine why the anti-war movement struggled to build bridges with blue-collar workers who were enjoying unprecedented prosperity.From the "hard hat riots" to the collapse of the Old Left after Khrushchev's secret speech, we delve into the ideological vacuum that student radicals tried—and largely failed—to fill. Why did the New Left view unions as "traitors to their class"? And how did the affluent origins of the student movement alienate the very people they hoped to liberate?Plus: Important announcements about our upcoming live masterclasses for history students in early 2026!Key Topics:The Ivory Tower: Why the New Left remained isolated on university campuses.The Hard Hat Riots: The clash between student radicals and pro-Nixon construction workers.The Collapse of the Old Left: How 1956 and 1968 destroyed faith in Soviet communism.Affluence vs. Revolution: Why prosperity dampened the revolutionary zeal of the American working class.Books Mentioned:The Anxious Years by Kim McQuaidSet the Night on Fire by Mike Davis and Jon WienerOne-Dimensional Man by Herbert MarcuseExplaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rationing, austerity and nostalgia

In this episode of Explaining History, Nick explores how nostalgia has become a toxic force in British politics. Drawing on Liam Stanley’s Britain Alone, we examine how the "Blitz Spirit" and memories of WWII rationing have been cynically weaponized to justify modern austerity.Why do politicians suggest that food insecure families should "learn lessons from the wartime generation"? We unpack the myth that poverty is a moral failing rather than a structural one, and how the "Make Do and Mend" narrative is used to gaslight a population suffering from 15 years of cuts. From the "creative destruction" of the high street to the privatization of the public realm, Nick argues that the longing for a golden age is a symptom of a society in deep crisis.Plus: Stay tuned for updates on our upcoming live masterclasses for history students launching in January!Key Topics:Toxic Nostalgia: How the memory of WWII is used to enforce social compliance.The Myth of the Blitz: Challenging the idea of universal wartime solidarity.Austerity as Morality Play: The narrative of "strivers vs. skivers."State Intervention: How wartime rationing was actually a form of social protection, unlike modern food banks.Books Mentioned:Britain Alone by Liam StanleyThe People's War by Angus CalderThe Myth of the Blitz by Angus CalderExplaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.