Debunking the ‘Not Real Socialism’ Myth

Podcast audio:

In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Ben Bayer and Nikos Sotirakopoulos dismantle the claim that “real socialism” has never been attempted.

Among the topics covered:

• Why many young Americans support socialism;
• How Soviet leaders were driven by Marxist ideology;
• Why Joseph Stalin epitomized Marxist principles;
• Why dictatorship is the logical outcome of socialist central planning;
• How the definition of socialism has been watered down to evade its historical crimes;
• The persistent rationalizations used to defend socialism.

Recommended in this podcast are The Ayn Rand Lexicon’s entry on socialism, Bayer’s essay “The Dishonesty of ‘Real Socialism Has Never Been Tried,’” and Sotirakopoulos’ upcoming ARU course “Marx and Communism.” The podcast was recorded on April 1, 2025 and posted on April 2, 2025. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Watch archived podcasts here.