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Give Them An Argument

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Rating
★★★★★
4.5
from
146 reviews
This podcast has
319 episodes
Language
English
Publisher
Ben Burgis
Explicit
No
Date created
2020/08/10
Latest episode
2026/09/28
Average duration
93 min.
Release period
7 days

Description

Give Them An Argument is a YouTube show and podcast dedicated to building a smarter, funnier and more strategic Left. New episodes are live on YouTube on Monday nights with an exclusive postgame for GTAA patrons after the main show. (To become a patron, go to patreon.com/benburgis and sign up for the monthly cost of a milkshake at a 50s nostalgia diner in 1994.) Past guests have included Slavoj Žižek, Richard Wolff, David Pizarro, Gregory Sadler, Glenn Greenwald, Krystal Ball, Bhaskar Sunkara, Sam Seder, Ana Kasparian, Emma Vigeland, Matt Christman, and Amber Frost. The show has also featured debates between host Ben Burgis and opponents ranging from Walter Block to Charlie Kirk.Ben is a philosophy professor, Jacobin columnist, and frequent debater. He did a regular "Debunk" segment on the Michael Brooks Show until 2020. He's appeared on the Debate Night with Charlie Kirk, System Update with Glenn Greenwald, Rising, Krystal, Kyle & Friends, the Majority Report w/Sam Seder & the Joe Rogan Experience.benburgis.compatreon.com/benburgis

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Check latest episodes from Give Them An Argument podcast


Why We Wrote the Blueprint (Which Comes Out TOMORROW)
2026/09/28
Ben Burgis talks about his new book (co-written with Bhaskar Sunkara and Mike Beggs), "The Blueprint: How Socialism Can Work in the Real World," which comes out TOMORROW (Tuesday, September 29th). The book is available for pre-order (or, starting tomorrow, plain old "order") from all the usual book places (Amazon, etc.) but if you want to preorder it from worker-owned bookseller Red Emmas, here's that link: https://redemmas.org/titles/52310-the-blueprint-how-socialism-can-work-in-the-real-world/ If you live in Southern California, you can still register to attend the book launch in September 29th in Los Angeles: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-blueprint-how-socialism-can-work-in-the-real-world-tickets-2001094549666 All the spots have already been reserved for NYC on the 1st (sorry about that, apparently we should have reserved a bigger venue!). For friends in Baltimore, though, you can RSVP for our event on Friday at Red Emmas here: https://redemmas.org/events/ben-burgis-and-mike-beggs-present-the-blueprint/ And for Washington DC friends, here's the Eventbrite to reserve a spot at our event at the Busboys and Poets at 450 K Street NW on Saturday: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-blueprint-book-release-party-registration-2001413755419 For a rundown of the other events coming up (Annapolis on Saturday before the DC one, and then several events in other places starting in Amherst a week from Tuesday), see: https://benburgis.substack.com/p/blueprint-events-a-week-from-today Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
Marxist Analysis of "the PMC" (+ Defending DSA)
2026/09/21
In this episode, we play a presentation Ben Burgis gave at UC-Irvine on how to make sense of "elites" in Marxist class analysis (basically, are "the PMC" really a separate class, or part of the working class, or what), and then apply the point to thinking about some very bad recent criticisms of the DSA. Read Ben's Jacobin article  "DSA’s Critics Are Missing the Point About the Working Class": https://jacobin.com/2026/07/class-politics-dsa-media-criticism Read the transcript of the UC-Irvine talk (republished as "How Should We Fit Salaried "Elites" Into Marxist Class Analysis?") [NOTE: This is where the Erik Olin Wright diagram of fine-grained class positions referred to in the second chunk of the episode is, for anyone who wants to follow along with that]: https://benburgis.substack.com/p/how-should-we-fit-salaried-elites?utm_source=publication-search Pre-order Ben's book (co-written with Bhaskar Sunkara and Mike Beggs) "The Blueprint: How Socialism Can Work in the Real World") from worker-owned bookseller Red Emmas: https://redemmas.org/titles/52310-the-blueprint-how-socialism-can-work-in-the-real-world/ Register to attend the book launch in September 29th in Los Angeles: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-blueprint-how-socialism-can-work-in-the-real-world-tickets-2001094549666 Or the event two days later in New York: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-blueprint-how-socialism-can-work-in-the-real-world-tickets-2001236203356 Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
What Would a Socialist Foreign Policy Look Like? (ft. Deep State Kuba and Jason Myles) (Podcast Version)
2026/09/15
In this crossover with THIS IS REVOLUTION podcast, Ben Burgis and Jason Myles chat with Deep State Kuba about socialist foreign policy and in particular how a post-capitalist society of the kind described in Ben's new book (co-written w/Bhaskar Sunkara and Mike Beggs) could interact with, and survive its interactions with, the surrounding capitalist world. Pre-order the book from worker-owned bookseller Red Emmas: https://redemmas.org/titles/52310-the-blueprint-how-socialism-can-work-in-the-real-world/ Register to attend the book launch in September 29th in Los Angeles: https://moondough.i234.me/tools/tickets/buy.html?event=9H7UE84J Follow Kuba on Twitter: @DrKuba2 Follow Jason on Twittter: @J_Myles_TIR Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
Don't RETVRN: Liberal Modernity as the Basis for Socialism (ft. Matt McManus and Florian Maiwald)
2026/09/10
Florian  Maiwald and Matt McManus join Ben Burgis to discuss Florian's essays in Matt's new book, "What is Liberal Socialism?" (and the larger themes of the collection). Order Matt's book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/826323/what-is-liberal-socialism-by-matt-mcmanus/ Pre-order Florian's new book: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/zer0-books/our-books/outsourced-emancipation And while you're pre-ordering books,  preorder Ben's new book (co-written w/Bhaskar Sunkara and Mike Beggs), "The Blueprint: How Socialism Can Work in the Real World": https://redemmas.org/titles/52310-the-blueprint-how-socialism-can-work-in-the-real-world/ And last but definitely not least, pre-order Florian's new book! Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProf Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
Is Capitalism REALLY the Best We Can Do? (Ben Burgis Lecture in Michigan)
2026/09/07
Last Thursday, Ben Burgis gave the first lecture of the new year at the Ethics Center at Western Michigan University, to talk about the themes of his new book (co-written with Bhaskar Sunkara and Mike Beggs), "The Blueprint: How Socialism Can Work in the Real World." (Lecture starts around the 5:30 mark.) Register to attend the launch event in September 29th in Los Angeles: https://moondough.i234.me/tools/tickets/buy.html?event=9H7UE84J Pre-order the book from worker-owned bookseller Red Emmas: https://redemmas.org/titles/52310-the-blueprint-how-socialism-can-work-in-the-real-world/ Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
Ben Burgis Goes on Israeli TV and DEBUNKS Mayo-Brained Talking Points
2026/08/24
Yesterday, Ben Burgis went on English-language Israeli cable channel i24 to argue about the role of Israel/Palestine in the rise of the democratic socialist left in the United States. We'll play the whole segment and break it down! Read the Jacobin article mentioned in the episode ("The Problem With Israel Is So Much Bigger Than Netanyahu"): https://jacobin.com/2025/08/democrats-bernie-netanyahu-zionism-apartheid Pre-order Ben (and Bhaskar Sunkara and Mike Beggs's) new book "The Blueprint: How Socialism Can Work in the Real World" from worker-owned bookshop Red Emmas: https://redemmas.org/titles/52310-the-blueprint-how-socialism-can-work-in-the-real-world/ Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
Socialism and Human Nature (ft. Matt McManus)
2026/08/03
Matt McManus joins Ben Burgis to talk about Matt’s new article “Socialists Aren’t Naive About Human Nature,” and more generally about why attempts to base anti-socialist arguments on human imperfection miss the point. Read Matt’s article: https://jacobin.com/2026/07/socialism-human-nature-morality Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProf Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
A Socialist's Dialogue with Liberalism (ft. Matt McManus)
2026/07/24
Matt McManus joins Ben to talk about Matt's new article on Marxist philosopher G.A. Cohen's "engagement with the best of the liberal tradition," and to wrap up Matt and Ben's conversation about Cohen from the last time Matt was on the show. Read Matt's article: https://www.liberalcurrents.com/a-socialists-dialogue-with-liberalism/?ref=articles-and-essays-newslettert Read Ben's essay "Justice and Virtue": https://benburgis.substack.com/p/justice-and-virtue Link you can give your library to order Matt and Ben's new book on Cohen: https://www.amazon.com/Analytical-Marxism-Democratic-Socialism-Century/dp/3032028930/ Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProf Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
The Iran War’s Most Embarrassingly Wrong Pundits (ft. Branko Marcetic)
2026/07/22
Branko Marcetic and Ben Burgis count down the commentators who were most embarrassingly  wrong about Iran. Read Branko's article: https://jacobin.com/2026/07/iran-war-pundits-fox-trump Follow Branko on Twitter: @BMarchetich Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
Meet Socialist Congressional Candidate Oliver Larkin
2026/07/17
Oliver Larkin is a DSA-endorsed candidate running for Congress in FL-25. Check out his campaign website: https://www.oliverforcongress.com/issues Follow him on Twitter: @OliverALarkin Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
The Myth of Red Texas (ft. David Griscom)
2026/07/14
David Griscom joins us to talk about his excellent new book "The Myth of Red Texas: Cowboys, Populism, and Class War in the Radical South." Also, happy birthday to our Texan graphic designer J. Andrew World! Order the book: https://redemmas.org/titles/47536-the-myth-of-red-texas-cowboys-populism-and-class-war-in-the-radical-south/ Follow David on Twitter: @DavidGriscom Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
Debate Breakdown: Batya Ungar-Sargon vs. Brad Lander (ft. Cynthia Cook)
2026/07/10
Pro-Trump pundit Batya Ungar-Sargon sat down with left-wing Congressional candidate Brad Lander to berate him about Israel and other subjects. Ben Burgis and Cynthia Cook give it a watch. Read Ben's article "DSA’s Critics Are Missing the Point About the Working Class" in Jacobin: https://jacobin.com/2026/07/class-politics-dsa-media-criticism Read the Michael Lange breakdown of the exit polling data Cynthia mentioned ("When Narratives Meet Facts"): https://www.michaellange.nyc/p/when-narratives-meet-facts Follow Cynthia on Twitter: @c_cook1988 Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
Matt McManus and Ben Burgis Have a New Book on G.A. Cohen, Out Today!
2026/07/02
Ben Burgis chats with Matt McManus about Matt's Jacobin article "Gad Saad Is Very Mad That His Books Are Bad and Sad." Read the article: https://jacobin.com/2026/05/saad-empa... Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProf Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
Gad Saad Is Very Mad That His Books Are Bad and Sad (ft. Matt McManus)
2026/06/25
Ben Burgis chats with Matt McManus about Matt's Jacobin article "Gad Saad Is Very Mad That His Books Are Bad and Sad." Read the article: https://jacobin.com/2026/05/saad-empathy-conservatism-book-review Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattPolProf Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com
Debate Breakdown: Medhi Hasan vs. PBD
2026/06/22
Victor Bruzzone joins Ben Burgis to break down Medhi Hasan's recent conversation with Patrick Bet-David about Israel, free speech, imperial expansionism, and more. Follow Victor on Twitter: @victorbruzzone Follow Ben on Twitter @JacobinBen [NOTE: The previous account was hacked!] Follow GTAA on Twitter: @Gtaa_Show Become a GTAA Patron and receive numerous benefits ranging from occasional patron-exclusive content to access to the GTAA Discord to our undying love and gratitude for helping us keep this thing going: patreon.com/benburgis Read the weekly philosophy Substack: benburgis.substack.com

Podcast reviews

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4.5 out of 5
146 reviews
★★★★☆
willow-sc 2026/07/02
Audio
1. Dude, fix the audio. Terrible mic 2. Work on your locution. Too many “right?”s and “you know”s. It’s very distracting
★★★★★
80'sVillager 2026/06/06
Ben’s Hague?
Ben you argued Biden should be on trial in The Hague yet you smooched Zohran’s butt who firmly planted his head up Trump’s rear end bringing Ford to C...
★★★★★
amerigovonhistory 2025/02/21
Volume equality
Great content, but Ben…stop mumbling in the corner when your cohosts and guests are blowing out my ear drums. Ad on. This 100% my kind of “left”. Gre...
★★★★★
Despanan 2024/07/24
Rhetoric for the Rest of Us
I positively love this podcast. Politics is often about arguments and there’s no one else on the left actually teaching people how to argue. Also Ben ...
★☆☆☆☆
lynnharding 2024/06/16
Elocution!!!
I so want to like this podcast but here is how it goes: “ like, but like , ya know, like , right, ya know”. Plus the left is so off on Covid. So sorr...
★★☆☆☆
Cahill4225 2024/04/06
Daily Wire…cash?!?
Was interesting till they went for the Daily Wire cash…ya that’s not going to influence the show and opinions m. Thanks I’ll pass on DW nonsense.
★★☆☆☆
FuzzyUsh 2023/10/25
Lazy
I'm giving this show a two-star rating instead of just one because of the content and intriguing perspectives it offers. Ben Burgis and his guests pre...
★★★★☆
kingkongmonsterboy 2022/10/08
Ben is awesome
Get a better microphone for Ben for sake of your listener’s. The content is really good. Please treat it, yourselves and your listeners with better s...
★★★☆☆
trent oblong 2022/09/18
And uh…but um…anyway so
Content is fine, if a little faddish. Co-hosts are annoyingly demure and deferential. Ben is a sweet and intelligent person, but practically unlistena...
★★☆☆☆
ChrisK1600GT 2022/04/19
Sound Quality Lacking
First off, big fan of Professor Burgis from The David Show. How I found out about this podcast. I have listed to about 10 of these and endured audio h...
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