Bill Resnick and Bill Smaldone discuss the rise and fall of the German Social Democratic Party since its beginning in 1863. In September of 2021 it rose again to form a government with a chance of dealing with the multiple crises of our time: pandemics, climate change, growing inequality, and the threat of right wing authoritarianism. But will they pursue the radical course? Is there anything in their history that inspires confidence that they can take and successfully deal with this combined crisis? Bill Smaldone teaches history at Willamette University with a specialty of Germany in the 20th Century. Bill cofounded Radio KMUZ in Salem, an independent station like KBOO. Among his books are Confronting Hitler: German Social Democrats in Defense of the Weimar Republic and European Socialism.
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