# Vulgar Marxism and the Dilemmas of Worker Education (feat. Edward Baring)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/emancipations-podcast-479035/vulgar-marxism-and-the-dilemmas-of-worker-education-feat-edward-baring
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/emancipations-podcast-479035/vulgar-marxism-and-the-dilemmas-of-worker-education-feat-edward-baring.md
Podcast: [Emancipations Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/emancipations-podcast-479035)
Published: 2026-05-12T13:05:45+00:00
Episode link: https://emancipations.podbean.com/e/vulgar-marxism-and-the-dilemmas-of-worker-education-feat-edward-baring/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/4avsx8f64mey7ua8/Barring_Vulgar_Marxism_Audioapydx.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/emancipations-podcast-479035/episodes/vulgar-marxism-and-the-dilemmas-of-worker-education-feat-edward-baring
Duration seconds: 6156

## Resource

I’m pleased to welcome intellectual historian Edward Baring to the show for a conversation on the concept of “vulgar Marxism” and the different theories of worker education that Marxists have developed and debated over time. We discuss the origins of the accusation of "vulgar Marxism" and how it is juxtaposed with "genteel Marxism." We then dive into the world of Second International Marxism and the various theories of worker education that grew during this period from 1891–1931. This discussion is inspired by Baring's new book, Vulgar Marxism: Revolutionary Politics and the Dilemmas of Worker Education. This book has helped me a great deal in filing in some important context to this important period of history. Specifically, I was impressed with the way the debates over worker pedagogy, class consciousness and liberation were forged off of a Kautskyist source of influence. Acquire a copy of Vulgar Marxism: https://bit.ly/4rZwNWM Edward Baring is Professor of History and Human Values at Princeton and an intellectual historian specializing in twentieth-century Europe. He earned his BA in Mathematics and History at the University of Cambridge, and his PhD at Harvard University. Before coming to Princeton, he taught for a decade at Drew University. Baring has held fellowships from the National Endowment of the Humanities, the ACLS, and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. At Princeton he holds a joint appointment with the University Center for Human Values. -- Become a Patron to Emancipations and gain early access to all of my interviews and participate in our study groups: www.patreon.com/emancipations

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