Michael Parenti

An archive of speeches by this insightful author/researcher about how our societal institutions no longer serve us – Themes are: Globalization, US Intervention, Racism, the Media the cost of Empire and a discourse on Julius Caesar, rebel or dictator?

Michael Parenti Audio CDs ( 46)
Audio CDs of Michael Parenti.

Michael Parenti Films on DVD ( 30)
Included are archival films transferred from VHS (come back for updates ..)

Michael Parenti: Diversity And Orthodoxy In The News Media

By MariaJune 30, 2026Michael Parenti Films on DVD, Newest Catalog Items, Newest Podcasts

On August 28, 2008 analysis of the media Michael Parenti’s most up-to-date contribution. He gave the keynote speech for the Modern Media Censorship lectures by Project Censored. Each year Project Censored gives awards for the most censored news stories of the year. Parenti lists important criteria by which to judge media bias, ranging from ownership to labeling, false objectivity and sensationalism, omission, outright lies and the denial of causality with the famous theory of “stuff happens”.
Michael Parenti (1935-2026) wrote and lectured on the mainstream media for decades. His key book on this topic is “Inventing Reality – The politics of the News Media.” With roots in a working class Italian district of New York and a Ph.D. in political science [ . . . ]

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Michael Parenti: God And His Demons – Part Two

By MariaJune 23, 2026Michael Parenti Audio CDs, Newest Catalog Items, Newest Podcasts

This is The second part of Dr. Michael Parenti’s talk on his book: God and His Demons. The 2010 book covers the many evils committed in the name of godly virtue throughout history, and the threat posed by fundamentalists and theocratic reactionaries.
Parenti (1935-2026) was one of the nation’s leading progressive political analysts. He was a prolific author and an engaging speaker. Parenti grew up in a conservative, catholic, working class Italian community in New York city. After receiving his Ph.D. in political science from Yale he taught at colleges and universities, in the United States and abroad. He risked and ended his academic career when he openly opposed the war on Vietnam. He served on the board of judges for [ . . . ]

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Michael Parenti: God And His Demons – Part One

By MariaJune 16, 2026Michael Parenti Audio CDs, Newest Catalog Items, Newest Podcasts

This is The first part of Dr. Michael Parenti’s talk on his book: God and His Demons. The 2010 book covers the many evils committed in the name of godly virtue throughout history, and the threat posed by fundamentalists and theocratic reactionaries.
Parenti (1935-2026) was one of the nation’s leading progressive political analysts. He was a prolific author and an engaging speaker. Parenti grew up in a conservative, catholic, working class Italian community in New York city. After receiving his Ph.D. in political science from Yale he taught at colleges and universities, in the United States and abroad. He risked and ended his academic career when he openly opposed the war on Vietnam. He served on the board of judges for [ . . . ]

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Michael Parenti: Voting In The USA – Part Two

By MariaMay 19, 2026Michael Parenti Audio CDs, Newest Catalog Items, Newest Podcasts

How the Vote was Won and Lost
If the right to vote is taken as a measure of a vibrant democracy, the United States came off to a bad start. Dr. Michael Parenti says that the most interesting list from the period of 1787 is the rather long one of people who were not allowed to vote and the many ways in which votes have been stolen during the Bush administration.
This archival recording is a primer on the history of voting and the day to day efforts to make democracy come alive that shows Parenti at his best as historian and engaged political thinker.
Parenti (1933-2026) was one of the nation’s leading progressive political analysts. After receiving his Ph.D. in political [ . . . ]

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Michael Parenti: Voting In The USA – Part One

By MariaMay 12, 2026Michael Parenti Audio CDs, Newest Catalog Items, Newest Podcasts

How the Vote was Won and Lost
If the right to vote is taken as a measure of a vibrant democracy, the United States came off to a bad start. Dr. Michael Parenti says that the most interesting list from the period of 1787 is the rather long one of people who were not allowed to vote – and he names all of them. Also, in Part TWO, the many ways in which votes have been stolen during the Bush administration.
This archival recording is a primer on the history of voting and the day to day efforts to make democracy come alive that shows Parenti at his best as historian and engaged political thinker.
Parenti (1933-2026) was one of the nation’s [ . . . ]

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Michael Parenti: Ideology And Conspiracy Part Two

By MariaMay 5, 2026Michael Parenti Audio CDs, Newest Catalog Items, Newest Podcasts

From: Understanding Deep Politics Conference, Santa Cruz, CA. – May 14/16 2010
In this entertaining talk, rich with historic references, Parenti describes the right-wing agenda of dismantling social democracy while calling anybody who describes this as a purposeful strategy a conspiracy theorist. He shows that this strategy began right after World War II but culminates now as powerful segment of right wing media and the GOP have moved so far to the right that they have overshot their popular base. Meanwhile democrats, including Obama, unable or unwilling to formulate the social democratic alternative, still talk of bipartisan approaches.

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Michael Parenti: The Struggle for History (ONE of TWO)

By MariaApril 14, 2026All Time Favorites, Catalog, Michael Parenti, Newest Podcasts, Podcasts

Parenti quotes Winston Churchill who said to his fellow party members: “History will be kind to us because I plan to write it.” Far from being an objective account of events history bears the mark of its writer, the omissions of the censors, and the interests of those who benefit from making it. Parenti shows how to take the recording of history back from politicians, the media, professors, clergy, and business people.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:00 — 19.9MB)

Michael Parenti Theocracy VS. Democracy – The Political Uses of Religion

By MariaFebruary 24, 2026Michael Parenti Audio CDs, Newest Catalog Items, Newest Podcasts, Politics

Michael Parenti (1933-2026) said that democracy couldn’t survive under religious rule – whatever that religion may be. Parenti’s warning in this archival recording is as timely and urgently expressed as it was when this speech was first given during the second term of the Reagan administration. This talk is also very funny. Parenti explains how God may be considered as a “founding father” and why Woody Allen calls him an underachiever. It is easy to extend this timeless analysis to the present circumstances.
With roots in a working class Italian district of New York and a Ph.D. in political science from Yale Michael Parenti became an internationally known writer and lecturer. He is the author of twenty books.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:00 — 19.9MB)

Michael Parenti, The Supremely Political Court

By MariaJuly 15, 2019Michael Parenti Audio CDs, Newest Catalog Items

Archival, updated 2018 to reflect Trump’s Supreme Court – In his extraordinary 26 minute history of the Supreme Court Dr. Michael Parenti warned us in 1995 that this partisan, aristocratic institution might one day empower an autocratic president. It seems that time has come and two Trump appointees, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, can push the scales of justice in favor of their politics. Unless there is a groundswell to question and change the legal rules of that institution. Why is so much power being given to 9 unelected, non term limited judges.
Michael Parenti was born into a working class Italian family in East Harlem, New York City. He went on to receive his Ph.D. in political science at Yale [ . . . ]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:01 — 19.9MB)

Michael Parenti, The Supremely Political Court

By MariaJuly 15, 2019Michael Parenti Audio CDs, Newest Podcasts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:01 — 19.9MB)

Michael Parenti: Capitalism’s Apocalypse (ONE of ONE)

By MariaMarch 27, 2018Michael Parenti Audio CDs, Newest Catalog Items

Why the rich can’t save anybody – not even themselves
Parenti predicted the financial crisis and said that giant corporate capitalism – by it’s very nature – is an apocalyptic system. When unregulated the built in elements of ever increased growth may well bring the whole system down. And he described the growing national debt not as a tragic mistake but as a means to shift ever more money from the tax payers to the financial institutions in the form of interest payments. This speech is an analysis of the many structural flaws of a capitalist system that puts it on a permanent collision course with democracy.
Recorded on August 23, 2008 at the closing reception for Maria Gilardin’s art show. [ . . . ]

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Michael Parenti: Superpatriotism and the Importance of Being Number One

By MariaFebruary 27, 2018Michael Parenti Audio CDs, Newest Catalog Items

2018 Tribute to Parenti – Updated Archive What does it mean to love one’s country? Why is it so important to be number one? In this sharp and funny speech MP dissects the uses of patriotism.
That was the introduction to a Michael Parenti talk given in 1988, at the end of the Reagan administration. That talk became a TUC Radio program and 2004 book published by City Lights. Superpatriotism: How hype, fear, and mindless flag-waving are supplanting informed debate and commitment to democracy.
Now, in 2018, so many years later, slogans such as: America First, America the Greatest Country on Earth are having a powerful come back. Resistance to Superpatriotism – even if it is simply remaining seated or taking a [ . . . ]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 28:58 — 19.9MB)

Michael Parenti: How I Became an Activist

By MariaFebruary 13, 2018Michael Parenti Audio CDs, Newest Catalog Items

Parenti rarely talks about his life. How does a NYC street kid get accepted to Yale? Hoe does he lose the privilege of his PhD. in an arrest at a demonstration against the war on Vietnam, and become an internationally acclaimed author and lecturer?
Michael Parenti grew up in a poor, working class Italian community in New York City. When he received his PhD in political science from Yale in 1962 he was the success and pride of his family. He risked and ended his academic career when he openly opposed the war on Vietnam. Ultimately the choice he made then was a good one. He now is an independent political writer and thinker and author of over 20 books. Invitations [ . . . ]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:00 — 19.9MB)

Michael Parenti: Capitalism’s Apocalypse (ONE of ONE)

By MariaJune 13, 2017Michael Parenti Films on DVD, Newest Catalog Items

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:02 — 19.9MB)

Michael Parenti Theocracy VS. Democracy – The Political Uses of Religion

By MariaMarch 1, 2017Michael Parenti Audio CDs, Newest Catalog Items, Politics

One selfcontained 29 minute program
Michael Parenti says that democracy can’t survive under religious rule – whatever that religion may be. Parenti’s warning in this archival recording is as timely and urgently expressed as it was when this speech was first given during the second term of the Reagan administration. This talk is also very funny. Parenti explains how God may be considered as a “founding father” and why Woody Allen calls him an underachiever. It is easy to extend this timeless analysis to the present circumstances.
With roots in a working class Italian district of New York and a Ph.D. in political science from Yale Michael Parenti has become an internationally known writer and lecturer. He is the author of twenty [ . . . ]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:00 — 19.9MB)