#012 - Radicals and the Soviet Union with Maurice Casey

In this episode of The Long View, historian Maurice Casey discusses his book Hotel Lux: An Intimate History of Communism’s Forgotten Radicals.

The conversation explores Moscow in the 1920s as a global hub for revolutionary movements and focuses on the Hotel Lux, a residence for foreign communists connected to the Comintern. At its peak, the hotel brought together activists, intellectuals, and political idealists from across Europe and beyond.

Maurice Casey draws on extensive archival research to tell the stories of these often forgotten radicals, examining their hopes for a new world, the cultural life that developed in Moscow, and the devastating impact of Stalin’s rise to power.

The discussion also highlights the important roles played by women in revolutionary networks, the significance of Jewish identity among many activists, and the lasting historical legacy of this international community.

A fascinating look at the human stories behind twentieth century revolutionary politics.