Episode Details

"When the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich." In this episode of pplpod, we trace the explosive history of the controversial political slogan "Eat the Rich."

Join us as we explore the phrase's origins, commonly attributed to philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau during the French Revolution, and track its evolution into a modern rallying cry for anti-capitalism and wealth redistribution. We discuss how the slogan has been adopted by modern figures ranging from Elizabeth Warren to Amazon labor organizer Christian Smalls and UAW president Shawn Fain in the fight against wealth inequality.

Plus, we dive into the pop culture phenomenon defining the 2020s. From the rise of "eat the rich movies" like Parasite, Knives Out, The Menu, and Triangle of Sadness to the viral TikTok trend exposing "first-world" hypocrisy, we break down why class conflict is dominating our screens. Tune in to find out why the FBI associates the phrase with anarchist violent extremism and what the slogan says about the current state of society.