This list is designed to be authoritarian and bigot free. Tankies aren't leftists. TERFS and leftypol brocialists can fuck off. Includes some non-radical channels that deal with social justice. Links gathered from a variety of sources, and are not all vetted, so please bring to our attention any problematic channels you find.
Better channels are listed first. Most descriptions provided by DiabolikDownUnder.
Explains political and social justice issues in funny and accessible way, utilising atmospheric lighting, lavish sets and costumes and memorable characters to illustrate her points. Recommended video: Does The Left Hate Free Speech?
An anarchist who debunks bad capitalist (including state capitalist) arguments and anti-social justice views. Also does videos explaining anarchist principles and refuting common critiques of this ideology. Recommended video: Anarchist Commentaries Episode 6: Paul Joseph Watson and the Dunning-Kruger Effect
The channel's description sums it up best, "Non-Compete is a leftist blog and video series dedicates to the principles of intersectionalist liberation, anarchism, communism, and puppet shows." Does videos similar to the style of Peter Coffin addressing specific leftist issues alongside a podcast with other leftists mentioned on this list like AngieSpeaks and RadicalReviewer. Recommended video: The Red Pill is a CULT
Debunks and mocks the views of right-wing YouTube commentators. Combines silly sketch comedy with well-researched critiques. Also reviews media like TV and video games. Recommended video: Soy Boys: A Measured Response
Creates longform, extremely thorough and straightforward rebuttals of right-wing videos. His content is also very researched and relies on some very sly, dry humour. Has also begun making videos explaining left-wing positions on issues such as 'How Privatisation Fails: Railways'. Recommended video: The Great Replacement Isn't Real ft. Lauren Southern
sub.Media is a video production ensemble, which aims to promote anarchist and anti-capitalist ideas, and aid social struggles through the dissemination of radical films and videos. Founded in 1994, sub.Media has produced hundreds of videos on everything from anti-globalization protests to films about shoplifting.
Previously focused on reviewing leftist books and other media, but has branched out into response videos to right-wing lunatics. Recommended video: Stefan Molyneux Doesn't Understand Anarchism
Anarchist who explains the tenents of his ideology and occasionally responds to right-wing dipshits. Recommended video: We don't talk about She-Ra (sorry to have two She-Ra related videos in a row, but this truly is my favourite thing this guy’s done)
Has done some very interesting series of videos including 'Why Are You So Angry?', which analysed the mindset of the young men behind Gamergate, and (though it unfortunately seems to be misnamed) 'The Alt-Right Playbook', which deconstructed the Gamergate crowd's argumentation tactics. Also does video essays on media. Recommended videos: The Alt-Right Playbook: Introduction
Creates deep dives from a socialist perspective into topical political and social issues. Also does regular livestreams on these subjects with his wife Ashleigh. Recommended video: What Jordan B. Peterson Is Doing
Working towards a society that lives in harmony with its natural eco-system without the need for rulers to govern us. Changing the way we think is the most difficult and necessary challenge for our species right now. It's like the old adage that says that "fish don't know they're in water." They're so surrounded by it that it's impossible for them to see. The water is like our ways of thinking. The assumptions we make about life have been so reinforced throughout our lives that we have difficulty seeing them. Yet our survival as a species depends us making the choice to understand, develop, and live from a new manner of thinking. Reccommended video: The End of Kings
Discussing the theory and history of anarchism and Marxism, the theory and practice of historic and contemporary attempts at abolishing systems of domination (capitalism, the state, white supremacy, cis-het patriarchy etc), prefigurative politics, and why/how social movements win/lose.
Analyses current affairs through a philosophical lens and creates explainers on well-known and important moral and political philosophers and philosophical concepts. Recommended video: The Philosophy of Antifa
A journalist and former geologist debunks climate change denial and other science myths ranging from that of right-wing YouTubers like Steven Crowder and Stefan Molyneux to major denier figures like Lord Christopher Monkton and Patrick Moore. Makes an enormous point of referencing scientific papers and consensus on these issues, but addresses these subjects in a very easy to understand way. Perhaps my favourite of all the YouTubers on this list. Recomended video: Top 10 climate change myths
A phenomenal film critic. She uses dry humour and widely recognisable pop culture (her favourite subjects being Disney and Transformers) to look at intersecting social and political trends. While she’s often spoken from a feminist perspective, her recent work has begun delving into Marxist analysis in a way she’s very accessibly explained to the wide audience who watch her. Recommended video: Marxism! | The Whole Plate Episode 9
Creates very polished socialist critiques and explorations of economic topics Recommended video: Why People Who Need Redistribution Hate It: The Free Market & You
Former Cracked contributor Cody Johnson humorously discusses events in the news but dives in much more deeply and intellectually than the late-night political shows his series might resemble from the outset. Recommended video: Kanye West, Prager University and the Illusion of Free Thought
Debunks inaccurate takes on history by the right wing. Uses a similar longform format to Shaun's videos, and is also very well-sourced with some of the mods of the Ask Historians subreddit acting as researchers. Recommended video: Guns in the Third Reich - A Response to Ben Shapiro And Others
Refutes poor understandings and misrepresentations of Marxism from YouTubers like Sargon of Akkad and PragerU while defending socially liberal ideas like intersectionality. Recommended video: The Youtube Red Scare: Episode 1 - Does Sargon Understand the left?
Only uploads infrequently, but does very educated videos explaining scientific concepts such as gender and the genetics of ethnicity from a left-wing perspective. Also does videos addressing social topics from this same political viewpoint. Recommended video: The Science of Human Races, Part 1
The Mr. Plinkett of the YouTube Left. Using absurdist humour, bizarre editing and yet surprisingly great insight and research, the character of Creationist Cat (a magical housecat who was 'zapped through da internet' by God) mocks and exposes the bullshit of the right wing and online skeptic community. Recommended video: MILO YIANNOPOULOS: EXPOSED!
Explains topics in moral and political philosophy, does Marxist analyses of popular culture, but has perhaps best contributed to left-wing YouTube by doing long, in-depth deconstructions of the way figures like Jordan Peterson, Sam Harris and Steven Hicks misunderstand philosophy. Recommended video: A Critique of Sam Harris' 'The Moral Landscape'
Left-wing atheist channel that goes against what has become typically expected from the 'skeptic' community and actually critiques not only arguments from religious apologists, but also those who argue against non-binary gender, trans identities and other LGBT rights. Recommended video: Jordan Peterson Lies About The Science On Same Gender Parenting
An intersectional black feminist channel which, aside from responding to current events pertaining to women's rights, takes a fairly uncompromising look at the perceived flaws in the movement to effectively analyse how it can be made better. Recommended video: Candace Owens Is A Bad Actor
The channel of well-known Marxist economist Prof. Richard D. Wolff. This channel is home to exclusive lectures where Professor Wolff explains current American and global economic problems and how Marxian economics can be both a prism to analyse how these problems effect people, and also be a solution to these systemic economic flaws. The channel Democracy At Work(which actually currently sits at 60k subscribers) features other lectures on the same subjects regarding contemporary failures of capitalism, and is based on a book of Wolff's with the same name. Recommended video: Crisis and Openings: Introduction to Marxism - Richard D Wolff
Another left-wing atheist channel. Does short but clever videos rebutting bad arguments from religious apologists and social conservatives. Recommended video: Ben Shapiro Is Wrong About: Raising Children
The following channels aren't as good as the ones above, usually because they have much fewer videos on offer or are only rarely political.
Produces anarchist critiques of current political events and explorations of anarchist/socialist history. Recommended video: Conspiracy Culture: A Leftist Analysis
AnarchaTransGrrrl (FKA AnarchoWinter; Anarchist Spectacle)
Trans anarchist communist. Anarcha-feminism, queer anarchy, info-anarchism / anarcho-hacker, anarcho-syndicalism, social ecology. Teaching anarchist theory, discussing strategy and tactics for positive change.
Audible Anarchist is a project started and operated by a group of volunteers that seek to bring important anarchist texts to the audio format.
Does video essays on film, TV and video games with a very political slant. Analysing the Christian propaganda of the God’s Not Dead series, the preachy style of 1950s propaganda shorts, and what he believed to be the shallow politics of Black Mirror (as well as other less political analyses of movies like The Room and Disney films). He has recently branched out into much more overtly political content, creating videos which refuted arguments in Cassie Jaye’s men’s rights film ‘The Red Pill’ and the videos of Prager University. Recommended video: The Red Pill: The Strange Art of Men's Rights Activism (Part 1)
Debunks online right-wing heroes like Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson and Christina Hoff-Sommers. Recommended video: Jordan Peterson Is A Fraud. Part 1: Bill C-16
A self-confessed and unashamed blue haired feminist, debunking right-wing arguments against feminism, as well pro-capitalist and 'race realist' arguments Recommended video: Chris Ray Gun Needs To Fact Check
d e a d / s k e p t i c (AKA dead/skeptic)
A fascinating channel using the game Cities: Skylines to illustrate the socioeconomic impacts the urban planning of cities can have on people's lives, both through the development in cities in history and in their redevelopment today. If you're interested in class analysis this series will be perfect for you. Recommended video: Cities: Skylines | Power, Politics, & Planning: Episode 3: Gentrification
Another ‘Potholer’ style debunking guy. Has responded to Lauren Southern, Ben Shapiro, PragerU and (in the video below) The Quartering, Sargon of Akkad and that one Rebel Media woman who isn’t Lauren Southern or Faith Goldy. Recommended video: She-Ra Broke the Brains of Anti-SJW's
Known for doing Hbomberguy's music, but between original music videos does left-wing response videos to people like Paul Joseph Watson. Recommended video: The Kunst Saga | How The Right Wing Views Modern Art
Hasn't uploaded in a year but hopefully will again soon since his output has been very underrated. Debunks bad right-wing criticisms of feminism and the trans rights movement. I'm shocked no bigger YouTubers have seized on his discovery that Ben Shapiro has been lying about the trans suicide rate. Recommended video: Ben Shapiro and the Transgender Suicide Rate
Formerly did animations, now does video essays with political themes like in the link below. Also interesting is his parody of anti-SJW film reviews 'Rational Big Boy DEMOLISHES SJW Propaganda: 12 Angry Men'. Recommended video: Sky High: Disney's Fascist Eugenics Movie
Very similar to the style of Potholer54, but addressing similar subjects to channels like those like Hbomb, Shaun and Contra. He debunks right-wingers like Dave Rubin, Steven Crowder and Roaming Millennial with very eloquent, long-form responses. Recommended video: Steven Crowder Is A Fraud | Change My Mind
Film critic specialising in art cinema, but always from a socially left-wing perspective. While this political aspect is clear in all his reviews, often he does do videos exploring politics a lot more overtly such as below. Recommended video: From Caligari to Hitler: Imagining the Tyrant - Between the Lines
Love & Rage (FKA Carnival Communist)
The Majority Report with Sam Seder
Covers feminist and LGBT topics. Similarly to Contra (whom she has recently done a video criticising) Maria often rebuts anti-SJW points against socially progressive ideals, having done videos addressing fat shaming, the placement of asexuality on the LGBT spectrum, and the commodification of female beauty. Recommended video: Roaming Millennial: Hates Women. Hates Facts.
Reflects on the treatment of LGBT characters and subjects in older media. Does a weekly news segment addressing issues affecting the queer community. Also has a wonderful podcast about LGBT pop culture called ‘The Sewers of Paris’. Recommended video: How Sitcoms Handled Homos in the 70s and 80s
Has done rebuttals to Dave Rubin and InfoWars as well as a video defending non-binary gender from the uneducated criticism of major YouTubers (see below). Recommended video: YouTubers Don't Understand: Non-Binary People | Messy Elliott
Self-proclaimed ‘angry trans woman’. Addresses political topics such as the Syria conflict, debating with white supremacists and the relationship of left-wing ideology with trans women in an entertaining way. Recommended video: Syria: Many Of These Options Are Bad
Creates videos that draw on a knowledge of philosophy to critique members of the Intellectual Dark Web like Jordan Peterson and Sam Harris, as well as addressing other big issues like peak oil. Occasionally livestreams with Douglas Lain of Zero Books. Recommended video: What Jordan Peterson Gets Wrong About Marx, Postmodernism and The Left.
Creates ‘debunking’ videos similar to the Potholer54 format José uses, and addressing similar topics. He’s done videos responding to Matt Christiansen, Steven Crowder, Ben Shapiro and PragerU. Recommended video: Ten Horrible Ben Shapiro Arguments Debunked
Despite the current cultural backlash to social justice, this guy has somehow gotten away with making video essay after video essay with millions of views criticising the portrayal of toxic masculinity in film and television, while celebrating the non-normative gender archetypes in media like Steven Universe. Recommended video: The Adorkable Misogyny of The Big Bang Theory
Specialises in analysis of LGBT themes in pop culture in his review series ‘Needs More Gay’. Recommended video: Are LGBT Characters "Forced" Into Games?
Creates very Hbomberguy-esque videos responding to shitty arguments and videos from the skeptic community and alt-right. Like Hbomb he talks to the camera and includes performative comedy bits. Recommended video: South Africa & The Far Right | PART 1 (placed in limited state by YouTube because the alt-right reported it for the clips from other people he includes who themselves were not flagged)
Another long-form video essayist, but has a particular emphasis on analysing social justice in film. His work includes critical readings of the white privilege themes of ‘Get Out’, the perhaps accidental Ayn Randian/Objectivist themes of ‘The Incredibles’, and as seen below, the contentious approach to racism of ‘Three BillBoards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’. Recommended video: How (Not) to Discuss Racism in Film - Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri | Renegade Cut
Another ‘debunker’ in the Potholer format. Has responded to Paul Joseph Watson, Ben Shapiro, No Bullshit and Stefan Molyneux in between video game and politics related shitposts. Recommended video: The Truth About Paul Joseph Watson (For Real)
Not leftist, but humanist. The School of Life is a global organisation dedicated to fostering emotional well-being, both through the YouTube channel and real-life schools in 10 locations around the world. They apply psychology, philosophy, and culture to everyday life, addressing the questions never taught enough about at regular school or college: How can relationships go well? What is meaningful work? How can love last? How can one find calm? What has gone wrong (and right) with capitalism? They love the humanities, especially philosophy, psychotherapy, literature and art - always going to them in search of ideas that are thought-provoking, useful and consoling.
SocialRevolution (FKA? Socialist Revolution)
A history channel exploring important events from a progressive perspective. Has done videos addressing topics the right tends to obscure or ignore the truth of like, the pre-Columbian Americans (see below), 20th century communism, the rise of ISIS, anarchism during the Spanish Civil War and many others. Recommended video: The Truth About Native Americans before Europeans Arrived
TheSyndicalistDragon (FKA? The Communist Dragon)
Similar to hbomberguy's style but more vlog-based. Rebuts right-wing videos but also has a series called 'Buzzwords from the Right' where he specifically debunks misused terms and slurs used by that side like to chastise us. Recommended video: What "Questions for SJWs" Taught Me About YouTube Antifeminism
Detailed explanations of Marxist theory. Recommended video: Primitive Communism and its Relation to Full Communism.
Does weird, comedic edits for the channel Super Deluxe (which also often makes fun of the right). On his personal channel though (his Twitter is more active) he uploads short edits almost exclusively making fun of some of his favourite right wing targets like Mike Cernovich and Ben Shapiro. Recommended video: Ben Shapiro OFFENDS himself with a Michelle Wolf joke he wrote!
Marxist who both promotes socialist ideology and critiques those who misrepresent and slander it such as PragerU, Ben Shapiro and Jordan Peterson. Recommended video: Different Kinds of Marxism Explained
Very new anti-capitalist channel. Critiques capitalist arguments ('Capitalist Philanthropy and Charity, why it doesn't work'), defends criticism of the left (Re: PragerUniversity on LEFTISTS and TOLERANCE) and promotes a Marxist praxis through everyday needs (see below). Recommended video: Why Gamers Should be against Capitalism
A rare glimmer of hope in the right dominated world of the anime fandom. Xeria analyses the political themes of anime like FLCL and Gundam. Recommended video: Anime SHOULD BE(and is) POLITICAL