This is an unusual issue for us. Many of its articles are focused on electoral politics and the constraints and possibilities that await socialists in office.

For much of the next two years, those of us in the United States will be looking at the 2020 elections. We’ll likely see a Bernie Sanders run; in fact, for the sake of this issue’s longevity we better see one. He’ll do battle with establishment Democrats and President Trump. There will also be both congressional and local efforts to elect socialists. These confrontations present an opening to discuss politics with millions of people, and our daily online coverage will surely be up for the task.

But Jacobin operates on a longer time horizon than other publications. We think in terms of continents and epochs, not campaign gossip and primary dates.