Happy Birthday, Jacobin! Here’s to Ten More Years.
Back when Jacobin was founded this month in 2010, there was hardly any socialist media in the United States. Today, we’re a small part of a growing movement that can still change the world.
Jacobin’s relevance and interest depends completely on this socialist movement. As it thrives, so will we. If it dies, this magazine probably will, too.
When Bhaskar Sunkara decided ten years ago to start a socialist magazine, we older socialist journalists were impressed and also amused. We admired his moxie. The kid hadn’t even graduated from college yet. He didn’t seem to realize how marginal socialism was! Or maybe, as a Knicks fan, he was just philosophical about losing.
We talked up the project. We got our friends to subscribe. We offered guidance when asked. We never thought Jacobin would last ten years — let alone become as widely read and influential as it is today.
Still, Jacobin looked terrific, thanks to great designers. It was intelligent and intellectual, eschewing platitudes and left cliché, yet also accessible. It was also frankly and unapologetically socialist.
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