Donald Trump has shown the world that even the vast power of the globe’s foremost imperial hegemon has limits. His initial genocidal bluster against Iran was downstream of this reality, as was his subsequent capitulation.
Through Meta Glasses, Darkly
How do we solve a problem like the commodification of mass wearable surveillance? Social norms and market pressure are a start, but above all, we need a political response like regulation.
The Iran Ceasefire Is a Stunning Defeat for Militarism
The Iran war was such a fiasco that Donald Trump had no choice but to find a way out. Whether it sticks will partly depend on Democrats resisting the urge to irresponsibly goad him back into it.
Alexander Kluge Fought and Won Against the Culture Industry
The death of the filmmaker and Marxist theorist Alexander Kluge marks the loss of a voice that insisted the horrors of the last century were not confined to the past. They live on in the continued existence of imperialist wars.
Amazon Will Be This Century’s Biggest Labor Battle
With its vast logistics empire deploying robotics, surveillance, and AI to block worker power at every turn, Amazon now sits atop the throne of American capitalism. Organizing it will define the future of the labor movement.
Under capitalism, technological “progress” like AI systematically deskills workers, deepens managerial control, and turns the labor process into a site of conflict rather than liberation. This is by design.
The Iraq War Presaged Donald Trump’s War on Iran
A small group of hawks convinced George W. Bush to launch a war in the Middle East, despite his campaign-trail rhetoric and against the advice of top US military and intelligence officials. The parallels with Donald Trump’s war on Iran are striking.
Is There a Way Out From Trump’s Iran Ultimatum?
Panicked, Donald Trump has threatened to destroy Iran’s energy infrastructure by 8 p.m. today unless concessions are made. But Iran’s position is stronger than the president is willing to admit.
Workers at Cocktail Bar Attaboy Are Unionizing
Staff at famed New York cocktail bar Attaboy are forming an independent union in a notoriously hard-to-organize industry.
Sven Beckert’s History of Capitalism Is Too Light on Theory
Sven Beckert’s Capitalism: A Global History ranges impressively over time and space, from medieval Yemen to modern-day Cambodia. But we need a clearer political economy of capitalism to make sense of the material that he provides us with.
Neoliberalism didn’t win an intellectual argument — it won power. Vivek Chibber unpacks how employers and political elites in the 1970s and ’80s turned economic turmoil into an opportunity to reshape society on their terms.
Congressional Democrats Are Out of Step With Their Base
Right-leaning caucuses now hold a majority among Democrats in the House of Representatives. The dominance of centrist economic policy in the congressional party puts it increasingly out of step with Democratic voters.
Trump’s Goal Is to Suppress Votes, Not Prevent Election Fraud
Donald Trump says the SAVE Act is about stopping noncitizens from voting. But the real target is the millions of working-class citizens who don’t have an updated passport or paper birth certificate sitting in a drawer.
Movements Need the Critical Thinking That AI Destroys
Struggles against oppression start with people critically reflecting on their experiences. What happens to such struggles when we outsource our thinking to AI and replace human interlocutors with sycophantic chatbots?
Americans (Still) Support a Federal Jobs Guarantee
In poll after poll, Americans across the political spectrum support a federal jobs guarantee. And yet it’s never mentioned in mainstream political discourse. New survey data makes the case even harder to ignore.