For Karl Marx, Alienation Was Central to Understanding Capitalism
Karl Marx’s groundbreaking account of labor alienation forms an invaluable part of his thought. For Marx, alienation was fundamental to grasping capitalism and how to dismantle it.
19540 Articles by: Abigail Torre
Abigail Torre grew up in Chile and now lives in Berkeley, California where she is cochair of the East Bay chapter of Democratic Socialists of America.
Our Country Friends Is a Disquieting Vision of the Post-COVID America to Come
As novelists begin to turn their eyes to the pandemic and the destruction it has wrought, Gary Shteyngart’s latest stands out. He depicts a vision of America that is deeply unsettling: a collapse that is merely more of the same.
Only a Democratic Overhaul Can Put an End to the Corruption of Australia’s Political Class
Every month, it seems a new corruption scandal emerges in Australian politics. These improprieties are not exceptions to the norm, they are the natural outcome of a two-party system that serves the wealthy elite.
Canadian Federal Police Have Raided First Nations Land to Protect Fossil Fuel Companies
Last month the Royal Canadian Mounted Police raided and dismantled a blockade of a pipeline on indigenous land — one of many clashes between federal police and First Nations land defenders and their supporters throughout Canada’s history.
The National Conservatives Are Winning the Right’s Battle of Ideas
A recent gathering of right-wing politicians and intellectuals underscores conservatism’s increasing illiberalism — and suggests the GOP might move even further toward authoritarianism and phony economic populism.
Movies Are Worse Now Because Their Corporate Funders Are Risk-Averse
In the golden age of New Hollywood, creators were given huge sums to take big risks, and it paid off. But movies have come under the control of hedge funds that specialize in risk management. The result: boring, predictable cinema.
The Hellish Reality of Amazon’s Human Resources Department
Amazon’s HR department is a hellscape where automated systems arbitrarily cut off benefits and fire workers, leaving an alarming number penniless and literally suicidal. And the company simply doesn’t seem to care.
Britain’s Borders Bill Will Institutionalize Second-Class Citizenship for Immigrants
Britain’s Tory government is passing legislation allowing it to deprive people of their citizenship at will. The law is a particular threat to those with immigrant backgrounds — and sends the message that they’ll never be considered truly British.
Omicron: Panic or Dismiss? Mourn or Organize?
Some have responded to Omicron with despair at the possibility of ever exiting the pandemic. Others have dismissed the new variant, given preliminary data suggesting milder disease. How should the Left navigate the evolution of the virus amid such uncertainty?
Nancy Pelosi: 2021 Wall Street Trader of the Year
Thanks to her investing prowess, the Speaker of the House’s wealth grew by an estimated $16.7 million in 2020, just as millions of Americans fell into poverty and struggled to make ends meet during the COVID-19 pandemic. Long live the Queen of Stonks!
Insurance Companies Are Profiting Big Off of Climate Change
Insurance companies not only offer coverage to fossil fuel projects, but also use millions of people’s premiums to invest in the fossil fuel industry’s expansion. We can’t stop climate change without reeling the insurers in.
Nancy Pelosi’s Defense of Political Insider Trading Is Orwellian
It’s hard to think of anything more symbolic of America’s gilded and decadent ruling class than elected officials owning pieces of the very economy they’re officially charged with managing.
Animation Writers Want Pay Parity With Their Live-Action Counterparts
Animation writers — responsible for some of the world’s most recognizable cartoons at studios like Nickelodeon — are subject to staggering disparities between themselves and live-action writers.
Joe Biden’s Obsession With Bipartisanship Doomed His Presidency From the Start
Joe Biden’s obsession with bipartisanship for its own sake made him a risky bet as leader. Now, with the prospects of the Build Back Better bill seemingly waning, it may have unraveled his presidency.
By Restarting Student Loan Payments, Joe Biden Is Shooting the Democrats in the Foot
Canceling student debt is both the right thing to do and what’s politically smart. By restarting student loan payments and refusing to cancel student debt, Joe Biden and the Democratic Party have shown they’re uninterested in either.
Neoliberalism Renders Us Powerless — and Blames Us for It
As the 1 percent internalized the sense that they alone were responsible for their success, so too was everyone else made to feel like the cause of their own failure. This formula was baked into the neoliberal philosophy from the beginning.
Australia Has Rolled Workers’ Rights Back to the 1800s
The Australian High Court has just ruled that, if an employment contract says you are a casual worker, then you must be a casual worker — even if you work regular, ongoing hours. The decision is a massive blow to workers’ rights.
Canadians Don’t Want to Work at Tim Hortons
After decades of flagrant profiteering and attacking workers’ rights, Tim Hortons is now struggling to find people willing to work for them.
Canada Has Long Been an Accomplice to America’s Imperialist Wars
Rooted in Cold War anti-communism, the military alliance between the US and Canada is responsible for bloody conflicts around the globe. An antiwar movement in Canada would challenge the strategic pact between the two nations.
Health Care Providers Constantly Pass the Buck to Deny Patients Needed Care
The American health care industry revolves around a very lucrative scam: drugmakers, hospitals, and health insurance companies are constantly passing responsibility for denials of care to one another, in order to maximally gouge the public.