We Aren’t Talking Enough About Wage Theft
Every year, $50 billion is stolen from American workers by their bosses. The Left and labor should be working tirelessly to pass anti-wage-theft legislation at every level of government.
19106 Articles by: Benjamin Case
Benjamin Case is a researcher, educator, and organizer living in Pittsburgh.
The New Right Wants Activist Judges to Rule, Not the People
Liberal “anti-populists” often portray grassroots democracy as more a threat than an asset. But as reactionaries turn to judges to win their political battles for them, it’s time the Left got serious about putting power in the hands of the majority.
The Tragic Lives of the Communists Trapped in Stalin’s Shadow
Communists who came to the Soviet Union seeking refuge found themselves caught up in the madness of the Stalinist purges. But many, argued Isaac Deutscher, still couldn’t think of breaking with the system that Stalin created and ended up working for their former persecutors.
Sergei Prokofiev Was One of the Soviet Union’s Great Composers
Sergei Prokofiev died 70 years ago today, overshadowed by the death of Joseph Stalin, who had banned much of his work. But Prokofiev’s brilliant musical compositions have outlived him and still sound fresh and exciting to modern listeners.
The Ghost of Stalin Still Hasn’t Been Laid to Rest
Joseph Stalin died 70 years ago today, having stamped his indelible mark upon the Soviet system. Stalin’s legacy continues to haunt the post-Soviet landscape, right up to the present war with Ukraine.
Hindu Nationalist Lobbyists on Capitol Hill Are Growing in Influence
Right-wing lobby groups that claim to speak on behalf of Indian Americans are trying to stifle criticism of Narendra Modi’s Hindu chauvinist agenda. They’ve modeled themselves on pro-Israel groups like AIPAC and forged alliances around Islamophobic bigotry.
Canada Doesn’t Need More Renters, It Needs Public Housing
Going all in on the rental market won’t solve Canada’s housing crisis. As corporate landlords gain a bigger stake in the market and small landlords drive class divide, we need public housing more than ever.
No, AMLO Is Not Undermining Mexican Democracy
The international press is again bludgeoning Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador, this time accusing him of attacking the country’s democratic institutions. It’s a baseless charge intended to undermine a government that refuses total obedience to US hegemony.
Free Leonard Peltier
American Indian activist Leonard Peltier was wrongly convicted in the 1970s and is now the longest-held indigenous political prisoner in the United States. He should be granted clemency and released from prison immediately.
Havana Syndrome Is Fake. But Mainstream Media Couldn’t Get Enough of It for Years.
American intelligence agencies have concluded that Havana syndrome isn’t real. No surprise. But that determination comes long after mainstream media credulously and repeatedly reported on and repeated intelligence officers’ absurd claims.
Starbucks Workers Attempting to Unionize May Have Just Had Their Best Week Ever
This week, white-collar workers at Starbucks signed an open letter in solidarity with baristas, Bernie Sanders announced he will force Howard Schultz to testify before a Senate committee, and the NLRB condemned the company for ignoring worker’s fundamental rights.
Nigeria’s Old Guard Clung to Power in Its Presidential Election
Bola Tinubu, a candidate from Nigeria’s ruling party, has claimed the presidency with a weak and disputed mandate on the lowest turnout since democracy was restored. Tinubu will inherit a deep social crisis that can only be addressed by radical reform.
The Biden Administration Sat Out the Warrior Met Coal Miners’ Strike
Joe Biden promised to run the most pro-union administration in US history. But it offered no support to Alabama coal miners who were on strike for nearly two years.
Under Capitalism, We’re All Dominated by the Invisible Threads of the Market
At times, capitalism resorts to exceptional violence to subordinate workers. Much more commonly, however, it exercises an impersonal, economic form of power that shapes our environment and compels our compliance on a daily basis.
If Biden Really Wants to End Homelessness, He Needs to Support Public Housing
The Biden administration promised a humane and proactive approach to the nation’s housing and homelessness crises. Instead, we’ve gotten technocratic tinkering and homeless encampment sweeps. We need investment in public housing.
Brandon Johnson in 2014: “It’s Not Enough to Patch Poverty”
Former rank-and-file Chicago Teachers Union member and organizer Brandon Johnson advanced to a runoff election in the city’s mayoral race this week. In 2014, Jacobin interviewed Johnson about the CTU’s political strategy. We publish the conversation here.
The Blues Brothers Is a Wild Ride Through 1970s Chicago
The Blues Brothers is still a rollicking good time more than 40 years later, offering an exuberant look at 1970s Chicago in all its rough, working-class charm.
Elly Schlein Will Tilt Italy’s Democrats to the Left, but Don’t Expect Revolutionary Change
Italy’s Democratic primary handed victory to Elly Schlein, the most left-wing leader in the party’s history. Her success relied on mobilizing nonmembers — but she faces an uphill struggle overhauling a party long in thrall to corporate liberalism.
New Zealand Is Escalating Tensions Between China and the West
In recent years, New Zealand has massively increased its defense budget and strengthened military ties to the US to ward off what hawks see as Chinese aggression. These moves have only worsened relations between the West and China.
To Renew Working-Class Resistance, the Labor Movement Must Be Democratized
Charting a course toward labor’s revival requires a socialist political project suited to the current historical and social moment. To build this renewed working-class politics, the labor movement must be democratized.