The IP Machine Laughs at Itself
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg mock Hollywood’s creative collapse in The Studio — while continuing to churn out sequels, reboots, and branded spin-offs.
19372 Articles by: Benjamin Case
Benjamin Case is a researcher, educator, and organizer living in Pittsburgh.
Serbia’s Protests, From Blockades to the Ballot
A deadly station roof-canopy collapse in Novi Sad, Serbia, last fall sparked months of protests. Blockades and rallies have mobilized masses of people — but the difficulty forcing institutional change has made some activists look to the electoral arena.
Here Lies Hudson’s Bay Company, Murdered by Private Equity
Hudson’s Bay Company, Canada’s oldest retailer, didn’t die of natural causes — it was gutted by private equity. Stripped of assets and loaded with debt, it leaves behind job losses, endangered pensions, and a hollowed-out legacy reduced to branding rights.
Trump’s Budget Includes a Giveaway to a Chilean Billionaire
Mining was banned in northeastern Minnesota due to the irreversible damage it would do to the state’s fresh water. A last-minute provision to the Republican budget bill will allow a Chilean magnate with ties to the Trump family to mine the protected lands.
Mahmoud Khalil’s Case Is About the Future of Free Speech
Despite some recent advances in his case against the Trump administration, Mahmoud Khalil remains confined for opposing genocide in Gaza — an imprisonment that makes a mockery of the First Amendment.
The Boss Is Right to Talk About Class
Bruce Springsteen recently accused the Trump administration of taking “sadistic pleasure in the pain they inflict on loyal American workers.” He rightly attacked the administration’s favorite lie: its claim that Trump represents the working class.
Defending Academic Freedom in The Male Animal
At a time when academic and political repression is sweeping the United States, the 1942 screwball comedy The Male Animal offers a reminder of what courage in the face of crackdowns on a college campus can look like.
French Leaders Are Using Trump’s Trade War to Push Austerity
European leaders have lined up to condemn Donald Trump’s tariff plans as absurd. Yet some are also using the crisis to push their existing agendas — with France’s government stepping up pressure for sweeping budget cuts.
A Half-Century of Harry Braverman’s Labor and Monopoly Capital
Harry Braverman’s arguments in his classic book Labor and Monopoly Capital presciently forecasted much of our present labor regime — and can help us move beyond it.
Today’s Far-Right Crankery Has Libertarian Ancestry
The virulent nationalism and racism of the contemporary far right are typically seen as having little in common with figures like Friedrich Hayek. But the far right’s pseudoscientific defenses of hierarchy have roots in Hayek and his acolytes’ thought.
The Debt Economy Is Eating Everyone Alive
For people locked out of homeownership, “Buy Now, Pay Later” has become a way to finance basic expenses — with future income that may not actually materialize. The Trump administration, meanwhile, is busy protecting the lenders.
Friendship Is a Cringe Comedy About Ghastly Human Need
The excruciatingly funny Friendship finds comedian Tim Robinson pursuing a creepy bromance with Paul Rudd. It’s surprisingly well-done, using cringe humor to explore the growing phenomenon of male loneliness.
1938 Shows a People Taking Control of Their Economy
The new Mexican film 1938 tells the story of the nation’s historic expropriation of the oil industry. Jacobin sat down with director Sergio Olhovich to talk about the long-awaited project — finally realized with the support of the AMLO administration.
Saskia Esken Failed to Change Germany’s Social Democrats
German Social Democrat leader Saskia Esken was elected in 2019 promising to return the 150-year-old party to its roots. Her quest to change this establishment party was likely doomed all along — and now it’s shifting even further to the right.
Public Power Can Save Canada’s NDP
Canada’s NDP, increasingly out of step with its working-class base, recently suffered its worst defeat since its founding. Rebuilding support will mean reviving the industrial ambition that once defined the party’s approach to energy and public ownership.
Pakistan’s Military Is Using War Fever to Boost Its Power
The Pakistani military establishment has been facing heavy criticism since it ousted Imran Khan and clamped down on political dissent. The country’s generals have now exploited the stand-off with India over Kashmir to boost their flagging popularity.
The Second-Class Citizenship of Palestinian Israelis
Horrific, genocidal atrocities are being carried out against Palestinians in Gaza right now. But Israeli historian Ilan Pappé explains that Palestinian Israelis also find themselves in an “apartheid state” inside Israel.
A Bill for Trump’s Madness Will Come Due
Donald Trump once said that under him, we would “get tired of winning.” As the United States sees credit downgrades, deep budget cuts, and potential fiscal crises, the wins are pretty hard to find.
Greenland Isn’t Buying Whatever Donald Trump Is Selling
Donald Trump’s overtures to the people of Greenland aren’t making a positive impact, even among those who are keen to break ties with Denmark. The island’s new coalition government is doing its best to keep Trump and J. D. Vance at arm’s length.
Democrats Can Avoid Trump’s Culture-War Traps
Donald Trump is skilled at inflaming culture-war conflicts to distract from the GOP’s shameless class war on behalf of the rich. For Democrats to counter Trump effectively, they need to attack the billionaire class.