Colombia’s War on Terror Was a License for Mass Murder
Álvaro Uribe came to power in Colombia shortly after 9/11 and declared his own war on terrorism with US support.
188 Articles by: Daniel Finn
Daniel Finn is the features editor at Jacobin. He is the author of One Man’s Terrorist: A Political History of the IRA.
Yes, the Iraq War Was (Kinda) a War for Oil
In the immediate aftermath of the Iraq invasion, the US and British governments tried to launch a radical experiment in oil privatization. Iraqi trade unions spearheaded a brave campaign to thwart their plans.
The Triumph of Greece’s Authoritarian Right Is the Future the European Union Wants
Greek premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis is cut from the same cloth as Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, attacking press freedom and brutalizing refugees. The EU’s leading actors have backed Mitsotakis to the hilt, and his political dominance was forged in Berlin and Brussels.
The Corporate Takeover of Soccer Is Ruining the World’s Most Popular Game
Manchester City is the hot favorite to win tonight’s Champions League final with the best team that an oil-rich autocracy can buy. It’s the latest stage in a long-term process that has converted the people’s game into a plaything of wealthy elites.
Isaias Afwerki Led Eritrea’s Freedom Struggle, But Turned His Country Into a Prison Camp
Eritrea spent decades fighting for independence against enormous odds. Its people finally achieved their goal in the 1990s, but Eritrean leader Isaias Afwerki has since created one of the world’s bleakest dictatorships, prompting countless Eritreans to flee.
The X-Files: The Truth Was Out There
The classic show The X-Files celebrated and satirized America’s love of conspiracy theories before they became an all-consuming obsession. When the show returned to the air after a long gap, it had to confront a culture of paranoia that made Fox Mulder’s imagination look tame.
Keir Starmer’s Case for Excluding Jeremy Corbyn Gives Damp Squibs a Bad Name
After years of moralizing rhetoric, Keir Starmer couldn’t find a single credible accusation of misconduct to block his predecessor from running as a Labour candidate. All that’s left is a shrill campaign to exclude socialist ideas from public life.
The US Invasion Was a Catastrophe for the People of Iraq
The US promised to bring freedom to Iraqis, but its eight-year occupation resulted in death and destruction on a horrifying scale. It left behind a corrupt, sectarian political order that has responded to popular protests with brutal repression.
Britain’s Power Elite Has Defeated Its Challengers by Creating a Political Wasteland
Media pundits claim that British politics is experiencing a “great moderation” with the departures of Nicola Sturgeon and Jeremy Corbyn. What they really mean is that a decrepit model based on food banks and xenophobia no longer faces mainstream opposition.
Britain’s Economic Model Is Crumbling, but Its Politicians Don’t Want to Face Reality
Thatcherism and austerity have had a devastating impact on British society, with stagnant wages and declining life expectancy. There’s a crying need for radical change, but no mainstream political force is offering to deliver it.
Two Centuries of the National Question
Critics say Marxism can’t account for the popular appeal of nationalism. But the Marxist tradition contains some vital insights into the origins and future of national communities.
We Can’t Understand Islamophobia Without Recognizing Its Roots in Imperialism
Anti-Muslim racism has become a central theme for right-wing demagogues in Europe and the US. Islamophobia isn’t just a bad set of ideas: it’s a product of imperialism and the destructive wars waged by the US and its allies in the Middle East.
Automation Isn’t the Cause of Unemployment — Capitalism Just Can’t Generate Enough Jobs
Social theorists identify automation as both the main cause of unemployment and the future launchpad for a high-tech post-scarcity world. But, Aaron Benanav argues, the problem is the stagnation of global capitalism and its inability to generate enough jobs.
Irish Unity Is Now a Realistic Goal, but There’s Still a Long Road to Travel
Sinn Féin has become the largest party on both sides of the Irish border. But the party’s effort to eliminate that border for good will have to overcome some powerful obstacles that stand in the way of a united Ireland.
Israel and Its Supporters Have Redefined Antisemitism to Stifle Solidarity With Palestine
The Israeli state and its allies have campaigned tirelessly to promote the misleading concept of the “new antisemitism.” This effort brands effective, well-documented criticism of Israel as antisemitic while sowing confusion about real anti-Jewish prejudice.
Organizing the Void
The new left in Europe and North America hasn’t made the transition from being a symptom of democratic crisis to offering an effective cure for it.
Walter Benjamin Warned Us Against the Illusions of Capitalist Progress
Walter Benjamin was one of the most influential cultural theorists of the last century. There have been many attempts to defang and deradicalize Benjamin’s work, but his Marxist commitments run right through his dazzling intellectual legacy.
The US Helped Destroy Modern Somalia
Since the 1990s, no government has been able to control the whole of Somalia’s territory. Lurid news reports about piracy and terrorism obscure the fact that big powers like the US have repeatedly intervened in the country’s affairs and worsened its condition.
Public-Service Broadcasting Is a Noble Ideal, but the BBC Needs Radical Change
The BBC marked its centenary this week, but its long-term future is deeply uncertain. We should defend the idea of public-service broadcasting while sharply criticizing the BBC in its current form for its conservativism and deference to the British state.
BlackRock and Green Capitalism Won’t Save the Planet
The rise of trillion-dollar investment firms like BlackRock has resulted in a massive, unprecedented concentration of economic power. BlackRock’s Larry Fink may use green rhetoric, but his company won’t take real action to address the climate crisis.