The US Economy Runs on Billionaire Pocket Change
The top 10% of earners account for almost half of all consumer spending in the United States. Wealth concentration has made economic stability shockingly reliant on elite consumption.
123 Articles by: David Moscrop
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David Moscrop is a writer and political commentator. He hosts the podcast Open to Debate and is the author of Too Dumb For Democracy? Why We Make Bad Political Decisions and How We Can Make Better Ones.
Where Will Canada’s Workers Go After the Election?
Nationalist backlash against Donald Trump helped stall right-wing populism. But Canadian workers are still drifting rightward, and the social democratic NDP is in shambles.
For All That Is Good About Humankind, Ban Smartphones
Smartphones are making us unhealthy, miserable, antisocial, and less free. If we can’t yet nationalize the attention economy, maybe it’s time to abolish its primary tool — before it finishes abolishing us.
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.
Maybe We Need a New Word for “Inequality”
America’s richest earn in hours what ordinary workers earn over lifetimes. As Donald Trump’s tax bill seeks to make the plunder of the filthy rich permanent, “inequality” no longer feels like a strong enough word for what we’re facing.
The AI and Copyright Issues Dividing Trump’s Court
The Trump coalition unites anti-corporate populists and libertarian futurists — two factions with irreconcilable views. The struggle over AI copyright underscores just how unstable that alliance has become.
Canada’s Election Didn’t Halt Class Dealignment
Canada’s nationalist backlash against Donald Trump helped stall right-wing populism in this week’s election, but the underlying class dealignment remains. Workers are still drifting rightward, and the social democratic NDP is in shambles.
The Pseudo-Populism of Canada’s New Right
Pierre Poilievre talks like a class warrior, but his policies serve the C-suite. A new book digs into the ideology and elite backing behind his faux-populist, anti-government movement.
The Shared Logic of Censorship
Whether from religious conservatives or progressive educators, today’s book bans share a common moral claim: some texts are too harmful to circulate. But when ideologies compete to control knowledge, the pluralism and inquiry democracy needs begin to erode.
Canada Is Betting on Mark Carney, Technocrat Extraordinaire
As an election looms, Mark Carney is the face of Canada’s Liberal Party comeback — and the latest figure to stand between the country and Trump-era fallout. He may also be its first casualty.
Rising GDP Lifts Only the Boats of the Wealthy Few
Since the early 1980s, Canada’s economy has expanded significantly, with GDP per capita rising by 70% in real terms. But while the wealthiest Canadians’ incomes have increased fivefold, those of the bottom half have risen just 1.5 times.
Jacobin Writer Jailed 5 Days for Criticizing Israel
The Right’s newfound love of censorship proves what many suspected: its free speech absolutism was always conditional. Just ask Jacobin contributor Yves Engler, recently jailed in Canada for five days for online criticism of Israel’s supporters.
The US Economy Runs on Billionaire Pocket Change
The top 10% of earners account for almost half of all consumer spending in the United States. Wealth concentration has made economic stability shockingly reliant on elite consumption.
AI Is Here to Stay. Who’s Steering the Ship?
From the smokestacks of the Industrial Revolution to today’s neural nets, technology has always been a double-edged sword that carries the promise of liberation for workers. But cashing in on that promise requires control over how technology is deployed.
The Democrats Helped Bring About Trump’s Return
Tomorrow Donald Trump will take the oath of office again. By spurning economic populism and embracing Bush-era Republicans, Democrats helped pave the way for his second inauguration.
Donald Trump Is Making Canada Nationalistic Again
Donald Trump’s latest musings about annexing Canada have put Canadian right-wing populists in an awkward position. As Pierre Poilievre and Doug Ford embrace nationalistic rhetoric, they’re also hedging their bets to keep trade and defense ties intact.
Congratulations, Your Privacy Is Worth $20
Siri eavesdropped on users’ medical appointments and other private moments. With the pitiful settlement that was reached, Apple will now dole out enough hush money for each claimant to buy a few coffees.
Digital Ownership and the End of Physical Media
The decline of physical media and the death of analog formats is consolidating corporate control over digital content. This shift raises serious concerns about access, ownership, and consumer rights.
Under Austerity, Assisted Suicide Isn’t Freedom
The UK is getting closer to legalizing assisted dying. On paper it may seem compassionate, but as with the Canadian case, the problems of state austerity and medical neglect mean it remains morally and ethically questionable.
Liberals Are Finally Admitting Bernie Is Right
After another devastating loss to Donald Trump, a few liberal pundits are begrudgingly admitting it — Bernie Sanders was right.