Capitalists Are Bad at Weed Legalization
Capitalist society can only ever legalize cannabis in a way that benefits the already wealthy. Why not put the newly legal weed industry in the hands of the public and away from the profit motive?
19460 Articles by: Frances Abele
Frances Abele CM is Distinguished Research Professor and Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy Emerita at Carleton University. She is a research fellow at the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation and the Broadbent Institute. Much of her work focuses on indigenous-Canada relations.
Spain’s Right-Wing Judiciary Is Trying to Block Historic Feminist Legislation
New legislation in Spain will ensure free, publicly provided abortions and allow menstrual leave from work. The raft of measures shows left-wing party Unidas Podemos’s strong feminist stance — but faces obstruction from the country’s hard-right judiciary.
Top Gun: Maverick Is Another Military Recruitment Video Disguised as a Movie
The hotly anticipated sequel to Top Gun, the 1986 movie that made Tom Cruise a star, is raking in cash, great reviews, and even Oscar buzz. Don’t be fooled — it’s the same glorified military recruitment video that the original was.
There’s Nothing to Celebrate About the Queen’s Jubilee
Today, Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history, will celebrate 70 years as head of state. Throughout its existence, the monarchy has entrenched a culture of deference to authority. It’s incompatible with the values of a democracy.
Biden Has Enacted the Largest-Ever Medicare Premium Hikes
The Joe Biden administration enacted the highest Medicare premium hikes in history last week. Most of the profits will be funneled to the private insurance companies that funded Biden’s presidential campaign.
The US Has No Endgame in Ukraine
Putin’s disastrous gamble in Ukraine has left the West in a strong position to craft a peace that would underscore the futility of Russia’s aggression. But there are worrying signs that the Biden administration might be unwilling to accept peace on any terms.
For a Living Wage and a Habitable Planet, We Need Climate Jobs Programs
Climate and labor activists are coming together to hammer out ambitious but realistic plans for massively expanding the clean-energy sector in a way that also creates good union jobs. For both paychecks and the planet, it’s the only path forward.
Austin Is Trying to Protect Abortion Rights in Post-Roe Texas
Texas already bans abortion after six weeks and has a trigger law to ban it entirely if Roe v. Wade is repealed. But Austin City Council members may have found a loophole, modeled after marijuana decriminalization, to protect local abortion access.
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Comrade Thomas Piketty, Welcome to the Socialist Movement
For years, Thomas Piketty has articulated a cogent critique of 21st-century capitalism. He now appears to be moving beyond just critique to call for a 21st-century socialism.
The Ban on Russian Oil Is Another Way for Germany to Assert Its Power
Europe’s partial ban on Russian oil is forcing states to look for alternative energy sources. But Berlin’s shifting positions show that Germany’s concern is its own power on the world market — with green issues little more than a fig leaf.
In Fortress Europe, Saving Migrants From Drowning Could Land You in Jail
A trial in Italy threatens volunteers who rescued people at sea with up to two decades in jail. The case shows how Fortress Europe is cracking down on even basic, lifesaving solidarity with migrants.
The Paranoid Style in Canadian Politics
Conspiracy theories are way more exciting than political economy, and Canada’s Pierre Poilievre is exploiting the thrill of paranoia for political gain. The Left must counter these impulses with analyses of worker exploitation — and a program for change.
Across Latin America, the Feminist Movement Is in the Streets
On March 8, 2020, thousands across Latin America participated in an international strike to protest gender-based inequality. The movement has attempted to redefine the politics of strikes by acknowledging the value of reproductive labor.
From Buffalo to India, the Right’s Demographic Paranoia Fuels Deadly Violence
As the Western far right promotes “great replacement” theory, the Indian right accuses Muslims of trying to outnumber the Hindu majority. After Buffalo’s mass shooting, Joe Biden condemned the former — then praised Narendra Modi, who repeats the latter.
Capitalism Creates Chaos. The Carceral System Is a Bad Attempt to Contain It.
Capitalism creates social disorder and relies on police and prisons to manage it. Until liberals recognize this link between criminal justice and the economy, their reform programs will be ineffectual — and racist policing and mass incarceration will persist.
Michał Kalecki Is the Economist We Need to Make Sense of Class Conflict
Polish economist Michał Kalecki argued that capitalists would always resist full employment because it increases the confidence and bargaining power of workers. He was right — so right that even the Fed has now begun citing his ideas.
Don’t Cancel $10,000 of Student Debt. Cancel Every Penny.
The Biden administration has been floating the possibility of a means-tested cancellation of $10,000 of student debt. There’s no reason not to cancel every penny instead.
Belgium Is the EU’s Capital, but Its Own Future Is Now in Doubt
Belgium was a pioneer of industrialization, and class struggle by its workers’ movement created one of Europe’s most impressive welfare states. But with regional divisions now dominating Belgian politics, the country’s long-term survival is deeply uncertain.
Workers’ Pensions Are Funding Congress’s Far-Right Extremists
Billionaire Trump adviser and Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman charges public workers exorbitant fees to manage their pensions, then uses those profits to bankroll Republicans bent on screwing those workers over.