Nobody Asked for AI
We tend to think that markets reflect consumer choice. But the artificial-intelligence boom has been powered by the investment decisions of concentrated capital rather than by consumer demand.
70 Article(s) by: Grace Blakeley
Grace Blakeley is a staff writer at Tribune, and the author of Stolen: How to Save the World from Financialisation.
In the UK, Poverty Is Driving Mental Illness Among the Young
Nearly half of Gen Zers in the UK report being financially insecure, with millennials not far behind at 46 percent. This economic distress and a culture of competitive individualism are driving a mental health crisis among the country’s young people.
The United States Has Overused Its Sanctions Weapon
Sanctions used to be deployed as a slap on the wrist for foreign leaders, but over the past several decades they have become a central weapon of US foreign policy. Excessive use of sanctions may have begun to undermine US global hegemony.
Inside Die Linke’s Resurgence
After years of decline and internal strife, Germany’s left-wing party is finding new life. Grace Blakeley talks to the organizers behind Die Linke’s surprising growth.
For a Democratic Society, Democratize Finance
The immense power financial institutions wield over most aspects of our lives makes a mockery of democracy. To build a truly democratic society, we need to democratize finance.
Finland’s Left Is Battling the Far Right
Finland’s Left Alliance is uniting a left coalition to deliver a rebuttal to right-wing austerity. Former leader Li Andersson outlines a winning playbook that combines environmental priorities with robust workers’ rights.
Neoliberalism’s Hollow Promise of Freedom
Neoliberalism often presents itself as a victory for individual autonomy. In an interview, Grace Blakeley explains the hollowness of this claim — and why the Left needs to offer its own, better vision of human freedom.
Climate Apartheid
When the wealthy are able to insulate themselves from the worst effects of climate breakdown, the poor are forced to bear the costs of a crisis they did not cause.
Austerity Is a Choice
Despite what new Labour prime minister Keir Starmer says, there’s nothing inevitable about another round of austerity — it is a deliberate decision to avoid confronting the powerful and presenting a real alternative for working-class people.
The Labour Party Is Promising More Misguided Austerity
The Labour Party’s chancellor of the exchequer, Rachel Reeves, is arguing for austerity on the grounds that the government is broke. In fact, the UK’s economic woes are due in large part to a decade-plus of insufficient public investment.
The Labour Party Is Committing Itself to Austerity
In the UK, Labour has committed itself to balancing the books and pledged not to raise taxes on big business or the wealthy if and when it forms a government. If a Labour government abides by these pledges, it will mean reimposing austerity.
Capitalist Markets Aren’t “Free.” They’re Planned for Profit.
Neoliberalism was never about shrinking the state to unfetter markets and enhance human freedom. In her new book, Vulture Capitalism, Grace Blakeley argues that neoliberalism has always sought to wield state power to maximize profits for the rich.
Keir Starmer’s Market Solutions for Housing Won’t Work
Fixing Britain’s housing crisis requires rebuilding the country’s publicly owned housing system — the opposite of the private developer–centered approach recently announced by Keir Starmer.
The UK’s Economy Is Awful Because of Permanent Austerity
This week the UK was officially declared to be in a recession. The economy is suffering from a long-term refusal by the government to increase public investment — helping make Britain one of the worst economic performers among rich countries.
Keir Starmer Has No Real Climate Plan
After scrapping its pledge to invest £28 billion in green energy, Keir Starmer’s Labour Party has no real climate policy — just platitudes about shrinking the deficit and promoting economic growth.
Germany’s Commitment to “Fiscal Discipline” Is Disastrous for Europe and the Planet
Germany is blocking billions of euros in investment domestically and across the EU because of the country’s commitment to low budget deficits. This “fiscal discipline” is undermining economic growth and decarbonization goals across the continent.
Billionaires Are Suing the Honduran Government for Blocking Their Profit-Making Scheme
US billionaires are trying to establish a libertarian city-state in Honduras to evade democratic constraints. As progressive president Xiomara Castro resists their efforts, the Peter Thiel–backed firm Próspera is suing the country for constraining its profits.
Unfortunately, David Cameron Is Back in British Government
As UK prime minister, David Cameron unleashed disastrous austerity policies, and his subsequent career in the private sector was plagued by scandal in his dealings with the state. Now he has a cabinet position: yet another example of the elite failing up.
Workers Around the World Can Stand Up for Palestinians
In recent days, Palestinian trade unions have called on workers across the world to demand an “end to all forms of complicity with Israel’s crimes.” Trade unionists in the UK, the US, and elsewhere should meet their call.
Keir Starmer’s Labour Party Is Opting for Austerity
The only way to curb the current inflation in the UK without imposing unbearable costs on workers is to tax corporate profits and wealth and incomes derived from those profits. Keir Starmer’s Labour Party refuses to do so.