The New Economic Policy Was the Alternative to Stalinism
Generations of left-wing thinkers have fundamentally misunderstood the young Soviet Union’s New Economic Policy.
19391 Articles by: Jonathan Sas
Jonathan Sas has worked in senior policy and political roles in government, think tanks, and the labor movement. He is an honorary witness to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. His writing has appeared in the Toronto Star, National Post, the Tyee, and Maisonneuve.
The Last Days of the BBC?
Streams of reports point out the bias at work in BBC’s politics coverage. As it edges ever closer to Britain’s Conservative Party this election campaign, it’s clear the public broadcaster needs radical reform if it is to be saved.
The Fight for Peace and Justice in Colombia
In Colombia, a mass movement has emerged to challenge the government’s neoliberal policies and failure to honor its historic peace agreement with the FARC. It offers the possibility of a just future for the country.
The NHS Shows What Life Outside the Market Could Look Like
The Tories hate the National Health Service not only because it delivers free public health care, but because it points the way toward a different society — one in which the market does not dominate our lives.
Elizabeth Warren Isn’t Serious About Winning Medicare for All
Whatever her intentions, Elizabeth Warren’s reversal from immediately pushing for Medicare for All to first passing a public option as part of a longer-term phase-in will sideline our movement — and fail to move us closer to achieving either program.
If the Hell Scott Morrison Believes in Exists, He Would Be Destined for It
Australian prime minister Scott Morrison has repealed the Medevac Bill, a short-lived law that ensured the rapid evacuation of sick refugees for treatment. To justify his actions, Morrison relies on Christian credentials, but in his cruelty, he’s anything but Christ-like.
Joe Biden Reminded Us That He’s Just Another Liberal Elitist
Yesterday, somebody asked Joe Biden a question about his failson Hunter. He responded by calling him fat and dumb. It’s just another reminder that “everyman” Joe Biden hates working-class people.
How Mindfulness Morphed from Ancient Spiritual Practice to Big Business
The roots of mindfulness as a spiritual practice go back thousands of years. But today, corporations like Facebook and Google are using it as a technique to extract more productivity and more profits from workers.
Everything You Need to Know About the Protests in Iraq
The protest movement convulsing Iraq is a heroic revolt powered by unemployed, precarious, and informal workers. Their aim is to overturn the entire political system, which has produced nothing but violence and poverty for the vast majority of Iraqis.
Arts for the Many
Successive UK governments have been slashing arts funding for decades. Labour is promising to reinvest.
This UK General Election Is a Choice Between Imperialism and Internationalism
Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party is running on a platform of peace and human rights. The Tories are running on a record of weapons sales to oppressive regimes and covert wars. The choice is clear.
The Tories Are Literally Dying Off
They may win next week’s general election, but in Great Britain the Tories are struggling to win over anyone under the age of 45. And younger generations don’t seem to be going Conservative as they get older. The Conservative Party has a serious problem.
Why the Early German Socialists Opposed the World’s First Modern Welfare State
Otto von Bismarck built the world’s first welfare state, but his intent was to kill the rising workers’ movement. It’s a reminder that socialists don’t just want to use the welfare state to keep starvation at bay — we want to build the foundation for working-class emancipation.
Liberals Should Stop Wringing Their Hands Over Voting Labour
There are only two real choices in the UK election — Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour and Boris Johnson’s Tories. Comfortable liberals who claim to be “politically homeless” are exposing their cluelessness about the misery and havoc another Tory government will impose on ordinary Britons.
Against Self-Driving Cars
Instead of spending billions developing driverless cars we should be building sustainable people-centered transportation.
Why Leftists Should Support Hong Kong’s Fight for Democratic Rights
In Hong Kong, leftists of all kinds support ongoing protests for democracy and civil liberties. Leftists everywhere else should, too.
France Is Striking to Stop Emmanuel Macron
December 5 is strike day in France, as trade unions mobilize against Emmanuel Macron’s assault on pensions. But as the gilets jaunes protests have shown, only a movement rallying wider layers of working people will be able to push back Macron’s neoliberal agenda.
Riding the Fence on Medicare for All Isn’t Smart Politics
With Kamala Harris out of the race and Elizabeth Warren’s numbers dropping, recent weeks haven’t been kind to candidates who have equivocated on Medicare for All. Bernie Sanders is the only candidate whose support for M4A is solid and unchanging — a stance that’s not only morally correct but politically smart.
Why the Pundit Class Loves Amy Klobuchar
Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar has been crowned by mainstream pundits as a Highly Electable Candidate. There’s only one problem — people hate her platform and no one wants to vote for her.
The Power of the Black Working Class
Over the last four hundred years, black workers have played a vital role in shaping the US’s political economy. In order to understand America, we have to understand the struggles of the black working class.