“A Communist Doesn’t Whine — He Shows His Teeth”
Theodor Bergmann, the last surviving member of the pre–World War II German Communist movement, spoke to Jacobin.
19385 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.
Why Voter Turnout Is So Low in the United States
From the very founding of the United States, elites have worked to disenfranchise and suppress voters — because they know a mobilized electorate of workers and poor people would transform the country.
One Side Fought for Freedom at Stalingrad
This June brought the first English translation of Vasily Grossman’s Stalingrad. Movingly illustrating the tragedies of wartime Soviet society, Grossman’s epic novel is a nonetheless powerful rebuke to those who equate Nazism and those who fought against it.
Ask Labor Jane: How Can We Organize Worried Immigrant Workers?
Jane McAlevey argues that bosses will always try to divide native-born and immigrant workers — that’s what they do. Our response, in union drives and politics as a whole, has to be unconditional solidarity.
What the Left Should Do in Portugal
Riding a narrative of stability and economic growth, the center-left won elections in Portugal yesterday. But the country’s recovery is precarious. We need to push for a total break with austerity.
The Anatomy of MSNBC
More than any other media outlet, MSNBC embodies the politics and sensibility of Trump-era liberalism. But the network that many call the “liberal Fox News” wasn’t always liberal.
Buying the Tory Party
The recent Tory Party conference featured a perp walk of corporate ghouls — from public service privatizers to gig economy scammers and arms industry lobbyists — rubbing shoulders with government ministers.
The Left Can Win in Portugal
Today, Portugal votes on whether to reelect a government influenced by the radical left — or else turn back toward the failed austerity policies of the neoliberal center.
No, Sanders and Warren Don’t Need to Call a Truce
The Nation is calling for a “truce” between Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. But they’re competing against each other in a primary, and a preemptive compromise does no service to either voters or their two different visions of change.
When Capitalists Build Too Much
Real estate developers aren’t just gentrifying residential areas — in cities like Chicago, they’re also building lots and lots of office buildings, often totally unnecessary ones. Understanding why can help us work to build just cities for all.
The Sanders Climate Plan Can Work. Warren’s Can’t.
Bernie Sanders is the only choice on climate. He is getting it right because his plan is better, and his plan is better because of specific and substantial ideological differences with Elizabeth Warren.
Making Portugal’s Break With Austerity Real
As Portugal heads to the polls this Sunday, the Socialist government boasts of its success in breaking the country out of austerity. Yet as the Left Bloc’s Francisco Louçã tells Jacobin, the current low-investment growth model is unsustainable — and fundamental questions around debt restructuring and the Eurozone architecture remain to be answered.
The Fight for Labor Justice in College Sports Is About More Than Wages
A new California law will allow college athletes the right to profit off of their name and likeness. It’s a welcome step toward compensating such athletes for their labor. But the rot at the heart of the NCAA goes much deeper than wages.
How Labour Became “Antisemitic”
When pollsters asked the British public what share of Labour members faced complaints of antisemitism, the average guess was 34 percent — over three hundred times the real total. With media insistent that Labour is “riddled with antisemitism,” Jeremy Corbyn’s efforts to fight it have done nothing to placate his critics.
Getting to Know the Conservative Enemy
The history of American conservatism is the journey of a dissident political tendency from the margins to the mainstream. That’s why socialists should study it closely.
We Don’t Need More “Choice” — We Need Medicare for All
Donald Trump is touting Medicare Advantage as a way to protect Medicare and save it from “socialist destruction.” But the only thing hurting most seniors is privatization — because enhanced “choice” in the insurance market only ever benefits rich, healthy people.
“Capitalism Is at the Root of the Problems”
Alex Brower is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and a teachers’ union president running for comptroller in Milwaukee. In an interview, Brower explains how he wants to municipalize his city’s energy provider, create a public banking system, divest his city’s pension funds from fossil fuels, and more.
Modi’s Philosopher
The far-right ideology of Hindutva has gained frightening currency under Indian leader Narendra Modi. But in order to combat it, we first have to understand Vinayak Damodar Savarkar — the man who originated the violent ideology.
Where Things Stand in Hong Kong
Why is Beijing so worried about the Hong Kong protests? Because they know that the movement, now in its twentieth week, could become a symbol of democratic resistance that all disenfranchised people in the region could rally behind.
The Teacher-Shortage Crisis Is Upon Us
Low pay and classroom-spending cuts are making teaching an unattractive profession. If this doesn’t change, we’re in big trouble. Luckily, teachers, unions, and Bernie Sanders have plans for that.