Brecht Was a Revolutionary
Not only did Bertolt Brecht transform German drama, but his work captured his radical commitment to socialist politics and the emancipation of working people.
20396 Article(s) 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.
Have You Heard? Pete Buttigieg Is Really Smart
The recent craze for Pete Buttigieg — multilingual Rhodes Scholar and all-around smart guy — is just the latest incarnation of the meritocratic cult of “smartness.” It’s social Darwinism for elite liberals.
No Beauty in Defeat
The Spanish Civil War ended 80 years ago today with Franco’s victory. But for opponents of Spanish fascism, the brutal repression of popular culture and democracy was only beginning.
Time to Bury the Dead
Eighty years after the end of the Spanish Civil War, tens of thousands of Franco’s victims still lie in unmarked graves. Identifying the dead is a vital means of providing Spain with closure — and making sure fascism doesn’t rear its head again.
How to Be a Marxist
Blending Kierkegaard with Hegel and Marx, Martin Hägglund’s This Life offers a new generation of socialists a guide to living a life of radical political commitment.
Don’t Believe the Hype: Paying for Medicare for All Is Simple
The critics have it wrong: by reducing health care spending through efficiency gains, Medicare for All would actually make it easier to fund other government programs.
Is Left Populism the Solution?
Left populism is the new idiom of radical politics worldwide. It emerged as the answer to the problem of a weak and disorganized working class — but despite its electoral successes, that class remains weak and disorganized.
Painting Budapest Red
In March 1919, Hungary saw the creation of a short-lived revolutionary state. We look at the significance of the Hungarian Soviet Republic, and its attempted transformation of art and culture.
The City Is Ours
In tomorrow’s Turkish elections, the leftist Peoples’ Democratic Party is putting forward a type of politics that directly challenges Erdoğan’s autocratic rule: pro-worker, anti-patriarchy, radically democratic.
The Critics Ruined “Us”
Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” was a masterpiece. “Us” is a tedious drag tailored to the sensibilities of critics.
Theresa May Is Hilariously Bad at Her Job
Theresa May’s handling of Brexit has been so inept she doesn’t even have enough support to resign.
Democrats Should Fight Trump With Medicare For All
Instead of championing Medicare for All, the Democratic leadership is proposing mild tweaks to Obamacare. That’s a disaster — centrist incrementalism is a gift to Trump.
Gambling With Your Life
Boeing’s corner-cutting likely killed hundreds of people in the recent Ethiopian Airlines and Lion Air crashes. Capitalism is to blame.
Forget Your Middle-Class Dreams
When it comes to workplace organizing, there’s no such thing as a “privileged” worker. You’re either with your coworkers or you’re against them.
The Real Working Class Is Invisible to the Media
The media doesn’t talk much about working-class America. But when it does, it mainly has one thing to say about it: that it’s entirely white, male, and very right-wing. All those things are lies.
They Never Have Enough Money
Why is Trump going after Obamacare yet again? Because the modern Republican Party has one guiding purpose: to shovel as much money as possible to the rich.
Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay
Debt-stricken countries like Greece have continued repaying their creditors even though it’s hammering workers’ living standards. They should stick it to the banks and default instead.
“Inside the Game, You Are Still a Commodity”
When people think about Major League Baseball, they think about big stars and big paychecks. But today, on MLB’s Opening Day, we should remember that the game is rife with exploitation — especially in the minor leagues.
Sending in the Troops
Emmanuel Macron’s decision to use the army to repress the Yellow Vests represents a desperate bid to project a tough-guy image.
What the Show Trials Show
The sedition charges against Catalan independence activists mark a shameful moment for Spanish democracy. Franco’s regime is long gone, but the state machine he created has not been fully broken.