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.
19271 Articles by: Karl Leffme
Karl Leffme is a socialist in New York CIty.
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.
This Year’s Champions League Final Was a Showcase for Police Brutality in France
The Champions League final is one of the biggest events in world sports. UEFA and the French police turned it into a brutal, dangerous fiasco — and Emmanuel Macron’s ministers are lying through their teeth about what happened.
Starbucks Workers Have Won 100 Union Elections. Here Are the Lessons From 5 of Them.
No one would have guessed that Starbucks Workers United would rack up a hundred union victories in less than a year, but it has. Lessons from five early victories show how workers organizing at Starbucks — and everywhere else — can keep that momentum going.
Martin Luther King Jr Dreamed of a Society Without Poverty. We Can Achieve It.
Martin Luther King Jr once said that there’s “nothing but a lack of social vision to prevent us from paying an adequate wage to every American citizen.” Decades after his assassination, we can realize his vision of an economically just society.
Ron DeSantis Is Giving Nursing Home Companies What They Paid For: Deregulation
Gov. Ron DeSantis has received huge campaign contributions from Florida’s nursing home industry. He is paying that industry back by deregulating nursing homes — including by reducing the amount of care facilities are required to provide to residents.
In Colombia’s Presidential Election, Leftist Gustavo Petro Is Up Against a Right-Wing Populist
On Sunday, Rodolfo Hernández, a right-wing populist, snuck into the second round of Colombia’s presidential elections. Leftist Gustavo Petro is still the front-runner, but the Right’s unexpected success should be cause for alarm.
Britain’s Rail Workers Are Poised to Strike Against Austerity
Forty thousand rail workers across 16 companies in Britain have voted to strike. Their strike would be the biggest rail walk-off in decades, against funding cuts that would destroy Britain’s rail system as we know it.
The Biden Administration Is in No Rush to Help Ukraine Negotiate an End to the War
Almost all knowledgeable observers believe the war in Ukraine will have to end with a negotiated agreement. Yet the US, Ukraine’s leading patron, has signaled it has no patience for diplomatic efforts that cut against its hope for Moscow’s “strategic defeat.”
Turkey’s War Against the Kurds Exposes NATO’s Aggression
With all eyes on the war in Ukraine, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is planning a fresh invasion of northern Syria. For 70 years, Turkey has been a key NATO member — and NATO’s backing for its aggression shows the alliance is no mere defense pact.
Joe Biden Is Ramping Up the US’s Forever War in Somalia
The Biden administration recently announced that it’s redeploying troops to Somalia and green-lighting drone strikes in the East African country. The last thing Somalis need is more war, especially one waged in the name of the US “war on terror.”