The Class Politics of Race
In Not So Black and White, Kenan Malik rewrites the history of the idea of race, demonstrating how identity politics is, despite its radical patina, a deeply conservative ideology.
18005 Articles by: Kool A. D.
Kool A.D. is a rapper, author, and astrological navigator.
Here Are the Big Union Contract Fights Looming in 2024
This past year saw a number of historic contract battles, from UPS to the Big Three automakers to Hollywood film and TV studios. Several big contract fights may be on the horizon in 2024 — here are some of the big contract expirations to watch.
Instead of Taking Trump Off the Ballot, Democrats Should Run a Better Candidate
The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled to remove Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 election ballot. The attempt will likely fail and backfire — but it’s indicative of American liberalism’s current distaste for the unpredictable messiness of democracy.
Identity Politics Is a Poor Substitute for Socialism
In No Politics but Class Politics, Walter Benn Michaels and Adolph Reed show how an identity politics that obscures class politics and ignores economic inequality only makes the many miseries around us worse.
The German Peasants’ War Was Europe’s Biggest Social Revolt Before the French Revolution
Five centuries ago, Germany experienced a massive popular revolt that spread through the countryside and towns. The German lords drowned the revolt in blood, but the popular demands for freedom and equality have resonated right up to the present day.
Real Wages Have Declined Under Joe Biden’s Presidency
Though inflation-adjusted wage growth resumed earlier this year, real wages are still down overall since Joe Biden took office. It’s not crazy to suppose that this could be affecting people’s attitudes toward the economy.
Bandcamp’s New Owner Has Gone After the Company’s Unionized Workforce
Bandcamp was meant to be an alternative to the corporate behemoths of music’s streaming age, giving a better deal to independent artists. But the company’s new owner, Songtradr, has suddenly laid off half its workers, putting Bandcamp’s future in jeopardy.
For Europe’s Left, International Solidarity Is More Rhetoric Than Reality
Through years of austerity, Europe’s radical-left parties spoke of a common challenge to EU neoliberalism. But without any real shared strategy, parties focused on domestic politics are rarely able to build collaboration across borders.
A Saudi-Led Coalition Has Laid Waste to Southern Yemen With US Support
The US is threatening military action in the waters off Yemen to protect international shipping routes. The people of Yemen have already borne the brunt of a US-sponsored war that has caused devastation similar to the horrific scenes in Gaza.
Basque Separatists ETA Set a Car Bomb That Helped Build Spanish Democracy
On this day in 1973, Basque separatists ETA assassinated far-right prime minister Luis Carrero Blanco. The action played an important role in ending Franco’s dictatorship — an inconvenient truth for the democratic Spain against which ETA then turned its fire.
Israel’s Assault on Gaza Is Unlike Any War in Recent Memory
From the rate and scale of civilian slaughter to the killing of protected groups and the type of munitions, Israel’s war on Gaza is an exceptionally brutal campaign unlike almost anything we’ve seen.
Protests by Soldiers’ Wives in Russia Show How an Antiwar Movement Can Grow There
In Russia, the wives of men mobilized to the Ukrainian front are increasingly demanding that they be returned home. While the movement is not mainly directed at opposing Vladimir Putin, it offers hope of breaking the war machine from within.
BlackRock’s Claim of Green Investment Has Always Been a Sham
In early 2020, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink announced that the firm was turning toward climate-friendly investments. The record, though, shows that Fink’s green branding turned out to be entirely bogus.
The CIO’s Heyday Was the High Tide of the American Labor Movement
In the 1930s and ’40s, the Congress of Industrial Organizations unionized American workers with an energy never seen before. But its peak years were short-lived, and the labor movement has struggled to reach such heights again.
Right-Wing “Populists” Like Tucker Carlson Are Just Elitists in Disguise
Seeking to distance himself from rank elitism, Tucker Carlson called conservative luminary William F. Buckley one of the “great villains of the 20th century.” He’s right — but Carlson himself hasn’t broken with Buckley’s contempt for the working class.
The New Willy Wonka Prequel Is Fun, but It Doesn’t Hold a Candle to Its 1971 Predecessor
In Wonka, Timothée Chalamet dons the eccentric chocolatier’s purple jacket in yet another film adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This one is playful and harmless, but it can’t touch the 1971 original movie.
It’s Time for a Four-Day Workweek
Recent progress toward shorter hours among certain sectors of UK workers has set a starting point for a winnable demand for workers everywhere: a four-day workweek.
Washington Must End Its Support for Azerbaijan’s War Crimes
The US has long offered unconditional military assistance to Azerbaijan even as it carries out ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. It’s consistent with Washington’s support for brutal human rights violators from Saudia Arabia to Israel.
A Scandal-Ridden Building Company Is Poised to Take Advantage of the Biden Climate Plan
Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act is expected to spend $369 billion on green building investments. One insulation manufacturer — notorious for its role in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire — is greenwashing itself to receive lucrative US tax benefits.
Pro-Israel Billionaires Are Spending Big to Oust Socialists From Office
Across the country, pro-Israel groups and billionaires are trying to stop the antiwar movement pushing for a cease-fire in Gaza by bringing down its elected leaders, including Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar. These are fights the Left can win with popular support.