Capitalism and the Commodification of Nature
Good books offer new arguments, while excellent books pose new questions. Alyssa Battistoni’s Free Gifts, on the unfinished commodification of nature and care, is an excellent book.
20660 Article(s) by: Opal Lee
Opal Lee is a writer.
The Revolutionary Roots of Social Democracy
Why was the revolutionary road out of capitalism abandoned for an evolutionary one? Vivek Chibber explores how socialist parties moved from revolution to reform, but why real progress will always mean a conflict with capital.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson Is Caught in a Trap
The challenges Chicago’s progressive mayor, Brandon Johnson, has faced demonstrate that Mayor Zohran Mamdani in New York will have to out-organize what’s soon to be a mighty opposition to his every move from finance, insurance, and real estate interests.
The Long History of Nativist Red-Baiting in the United States
As Donald Trump’s GOP grows more and more fanatically xenophobic and rabidly anti-socialist, it’s worth examining how the American right has long fused its hatred of both immigrants and radicals to carry out a larger reactionary program.
Francesco Rosi Was a Master of Left-Wing Political Cinema
Italy’s Francesco Rosi produced an unforgettable series of political movies. They feature mob bosses and oil tycoons, corrupt politicians and conspiring spooks, showing how Italian elites used every dirty trick available to exclude the Left from power.
Socialism Should Give Us Hope for Tomorrow
Recent survey data show that Americans have lost their faith in the future. Socialism can restore it.
The Anti-Fascist Origins of the Swedish Meidner Plan
Fifty years ago, Sweden attempted the most ambitious democratic transition to socialism ever. Its architect, a Jewish economist who witnessed the rise of Nazi Germany firsthand, was motivated by the imperative to never repeat the horrors of fascism.
The City the Rich Built — and Broke
A new history traces how elite-driven development made New York richer on paper and poorer in practice.
Remembering Red Ken
Ken Livingstone’s legacy in London reminds us just how much democratic socialist leadership can do for a single city.
A Double Issue of Catalyst Journal Is Out Now
The new edition is essential reading to understand the current moment, how we got here, and how the Left should strategize in these difficult times.
The 60 Minutes Scandal Is What Creeping Authoritarianism Looks Like
Bari Weiss blocked a devastating 60 Minutes exposé on CECOT — showing how Trump administration authoritarianism flows through corporate media, not jackboot censorship.
The Uprisings in Bangladesh Will Not Be Stopped
The assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi, the youth leader who rose from Dhaka’s 2024 uprisings, has reignited mass revolt and exposed the limits of Bangladesh’s elite-managed democracy.
The Bolsonaro Dynasty’s Hail Mary
After an attempted jailbreak, Brazilian ex-president Jair Bolsonaro has endorsed his son Flávio for president in 2026. Few electoral campaigns have been launched under less auspicious circumstances.
Democrats Lost Working-Class Voters’ Trust
Thanks to decades of failing to seriously address the economic struggles of ordinary Americans, the Democratic Party brand has cratered in the Rust Belt and is increasingly flagging with working-class voters of all races.
Learning From Defeat in Chile
Chile’s left-wing alliance took power with huge optimism in 2022, but hopes of changing the constitution, or even securing reelection, soon faded. Former minister Giorgio Jackson tells Jacobin what went wrong.
Debt: An American Tragedy
After learning her mother took out $200,000 of debt in her name, Kristen Collier felt betrayed. Her new book traces how it pushed her to expose unscrupulous lenders who upend the lives of millions across the US.
The US Military Will Enjoy a Record-Breaking Budget in 2026
Just one in ten American voters supports greater spending on the military. That didn’t stop the US Senate from joining the House of Representatives last week in voting to pass a record-breaking $901 billion defense budget for next year.
Power, Not Economic Theory, Created Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism didn’t win an intellectual argument — it won power. Vivek Chibber unpacks how employers and political elites in the 1970s and ’80s turned economic turmoil into an opportunity to reshape society on their terms.
The Dismantling of the New School
The New School was founded as an institution dedicated to critical inquiry and the free exchange of ideas. The current austerity measures at the university are dismantling the radical democratic aspirations it once represented.
The Domestic Costs of CIA Covert Action Abroad Run High
As the CIA has waged war through covert actions across the globe, the consequences have blown back on American shores with deadly consequences. Last month’s killing of two West Virginia National Guard members in Washington, DC, appears to be just such a case.