Shawn Fain: “The Working Class Is the Arsenal of Democracy”
United Auto Workers president Shawn Fain: “We win by giving working-class people the tools, the inspiration, and the courage to stand up for themselves.”
19589 Articles by: Opal Lee
Opal Lee is a writer.
Ladakh’s Protest Movement Is Challenging Narendra Modi
The sparsely populated Himalayan region of Ladakh occupies a key strategic position on the border with China and Pakistan. With national elections underway, its people are protesting against Narendra Modi’s government and its record of broken promises.
South Korea’s Election Weakened the Country’s Left Parties
South Korea’s legislative election was a blow to conservative president Yoon Suk-yeol, whose party was routed by its liberal opponents. But the vote also weakened the left forces seeking to challenge the dominance of two pro-business parties.
The Publicly Funded Defense Contractor Revolving Door
A Pentagon program sends military officers to work for top defense, tech, and finance corporations for one year. These fellows then report back to the Defense Department — helping place corporate interests at the very heart of US military strategy.
Amazon Flex Drivers Are Constantly at Risk
Behind Amazon’s lightning-fast delivery service is an entire population of Amazon Flex workers, whose wages are meager and whose employment status is as independent contractors rather than Amazon employees.
In Philly, Cass Green Is Running Against Billionaire Cash
In Philadelphia today, Democratic Socialists of America–backed candidate Cass Green is standing for election for state house against scandal-ridden, billionaire-backed incumbent Rep. Amen Brown. Jacobin spoke with Green about her campaign.
MAGA Loves Jamaal Bowman’s Opponent
Deep-pocketed right-wing Trump backers eager to drive a progressive from Congress are swelling the campaign coffers of George Latimer, Rep. Jamaal Bowman’s challenger in the 16th congressional district of New York.
Rossana Rossanda Fought for the World Revolution
Italian Marxist Rossana Rossanda was born 100 years ago today. Her country’s Communist Party sought a gradualist “Italian road to socialism” — but she insisted that the class struggle in Italy was tied to the fate of the world revolution.
Chattanooga VW Worker: “This Will Change What People Think Is Possible”
Fresh off of the United Auto Workers’ blowout unionization victory at the Chattanooga, Tennessee, Volkswagen plant, we spoke to a VW worker there about why the drive won and where the UAW goes from here.
Insurers Are Deserting Homeowners After Natural Disasters
As increasingly severe natural disasters ravage the South, insurance companies are abandoning clients, increasing premiums, and fighting regulation measures — forcing homeowners to fend for themselves in the wake of destruction.
Democrats Aren’t Campaigning to Win the Working Class
A new study examines the Democratic rhetorical and campaigning failures that may help Republicans entrench their position as the new party of the American working class.
Boris Kagarlitsky: The Hobbesian World of “Multipolarity”
Russian political prisoner Boris Kagarlitsky writes in Jacobin from his jail cell at Zelenograd SIZO-12. He discusses the need for an alternative to the “individualist logic of modern liberalism and the totalitarian aggressiveness of the new conservatism.”
Sweden’s Welfare State Was a Product of Class Struggle
Swedish Social Democracy is often idealized as a benign reformist force that delivered welfare to the grateful masses. Yet the Swedish social model was the product of conflict — and a working-class radicalism that the Social Democrats have now turned against.
J. B. McLachlan Was a Canadian Labor Hero
J. B. McLachlan’s tireless advocacy for coal miners’ rights left an indelible mark on Canadian labor history. McLachlan emphasized the pivotal role of members in upholding unions as bastions of resistance to class exploitation.
The Philosophical Case for a Four-Day Workweek
Philosopher Jason Read discusses his new book on the politics of work, in which he draws insights from Marx, Spinoza, and elements of popular culture to tackle an urgent question: Why do people fight for their servitude as if it were their salvation?
Power at the Point of Production
From iconic strikes at Goodyear to the battle against GM, episode 3 of Organize the Unorganized: The Rise of the CIO tells the story of transformational victories in rubber, auto, and steel that put the militant CIO on the map.
Spain’s Establishment Is Still Calling Basques Terrorists
Sunday’s Basque elections could see a historic victory for leftist pro-independence party EH Bildu. The Spanish media is obsessing over the party’s past links to separatist group ETA — and ignoring the social issues that are fueling its support.
Inequality Should Not Be the Only Rallying Cry for the Left
For the first century of its existence, the organized left mobilized around the “labor question”: who determines the what and how of production. For years, though, the Left has abandoned this question for a concern with inequality — at its own peril.
Americans Are Outraged About the War on Gaza. Will Elites Listen?
From street protests to the vote uncommitted movement to Aaron Bushnell’s tragic self-immolation, millions of Americans have been voicing outrage over Israel’s assault on Gaza. Government unresponsiveness threatens to worsen our epidemic of political despair.
Pro Wrestling Today Is a Microcosm of Corporate Entertainment
Professional wrestling remains tremendously popular media today because it encapsulates our collective obsession with justice. The recent WWE-UFC merger shows that the story of American professional wrestling is also one of ruthless profit maximization.