Christianity, Morality, and Socialism
For some, searching for a surer moral footing upon which to launch a socialist political program has again raised the specter of Christian ethics.
20401 Article(s) by: Opal Lee
Opal Lee is a writer.
Julian Assange’s Basic Press Freedoms Are Still in Danger
In granting Julian Assange only the most limited appeal rights, the UK High Court has deliberately closed its eyes to the press freedom issues at stake and shown a grotesque indifference to Assange’s basic human rights.
Annette Bening’s Helicopter Mom Dominates Apples Never Fall
In the new mystery miniseries Apples Never Fall, Annette Bening’s fantastic performance can’t save an otherwise bland “whodunit” thriller.
Ayn Rand Had a Fragile Ego, Incoherent Ideas, and Bad Taste
Ayn Rand believed that the path to social harmony ran through the inferior masses’ acceptance of brutal rule by their natural superiors. Her perspective was wrong, and its implications were just as grim and nasty as her atrocious personality.
How Portugal’s Right Won the Election
The Right won more than 50% of the vote in Portugal’s general election earlier this month. It did this by politicizing a corruption scandal and drawing a wedge between the radical and center left.
Biden Is Undermining the UN to Protect Israel’s War
US claims that this week’s cease-fire resolution is “nonbinding” are highly doubtful, say many international law experts. Worse, they may be part of a broader US effort to delegitimize the UN.
Dark Money Is Paying for the Police’s High-Tech Weapons
Corporate donors are funneling hundreds of millions of dollars into police foundations without public oversight, allowing for the police to buy specialized surveillance technology and high-tech weapons that they might otherwise struggle to justify.
Observing Ramadan During the Gaza Massacre
Israel’s brutal assault on Gaza has made it incredibly difficult for many Muslims to celebrate Ramadan this year. In place of cloistered ritual, we must redouble our efforts to win a cease-fire and an end to the occupation of Palestine.
After 16 Years, Boeing Is Bargaining With Its Workers Again
Crisis-ridden aircraft manufacturer Boeing hasn’t engaged in full-scale contract bargaining with its workers, represented by the Machinists, in over a decade. Workers want to reverse concessions of previous years — and win more input into quality control.
Palm Royale Is a Weak Critique of the “Bubble” of the Rich
Showing that rich women in 1969 are “living in a bubble” is like demonstrating that, as ever, water is wet. But even if Palm Royale was meant to deliver messages of great satirical significance, it’s too weak to carry them.
Welcome to a Brave New World of Price Gouging
Sellers have always had access to more information than buyers, and “dynamic pricing,” which harnesses the power of algorithms and big data, is supercharging this asymmetry.
In Australia, Pro-Palestine Writers Are Defying Censorship
When the State Library of Victoria fired four pro-Palestinian writers earlier this year, they refused to go quietly. Now they’re at the forefront of a fight against censorship designed to silence criticism of Israeli atrocities in Gaza.
The Extent of Joe Lieberman’s Evildoing Was Truly Remarkable
Joe Lieberman was a fairly unremarkable Washington politician who managed to get famous by becoming a particularly enthusiastic, inveterate warmonger and corporate marionette within the Democratic Party.
When Communists Tried to Build Paradise on the Steppe
From 1925 to 1932, a thousand Europeans took the monthlong train ride to Soviet Kyrgyzstan as new members of the Interhelpo workers’ co-op. Their story tells of the utopian hopes placed in the Soviet project — and how they were crushed.
The Road House Remake Is Actually a Great Time
Do you ever hear about a new movie like the Road House remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal, assume it’s terrible, mentally prepare your vicious takedown of it — and then watch it? And it’s actually. . . good?
“Debt Is to Capitalism What Hell Is to Christianity”
A new series with Yanis Varoufakis explains how elites used the financial crisis to terrorize Europe’s populations into submission. In an interview, he tells Jacobin why the anti-austerity movement failed and why the center is converging with the far right.
The Alleged Sexual Assaults on Rikers Island Are Shocking
Me Too was often portrayed as solely focused on elite women’s concerns. That would be news to the prisoners at New York’s Rikers Island who have used a Me Too–inspired law to seek justice for over 700 alleged sexual assaults by guards in the jail.
Bed-Stuy Socialist Eon Huntley Is Running for State Assembly
Socialist and third-generation Brooklynite Eon Tyrell Huntley is running to represent Bed-Stuy in the New York State Assembly. Jacobin spoke to him about his working-class upbringing in Brooklyn and his campaign.
The Second City Union’s Long Fight for a Contract
Unionized teachers at the famous improv-comedy institution the Second City went two years without a contract — until they threatened a strike and won an agreement this past January. We talked to three Second City faculty about the long contract fight.
Jerome Powell’s Fingerprints Are on the Next Banking Crisis
One year after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell is obstructing the finalization of tougher capital requirements for banks — and increasing the chances of more turbulence.