Tony Benn Lives
Legendary British socialist Tony Benn passed away eight years ago this week. From democratizing the economy to campaigning for peace, the causes he fought for are as relevant as ever.
19633 Articles by: Ryan Switzer
Ryan Switzer is a PhD candidate in sociology at Stockholm University. He researches right-wing politics in welfare states.
Ironworkers Have Filed More Than 100 Unfair Labor Practice Charges Against G&D Integrated
A big fight is on at a small shop in Illinois, where the Iron Workers Union has filed more than 100 unfair labor practice charges against a logistics company. Workers are urging the NLRB to order the company to bargain with the union.
Andrew Cuomo Thinks He Got “Canceled.” Actually, the Word Is “Disgraced.”
Andrew Cuomo, New York’s disgraced former governor, is hoping to mount a political comeback. But his posturing as a victim of “cancel culture” can’t change the fact that his comeuppance was richly deserved.
High-Tech Pandemic Solutions Don’t Save Lives. They Just Boost Profits.
Governments around the world have partnered with tech companies to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. But their high-tech solutions haven’t saved lives — they’ve simply lined the pockets of Big Tech.
Race Marxism Is a Very Strange, Very Bad Book
James Lindsay has a best-selling book out called Race Marxism. Reading the book, you soon learn that Lindsay has a shallow understanding not just of Marxism or racism in the US but the classical liberal tradition he seeks to defend.
It’s Time to Cancel Ukraine’s Foreign Debt
Ukraine owes billions of dollars in foreign debt, most of it to international finance institutions, banks, and hedge funds. If Western governments were serious about helping Ukrainians amid a devastating war, they would push for those debts to be canceled.
Jordan Peterson’s “Postmodern Neomarxism” Is Pure Hokum
Jordan Peterson’s recent musings on what he calls “postmodern neomarxism” — enriched by hours of careful research on Wikipedia — are a reminder that when it comes to intellectuals, the reactionary right isn’t sending its best.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon Has a Radical Program. Implementing It Would Be Far Tougher.
French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon has a radical program that is far more detailed than any of his competitors. But it risks being derailed by capitalist pushback.
Canada’s Liberals Are Letting the Wealthy Write Their Own Tax Policy
Justin Trudeau’s government loves to tout its commitment to combating inequality. Now it’s pushing a special tax break for private jets.
Meet the Filipino Socialists Challenging Rodrigo Duterte’s Right-Wing Rule
Renowned Filipino scholar-activist Walden Bello is running for vice president this year on a left-wing ticket. Writing for Jacobin, Bello describes the transformative impact an openly socialist campaign can have on the Philippines.
No, Crypto Isn’t Helping Ukraine
In times of war, stocks in weapons companies have always been a safe investment. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shown that wars are also a big opportunity for crypto bros — another group of disaster capitalists profiting off other people’s misfortune.
India’s Farmers’ Struggle Against Modi’s Government Is Far From Over
Last year, farmers in India blocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s neoliberal agricultural reforms through a wave of protests. But the economic woes that fueled the unrest continue to hammer farmers, leading to sky-high suicide rates.
We Spoke to Ukrainian Refugees at the Polish Border
Vladimir Putin claims to be protecting Russian speakers in Ukraine. A Jacobin reporter at the Polish border found Russian-speaking refugees outraged at his claims — and at Russian media’s denial of horrors they saw with their own eyes.
The Political Economy of Classical Music
The story of classical music is inseparable from the rise of capitalism. The new system made a musical revolution possible, but its crisis-ridden development then drove a wedge between musicians and their audience, leaving behind a frozen tradition.
The Mainstream Media Is Helping Eric Adams Get Away With a Law-and-Order Crackdown
Eric Adams, New York City’s new mayor, is a fascinating, eccentric character. He’s also the architect of a ruthless law-and-order crackdown on the city’s poorest, most vulnerable residents.
Persecuting Ordinary Russians Won’t End Putin’s War
Opposing Vladimir Putin’s horrific war in Ukraine is no reason to target ordinary Russians or Russian culture. Anti-Russian bigotry won’t bring peace to Ukrainians.
What the Anti-Psychiatry Movement Got Wrong About Mental Illness
The anti-psychiatry movement advanced a radical critique of the role that capitalism and power play in the medical profession. Its motives were noble, but it ended up closing the door to understanding, and properly treating, psychological suffering.
Leo Kofler Was a Marxist and a Revolutionary Humanist
The boundary-crossing social theorist Leo Kofler was one of postwar West Germany’s most important Marxists. Today, he is little known outside his homeland — yet his revolutionary humanism has much to tell us about freedom today.
Friedrich Engels’s Eulogy to Karl Marx
Karl Marx died on this day in 1883. At his funeral, Marx’s lifelong friend and comrade Friedrich Engels delivered a eulogy predicting Marx’s work would endure through the ages. We reprint Engels’s speech here in full.
The War in Ukraine Shows That Europe Could Help Refugees If It Really Wanted To
In Europe, the volunteers welcoming Ukrainian refugees are often the same people attacked for aiding refugees in the Mediterranean. That’s not just hypocritical, it’s inhumane — we should welcome all migrants fleeing war and terror.