The Socialist Case for Longtermism
“Longtermism” is often associated with billionaire philanthropy. But this idea in vogue among effective altruists is perfectly compatible with a socialist worldview.
19274 Articles by: Tanner Howard
Tanner Howard is a freelance journalist and In These Times editorial intern. They’re also a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Hillary Clinton’s TV Show, Gutsy, Is Obnoxiously Infantilizing and Cutesy
Gutsy, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton’s new TV series, showcases courageous women from an array of fields. But the show’s narrow lens suggests approval of women who show spunk, but not those who challenge abusive state power or capitalism.
“Dark Brandon” Is a Symptom of Powerlessness
“Dark Brandon” memes are jokes, but they express a deeply felt wish that Joe Biden would turn out to be a firebrand progressive at heart. But Biden is Biden — at his core, he’ll always be a corporate-friendly centrist.
The Left Should Call for Europe to Become a Democratic Federation
The EU has launched a discussion about transforming its basic constitutional framework. The Left should push for changes that expand democracy at the pan-European level and make it easier to carry out progressive social and environmental reforms.
Conspiracy Theorist Danielle Smith Is Leading in Alberta’s Conservative Party Race
Danielle Smith’s conspiracy theories and shock-jock populist messaging have made her the front-runner in Alberta’s Conservative Party leadership election. Her campaign is a preview of the challenges to Canada’s left from an emboldened post-pandemic right.
The Brazilian Oilworkers Who Want Greener Public Power
Unionized workers at Brazil’s largest company, the oil and biofuels giant Petrobras, are organizing to resist privatization and lead a clean energy transition on their terms.
In Sweden, the Barriers Against the Far Right Are Collapsing
The far-right Sweden Democrats were the big winners in yesterday’s general election, rising to second place. Rooted in neo-Nazism, the party is blatantly racist — but the established parties seem less determined than ever to confront it.
An Oklahoma Teacher Fought the Book-Banning Right and Lost Her Job
An Oklahoma English teacher helped students apply for library cards so they could read banned books. Now she’s out of a job, receiving a barrage of threats from the Right, and the Republican state secretary of public education wants to take away her license.
Who Will Stop the Fed’s Plans to Trigger a Recession?
Socialists, progressives, and the Democratic Party must all pressure the Fed to change course from its risky rate hikes — if not to prevent widespread suffering, then at least to save their own political skins.
Don’t Write the Obituary for Socialism in New York Anytime Soon
Centrist Democrats and mainstream media would love to write socialism off the map in New York. But socialists are advancing in the state, not retreating.
Liz Truss’s Ascent Is Not a Victory for Women
Liz Truss, who has just become the next UK prime minister, calls herself a “Destiny’s Child feminist.” She is the latest reactionary hoping that her gender will distract the public from what is an appallingly right-wing agenda.
Australia’s Unemployment System Is a Marketized, Bureaucratic Nightmare
Australia’s privatized employment services system doesn’t help people find work. Instead, thanks to reforms first introduced by the Labor Party, it punishes welfare recipients with a bureaucratic maze of “mutual obligations.”
The Political Tradition of Republicanism Should Be a Touchstone for Democratic Socialists
The radical idea at the heart of republicanism is a challenge to private bosses and public tyrants everywhere: that we can live free from the whims of arbitrary power. Democratic socialists should embrace the radical currents of this ancient philosophy.
In Moscow’s Local Elections, Socialists Are Fighting to Make Their Opposition Heard
The war in Ukraine provided a pretext for tight government control over this weekend’s local elections in Russia. Yet with the situation clearly worsening, the vote has given rise to signs of popular dissent.
Liz Truss Will Lead Britain Deeper Into Decline
As energy bills soar, Britain’s new prime minister, Liz Truss, proposes short-term measures to prop up suppliers with public money. But we won’t be “back to normal” anytime soon — and it’s working-class Britons who will suffer.
In Chile, Pinochet’s Admirers Are Celebrating the No Vote on the New Constitution
For Chileans who resisted Augusto Pinochet’s regime, the election of left-wing president Gabriel Boric offered hope. Yet the rejection of a proposed new constitution threatens to hobble his government and reverse the democratic breakthrough of recent years.
Housing in Canada: Great for Capitalists, Wretched for People
Justin Trudeau’s recent housing initiative announcement was better than nothing but woefully inadequate to the scale of Canada’s housing crisis. We need social housing now.
For Percy Bysshe Shelley, Literature Was the Spark of the Revolution
After the 1819 Peterloo Massacre, the young radical poet Percy Bysshe Shelley proclaimed he was deserting “the odorous gardens of literature” for “the great sandy desert of politics.” Instead, he infused literature with revolutionary political ideas.
Why Germany Continues to Fail Its Migrant Workers
Migrant workers have served as the foundation for Germany’s rapid economic growth in the postwar years, but the benefits of that growth have not been evenly distributed. Today, precarious workers are pushing back against Germany’s exclusionary economic system.
Canada’s Elites Stand Ready to Defend the Monarchy
Even though most Canadians would prefer an elected head of state, Charles III is the country’s new king. But enduring monarchism does suit Canadian elites, whose worldview is sustained by the idea of inherited privilege and power embodied by the crown.