When the Ruling Class Feared Communism
As we commemorate the many horrors of the Cold War, let’s not forget some of the good things it brought us — above all, a frightened ruling class scared into making concessions.
21063 Article(s) by: Wouter van de Klippe
Wouter van de Klippe is a freelance journalist and writer based in Europe. He is particularly interested in organized labor, social and environmental justice, and social welfare states.
“We Are the Only Opposition”
Magdalena, Colombia was a right-wing paramilitary stronghold. Now it’s undergoing a political revolution from the left.
Not Just Trump and Bolton, but Obama and Rhodes Too
From Afghanistan to Yemen, we have to acknowledge the full extent of the Obama administration’s war crimes.
Elizabeth Warren’s Plan to Finance Medicare for All Is a Disaster
Elizabeth Warren bills herself as the candidate with policy chops. But her Medicare for All financing plan is an unworkable mess.
Ilhan Omar and the Turkey Question
Ilhan Omar is one of the most forthright critics of imperialism in US politics. That’s why her recent stances on Turkey, the Kurds, and the Armenian genocide are so disappointing.
Chicago Teachers Show Again How to Fight and Win
The Chicago Teachers Union’s two-week strike ended yesterday. Like their 2012 walkout, this strike fought for a broader range of demands for Chicago students and won major victories on pay and benefits — and it did so against a mayor, Lori Lightfoot, who campaigned on progressive promises only to abandon them immediately after taking office.
Don’t Expand the War on Terror in the Name of Antiracism
Declaring white nationalism a form of terrorism won’t combat white nationalism — but it will grant more arbitrary powers to a carceral state that preys on the most vulnerable.
Organizing and Being Organized
The rise of a twenty-first-century socialist movement has raised the old question of what it means to be a “comrade.” By building comradeship, we forge a new kind of collective subject, different from friendship or being an “ally” — one that can change the world.
Un-Deadspin
In an often barren media landscape, Deadspin was an oasis of editorial independence and irreverence. So its ultra-rich owners killed it.
Building a New Chile Requires a New Social Contract
Frustration over life under neoliberalism has created mass revolt in the streets of Chile. But unless we build an alternative to failed neoliberal policies, a historic opportunity will be lost.
Sometimes the Severed Head Rolls Left
By creating a window into what scares us all, horror movies give us a way of examining society’s dirty underbelly — without it realizing it’s showing us its fleshy parts.
How We Won the Right to Choose
Coming hot on the heels of Dublin’s repeal of anti-abortion laws, decriminalization in the North is a decisive victory for Irish feminists. The church and the state are losing their control over our bodies — but we still need to make abortion legal, safe, and free.
The Nightmare Before Socialism
The Nightmare Before Christmas is more than a holiday favorite. It is an allegory of capitalist modernity.
How Bernie Helped Spark the Teachers’ Revolt
Most Democratic presidential contenders are now saying they support striking teachers. But only one candidate can take credit for helping inspire the nationwide educators’ strike wave: Bernie Sanders.
Our Homes of the Future
Capitalists look at houses and only see dollar signs. But we can win a world where housing isn’t only guaranteed for all, but homes are a place to grow and thrive.
By Embracing Its Radical Program Labour Can Win
Thatcherism is in long-term decline. By shifting the election terrain to issues of economic power, redistribution, and social ownership, Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party can finally kill it off for good.
Die Linke Won a Battle. The Far Right Is Winning the War.
Sunday’s contest in Thuringia, eastern Germany, saw Die Linke win a state election for the first time. But the bigger story was the rise of the Alternative für Deutschland — a far-right insurgency now conquering the youth vote.
“Turkey Is Reviving Islamic State in Rojava”
Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria is its latest effort to destroy the nascent democracy in Rojava. Where Kurdish-led forces crushed the Islamic State, its fighters are now coming back into the open.
The Meaning of Chile’s Explosion
The ongoing popular upheaval in Chile is the product of thirty years of neoliberal oligarchy and half-hearted democratization. To uproot the existing power structure, the country needs a new constitution.
Amazon Is on the Attack Against Kshama Sawant
Since first winning office in 2013, Seattle socialist city councilmember Kshama Sawant has pushed a $15 minimum wage, landmark renters’ rights legislation, free public transit, and more. Which is why Amazon has declared war on her.