Austerity Is a Deeply Antidemocratic Project
Austerity is not bad economics. It is a century-old project to undermine democracy in crucial areas of our lives.
19435 Articles by: Yi San
Yi San is a freelance writer based in New York.
“Colombia Is on the Right Side of History”
Daniel García-Peña is Colombia’s new ambassador to the US under its first left-wing government. He spoke to Jacobin about the Right’s lawfare campaign against President Gustavo Petro, cutting diplomatic ties with Israel, and a more independent Colombia.
Bail Bond Insurers Are Lobbying to Keep People in Jail
The for-profit bail industry is behind a new federal effort to criminalize charitable efforts designed to help people who can’t afford to post bail. The legislation is part of a national wave of attacks on bail reforms.
Alex Salmond, a Nationalist in the Age of Globalization
Former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond, who died last week, made Scottish nationalism mainstream. His independence promise was caught in a key contradiction, seeking to make Scotland a model social democracy within globalized capitalism.
The Uses and Abuses of Manet’s Olympia
When Édouard Manet debuted his painting Olympia in 1865, critics were shocked by a nude who looked like “the Queen of Hearts after a bath.” Today they are more interested in imposing essentializing ideas of race about the black maid beside her.
There’s No Such Thing as a Climate Haven
Hurricane Milton and other extreme weather events imperil not only people but also the US economic system, with insurance regulators trailing behind. You may be able to escape the flood, but the financial crises that follow will affect us all.
The Capitalist Threat to Democracy
The threat to a true democracy that promotes material well-being, equality, and social solidarity is deeper than Donald Trump. It comes from a capitalism that can never make its peace with democracy.
Amazon Is Still a Health and Safety Nightmare for Workers
Amazon claims it has markedly improved workplace safety at its notoriously dangerous warehouses in recent years. A closer look at the data for the corporation’s workplaces in the US and Canada shows Amazon still boasts abysmal injury rates.
Scurvy in the Age of Billionaires
Once banished to history books, scurvy is making a comeback in wealthy countries thanks to soaring economic inequality. While the rich swim in spirulina kombucha and kale smoothies, the poor are skipping out on oranges and broccoli.
David Montgomery’s Labor History Is Essential Reading
One of the great labor scholars of the 20th century, David Montgomery was determined to place workers at the center of US history. For Montgomery, rigorous historical analysis couldn’t be divorced from engagement with the working class.
Richmond Progressive Alliance’s Lessons for Local Organizers
It doesn’t often make national headlines, but the city of Richmond, California, has been home to a successful progressive political reform project in recent years. Here are ten lessons for other municipal reformers from the Richmond Progressive Alliance.
Go See The Apprentice Before It’s Too Late
Trump supporters will never go see The Apprentice, and anti-Trumpers won’t be able to bear two hours watching the bane of their existence rise to wealth and power. This lack of a clear audience spells an unfortunate box-office bomb.
US Support Has Assured Israel That It Can Kill With Impunity
When Israel began its war on Gaza, it initially felt pressure to deny responsibility for attacks on hospitals and refugee camps. A year of unflinching support from the US has convinced Benjamin Netanyahu that he no longer has any such need to pretend.
Two NLRB Rulings Are Empowering Amazon Drivers to Organize
Two joint-employer rulings by the NLRB challenge Amazon’s strategy for dodging unionization among DSP delivery drivers. If scaled up, the recent worker organizing spurred by the rulings could present serious disruptive threats to Amazon’s entire operation.
Kamala Harris’s Campaign Is Not in a Good Place
Despite facing a uniquely flawed opponent, Kamala Harris is still running neck and neck with Donald Trump. To shore up support among key constituencies, she needs to champion popular pro-worker policies — and stop underwriting Israel’s genocide.
Big Tech Markets Its Snake Oil as Progressivism
Tech bros promising “community engagement” are trying to cash in on health equity. Silicon Valley’s answer to social welfare involves slapping a progressive label on subscription social services while monetizing the safety net.
France’s Failed Attempt to Save Its Empire
In the 1950s, France engaged in an ambitious effort to modernize its empire by embracing local customs and promoting limited home rule. Revolutionary Warfare by Terrence Peterson outlines this failed attempt to create a modern ideology for colonialism.
Jim Justice Tied West Virginia Coal to Global Financial Capital
While running his coal company Bluestone, Governor Jim Justice ushered the mines of West Virginia deep into the grasp of global financial capital — at the expense of West Virginians. Why should Swiss bankers get paid before West Virginia teachers?
Rashid Khalidi: “Israel Is Acting With Full US Approval”
After 12 months, there’s no end in sight to Israel’s relentless onslaught against Gaza, now extended to Lebanon. Historian Rashid Khalidi explains how Israel and the US are working together to destroy all constraints on violence against civilians.
Video Games Are a Key Battleground in the Propaganda War
When video games went mainstream, the Pentagon realized their potential as a promotional tool, spending hundreds of millions of dollars on war-based games. Now the wheel has come full circle as they use game-style interfaces for real-life tools of war.