Issue 56: Letters + The Internet Speaks
We might not reply, but we’re reading everything — [email protected]. And like your elected leaders, we pretend to listen.
19397 Articles by: Zola Carr
Zola Carr is a doctoral candidate at Columbia University, working on a dissertation on the development of experimental brain implants for psychiatric disorder.
A Move Against Modi
We report from Kashmir’s first vote since the 2019 crackdown, where economic difficulties and a longing for autonomy drove support for an anti-Modi alternative.
Live Performance’s New Union Wave Goes Way Beyond Broadway
From planetarium lecturers to performers at strip clubs and escape rooms, Actors’ Equity is organizing live entertainment workers far beyond traditional musicals. The union’s strategy could be crucial as unions brace for a potential anti-labor administration.
A Wake-Up Call
We talked with painters’ union leader Jimmy Williams Jr about why Kamala Harris lost.
Neoliberalism’s Hollow Promise of Freedom
Neoliberalism often presents itself as a victory for individual autonomy. In an interview, Grace Blakeley explains the hollowness of this claim — and why the Left needs to offer its own, better vision of human freedom.
Meet Ian Brossat, the Communist Running for Mayor of Paris
Ian Brossat made his name as Paris’s housing chief, bucking the trend toward marketization by expanding social housing in the French capital. A member of the French Communist Party, he told Jacobin about his bid to become Paris’s next mayor.
Ágnes Heller’s Theory of Need Is a Vital Political Tool
Building on the work of Karl Marx, Hungarian philosopher Ágnes Heller developed a framework for distinguishing between truly essential needs and artificial ones. Her ideas are more important than ever in the face of a global ecological crisis.
Brad DeLong’s Long March Through the 20th Century
Brad DeLong’s sweeping history in Slouching Towards Utopia chronicles a century of unprecedented economic progress driven by markets and innovation. But his faith in capitalism’s innovations undermines his attempts to make sense of this tumultuous era.
Private Equity Is Coming for Your Pets
Private equity is taking over animal clinics to raise prices and close down practices where workers demand better wages.
A Working-Class History of Fighting Deportations
The US working class has a long tradition of standing up against immigrant repression. This history is a reservoir of inspiration and strategic thinking — and it can help immigrant workers and communities confront Donald Trump’s promised wave of repression.
Whole Foods Workers in Philadelphia Are Unionizing
Last month, workers at a Whole Foods Market in Philadelphia filed for a union election with the National Labor Relations Board, the first such filing since Amazon took over the grocery chain in 2017. We spoke with some of the workers about the union drive.
Emmanuel Macron Tries, Fails, and Tries the Same Thing Again
On Friday, veteran liberal François Bayrou was announced as Emmanuel Macron’s new prime minister. Macron has again formed a government without a majority in parliament — and its planned budget cuts seem likely to face fierce opposition.
Understanding Fascism Requires Understanding Economic Forces
Behind the confusion and debates about fascism lies a simple truth: it’s a power game driven by economic elites. Communists recognized that fascism’s form is shaped by class dynamics — an insight we shouldn’t forget.
Workers Saved Bolivian Democracy
After the Bolivian ultraright launched a coup in 2019, a mass movement restored the country’s socialist government — proof that it isn’t elites that protect democracy but organized workers.
America Will Be Obsessed With Luigi Mangione for a Long Time
The collective outpouring of admiration for a young alleged assassin points to a gaping void in American politics.
A Woman Is Facing Jail Time for Saying “Delay, Deny, Depose”
Briana Boston, a working-class woman fighting a health insurance claims denial, has been arrested for saying “delay, deny, depose” on a phone call to her insurer. The judge has set her bail at $100,000, “considering the status of our country.”
Studs Terkel’s Classic Working Turns 50
Fifty years ago, Studs Terkel documented American workers’ complex inner lives at a pivotal moment of social transformation. His interviews in Working revealed both the dignity and degradation of work, capturing a world on the cusp of profound change.
Tulsi Gabbard Stands for Nothing
Some observers are hoping that Tulsi Gabbard, as Donald Trump’s pick for director of national intelligence, will be a counterweight to warmongering “neocons” in his administration. But a sober look at her record doesn’t inspire much confidence.
Crypto Could Barrel Us Into Another Financial Crisis
Recent reports from federal regulators warning about crypto’s volatility and lack of regulation echo alerts about the subprime mortgage industry before the 2008 financial crisis.
Schengen Is a Border-Free Zone Surrounded by Barbed Wire
Removing border checks between many European states, the Schengen Area is often hailed as an internationalist triumph. Yet its creation went hand in hand with the tightening of Europe’s external borders — a contradiction that is hardening today.