How China Picks Its Winners and Losers
China’s university entrance exam is one of the most competitive in the world — a reflection of the cutthroat reality of the country’s labor market.
Blog
Defending Indians’ Most Basic Rights
India’s civil liberties groups are largely made up of “concerned citizens” rather than the most oppressed groups in society. Their role in defending basic constitutional rights is increasingly under attack from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Immanuel Wallerstein Predicted the Fall of the US Empire
Soon after 9/11, world-systems theorist Immanuel Wallerstein warned that US imperial decline was inevitable. But US leaders didn’t want to hear that their glory days were in the past, and they’ve managed that decline in the worst possible way.
Utopia Is a Promise Worth Fighting For
Karl Marx mocked utopians for writing recipes for the cookshops of the future. But at their best, utopians emphasize hope without guarantees — a position that carves a middle path between blind optimism and the resigned inertia of “realism.”
German Greens Bet the Future on More Weapons Spending
In their heyday of radicalism in the 1980s, Germany’s Greens were a pacifist, ecological voice. Now the party backs higher military spending not just as a defense strategy but as the linchpin of Germany’s economic revival.
Private Equity Is Buying Up the World of Football
Football confederations revolted against Gianni Infantino’s plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup. But the failure of his scheme won’t affect the bigger picture as private-equity firms gobble up football clubs in pursuit of short-term gains.
In Peru, Keiko Fujimori Promises Order, Not Reconciliation
Keiko Fujimori has become Peru’s president after another narrow election runoff. While in past contests she tiptoed around her father’s authoritarian record, this time she capitalized on his strongman image.
Puerto Rico’s Independence Movement Is Gaining Strength
Since the 19th century, the choice between independence and incorporation into the US has been a central issue for Puerto Rican politics. Support for the left-wing Puerto Rico Independence Party is now surging among the country’s youth.
The End of Oak Street Is Nostalgia Eating Itself
The new sci-fi film The End of Oak Street is about a 1982 suburban cul-de-sac taken over by dinosaurs. It’s Steven Spielberg nostalgia recycled into something barely alive.
Minnesota Unions Are a Threat to Trump’s Authoritarianism
The Trump administration is attempting to criminalize union members for organizing against its immigration crackdown in Minnesota earlier this year. That’s because it correctly sees labor as a threat to its authoritarian designs.
What Multilateralism Looks Like After US Decline
The current crisis in the world order isn’t just about Donald Trump ignoring multilateral institutions. The US has long broken the rules — the real change is that Washington is losing its ability to lay down the law to other states.
Puerto Rico’s Water Crisis Is Also a Debt Crisis
This summer’s water crisis in Puerto Rico is the latest example of the slow violence of the Puerto Rican debt crisis, exacerbated by patterns of remilitarization in the archipelago.