American Exceptionalism Off the Rails
Why the United States spends so much but gets so little public transit.
Blog
We Would Never Tolerate Julian Assange’s Persecution If Any Other Country Carried It Out
If Russia were persecuting a whistleblower like Julian Assange, the US would rightly condemn it as authoritarian abuse. But because that persecution is backed by the US, the mainstream media and American politicians are fine with it.
High-End Art Fairs Give Capitalism a Glow Up
Art is an essential expression of human creativity. But today’s high-end art fairs are a carnival of consumerism for the ultra-wealthy rather than a celebration of creative expression.
Revolutions Look Different According to Authoritarian or Democratic Conditions
The Russian Revolution led to revolutionary upheaval in countries far beyond Russia. Looking at Russia’s imperial borderlands like Finland suggests that socialist struggle can look wildly different in autocratic versus parliamentary conditions.
When Harriet Tubman Met John Brown
Happy Juneteenth! To celebrate, we’re looking back at the short but deep friendship of John Brown and Harriet Tubman, who gave their lives to the abolitionist cause.
A New Bill Would Redirect $100 Billion from the Military Budget to Pro-Worker Programs
Every year the US military budget grows ever larger, sucking up resources that we could use to improve the lives of workers. A new bill seeks to do just that, immediately cutting $100 billion from the military budget and putting it in social programs.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon Is Popular Because He Confronts the Powerful
For years, Jean-Luc Mélenchon has faced endless accusations of “divisiveness” and “extremism.” Today, his left-wing movement is more popular than ever — and it’s because it didn’t shy away from taking on French elites.
Organized Labor Has to Challenge the Criminalization of Immigration
In recent decades, most of the labor movement has taken strong stances in favor of immigrant rights. But unions could do more to stop the ongoing criminalization of immigration that Democrats are doing little to halt.
No, Rising Prices Are Not Being Driven by Rising Wages
It’s not rising workers’ wages that are causing spiraling inflation — it’s corporate profiteering.
To Beat Emmanuel Macron, France’s Left Needs to Drive Up Working-Class Turnout
In Sunday’s elections, Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s left-wing coalition has a historic chance to break Emmanuel Macron’s grip on Parliament. Newly reelected MP Danièle Obono tells Jacobin that to win, the Left will have to mobilize habitual nonvoters.
What’s Behind the Antiabortion Crackdown?
Since the turn of the 19th century, crackdowns on women’s reproductive rights have come in cycles. The attack isn’t only about controlling women but about pushing up the birth rate to suit capital’s needs.
Noam Chomsky: “Every Time We Build Up Our Military Budget, We’re Attacking Ourselves”
In a new interview, Noam Chomsky discusses the hypocrisies of US empire and why, if we really wanted to build a decent society, we’d immediately slash the massive military budget.