How Finance Exploits Us
The new era of financial capitalism, with its explosion of household debt and its dependence on complex derivatives, has caused fundamental changes in the way capital exploits labor.
289 Search Results for: gig economy
We Need a Shark Tank Without the Sharks
The entrepreneurial reality show Shark Tank is saturated with the absurdity of twenty-first-century capitalism. But watching it, you can’t help but think about how its basic premise — helping ordinary people with extraordinary ideas implement them on a wide scale — could be carried out under socialism.
Scott Morrison’s Industrial Relations Laws Are a Kick in the Teeth for Australian Workers
The Morrison government has proposed sweeping changes to Australian labor laws intended to cut wages, entrench precarious work, and cripple unions. The proposed changes would sweep away the remnants of collective bargaining and hand dictatorial power to bosses.
Trump’s Impunity Reflects the Impunity of the Entire Class of American Elites
The lawless behavior of Donald Trump and Georgia’s GOP senators recently captured on tape is, like so much about Trump, appalling. But it reflects an American political culture in which the powerful are never held accountable for any kind of wrongdoing, no matter how blatant or evil.
To Get Better Work Conditions, We Have to Be Ready to Strike for Them
Since the 1990s, workers in the Basque Country have gone on strike more than twice as often as any other workforce in Europe. The Basque unions insist that we have to fight for our interests — a strike-fund-centered strategy that has won huge victories even in the age of austerity.
Italy’s Masses of Unemployed Can’t Live Off Start-Ups Alone
Italy's new premier, Mario Draghi, has pointed to "digitalization" as the key to economic recovery, heralding tax incentives to boost start-ups and foreign investment. But for all the breathless talk of digital revolution, Draghi's recipes are all-too familiar: rolling out the red carpet for the likes of Elon Musk while doing nothing to help the millions of unemployed.
Kevin Rudd’s “Fourth Way” Proves the Australian Labor Party Is Out of Ideas
Former Australian PM Kevin Rudd has come up with a plan for Labor that he calls the “Fourth Way.” But on closer inspection, Rudd’s would-be alternative is a rehash of the timid, conservative approach to politics that has kept Labor out of power for a decade.
Austin Is Ground Zero for a Different Kind of Neoliberalism
Known for its quirky institutions, eccentric characters, and progressive culture, Austin’s famous “weirdness” has long masked a deeper commitment to neoliberalism — which has in turn accelerated its de-weirding.
The Internet Platforms We All Use Should Be Publicly Owned and Democratically Controlled
Web3 shows how our online lives are increasingly being monetized. It’s time to take democratic control of the internet — turning the platforms we all use into free public services.
Spain’s Labor Minister, Yolanda Díaz, Is Working to Rebuild the Left
Spain’s labor minister, Yolanda Díaz, is a Communist — and her success restoring workplace protections has made her the country’s most popular politician. Now her new electoral platform Sumar is trying to use that popularity to revitalize the Spanish left.
Tucker Carlson Is a Repugnant, Pseudo-Populist Fraud
Tucker Carlson likes to posture as a bold populist truth-teller. But when push comes to shove, he sides with the ruling class and bosses, not workers.
Australia’s Insecure Work Framework Is Designed and Maintained by the Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is introducing legislation it claims will help end endemic insecure work. But if the party’s track record is anything to go by, casual workers shouldn’t hold their breath.
NYC Cab Drivers Just Sued Uber and Lyft for Hundreds of Millions in Unpaid Wages
Uber and Lyft have made profits by exploiting their ambiguous legal status to avoid paying workers billions in wages, but taxi unions recently sued the corporations for millions. Their victory is part of a broader wave of worker attacks on the gig economy.
For Aki Kaurismäki, Class Politics Shape Everyday Life
From Shadows in Paradise to Fallen Leaves, Aki Kaurismäki’s films show ordinary Finns in minimalist, near-timeless settings. But they’re also a response to changes in working-class life since the 1980s, as consumerist values edge out Finland’s social model.
Why Couldn’t John Sweeney’s AFL-CIO Revive US Labor?
In 1995, new AFL-CIO director John Sweeney had an ambitious plan to organize millions of new union members. As labor’s fortunes continue to decline 30 years later, understanding what went wrong in the Sweeney years may offer clues as to the path forward.
Money in the Bank
The story of pro wrestling in the twentieth century is the story of American capitalism.
The Smartphone Society
Just as the automobile defined the twentieth century, the smartphone is reshaping how we live and work today.
The Amazonization of Everything
Amazon's success lies in worker exploitation and intrusions into consumers’ private lives.
Betsy DeVos’s Golden Age
Betsy DeVos has spent a fortune to influence education policy. If she is confirmed as education secretary, for the first time, she can do it for free.
The Hollow Courage of Bill Maher
Throughout his career, Bill Maher has delighted in scolding the powerless.