The Reactionary Jargon of Decoloniality
Cloaked in an impenetrable jargon, “decoloniality” dehistoricizes and culturalizes colonialism. It’s a political and intellectual dead end for socialists.
Search Result(s) for: “russia”
George Kennan Was No Friend of Democracy
Late in life, diplomat George Kennan became known as a “dove” on US-Russian relations. But after World War II his containment strategy played a major role subverting democracies in the name of fighting communism.
Before World War II, Zionism Was a Fringe Ideology
Prior to Israel’s founding, the majority of European Jews rejected the idea of an ethnically Jewish nation. Instead they fought antisemitism by building solidarity.
The Czech Socialist Literature That Influenced Milan Kundera
Milan Kundera, who died this month, became known as a staunchly individualist critic of one-party Communist rule. Yet his work was also steeped in the rich earlier traditions of left-wing Czech literature, which grappled with the meaning of human freedom.
billy woods: “My Music Is Radical, in Its Own Way”
Rapper billy woods is a leading figure in contemporary underground hip-hop. He spoke to Jacobin about the inspiration for his music and his left-wing politics.
BRIC Nationalism Is No Alternative
Developmentalist nationalism is a poor substitute for socialism.
Ayn Rand Had a Fragile Ego, Incoherent Ideas, and Bad Taste
Ayn Rand believed that the path to social harmony ran through the inferior masses’ acceptance of brutal rule by their natural superiors. Her perspective was wrong, and its implications were just as grim and nasty as her atrocious personality.
It’s Time to End the War in Ukraine
Ukraine’s military position is worsening, and there are signs of fatigue on the home front. A tit-for-tat escalation between Washington and Moscow would be disastrous for Ukrainians and for us all.
Europe’s Blind Eye to Israel’s War Crimes Shows the “Rules-Based Order” Is a Cruel Farce
Faced with Israel’s collective punishment of Gaza, European leaders have offered unqualified support. Their disinterest in defending international law shows there’s no such thing as “a rules-based order” — just imperial powers, and their chosen allies.
Yes, Ukraine Is a “Real Country”
The borders of Ukraine are no more arbitrary than those of Poland, Greece, Italy, or Germany.
No, Eastern Europe Isn’t Doomed to Right-Wing Rule
Six left-wing parties from central-eastern Europe have formed a new alliance. They’re united by opposition to right-wing populists and Russian imperialism — but they’re also challenging the center-left parties who led the region’s neoliberal turn.
For Slovakia’s Left, Welfare Spending and Nationalism Make an Awkward Match
As Slovakia heads toward a snap election, former prime minister Robert Fico is surging in polls. His Smer party has a record of defending welfare spending — but its scandals and nationalist rhetoric make it hard for many left-wingers to support.
Mark Rutte’s March to War
In his maiden speech as NATO secretary-general, Mark Rutte ominously warned that peacetime is over as he delivered a cocktail of half-truths to demand ever-increased military spending.
Telling the Story of Australia’s Soviet Diaspora
Australian historian Sheila Fitzpatrick has spent her career documenting the history of the USSR. She tells Jacobin about her latest project, which looks at the Soviet citizens who migrated to Australia and their complicated relationship with their homeland.
Christian Rakovsky’s Life and Death Mirrored the Fate of European Marxism
Born in Bulgaria, Christian Rakovsky became a major leader of the Russian Revolution who wanted the Soviet Union to be a true partnership of nations. But when Rakovsky challenged Stalin’s dictatorship, he was tried and executed on a trumped-up charge.
Western-Backed NGOs: A Hollow Version of Civil Society
Donald Trump’s moves to dismantle USAID clearly aren’t driven by fears of infringing on other nations’ sovereignty. Still, we should recognize that Global South NGOs’ reliance on Western donors hinders the growth of self-sustaining civil societies.
Ukraine on the Brink
Ukraine's politics are dominated by oligarchs. Its streets are more and more run by the far right.
1919: The Year the World Was on Fire
One hundred years ago was a time of revolution. Emma Goldman, John Reed, and Bill Haywood were at the center of it all.
Free Brittney Griner Now!
Phoenix Mercury center and WNBA legend Brittney Griner has been held in a Russian prison for nearly two months. Why did the league take so long to speak out publicly in her support?
Violence and Revolution in 1917
The revolutionary violence of 1917 paled in comparison to that on the fronts of the Great War.