Bill Gates Won’t Save Us
When it comes to green technology, only the state can do what Silicon Valley cannot.
Search Result(s) for: “China”
The EU Cynically Pushes Lithium Mining in Serbia
The European Union loves boasting about its green agenda. But its plans rely on electric vehicles — and a push for lithium mining in Serbia, which would outsource the environmental costs of the green transition to a non-EU country.
What a Left-Wing Foreign Policy Means for France Insoumise
The war in Gaza has again shown the West’s capacity for selective indignation. France Insoumise MP Arnaud Le Gall told Jacobin why it’s time to end the "clash of civilizations" narrative — and adopt an internationalist foreign policy.
All Roads Lead to Ruin
Sunil Amrith’s The Burning Earth takes us on a gloomy and bleak tour of how, in the name of progress, Western empires made a mess of everything.
Aleksandr Dugin Is the Reactionary Prophet of Russian Ultranationalism
Most have never heard of Aleksandr Dugin or his obscure Traditionalist philosophy. But both have quietly become important influences on Russian politics over the past few decades.
Supply Chains Are in Crisis, but Logistics Bosses Are Doing Better Than Ever
Pre-Christmas shortages have exposed the fallibility of global supply chains’ promise to deliver all manner of goods almost instantly. Yet logistics firms’ profits are at historic highs — showing how they’ve used the crisis to entrench their power.
Joe Biden Has No Business Lecturing the Rest of the World on “Democracy”
The Biden administration recently organized the Summit for Democracy to fight rising global authoritarianism. But Washington bears central responsibility for the widening inequality, rising political cynicism, and withering of democracy worldwide.
The National Conservatives Are Winning the Right’s Battle of Ideas
A recent gathering of right-wing politicians and intellectuals underscores conservatism’s increasing illiberalism — and suggests the GOP might move even further toward authoritarianism and phony economic populism.
Republicans and Industrial Policy After Trump
Some right-wing populists are making a bid to outflank the Democrats on industrial policy as part of their attempt to make the Republicans into a “workers’ party.” The best way to defeat them is to make the Green New Deal the centerpiece of progressive twenty-first-century industrial policy.
Marxism and the Agrarian Question
The leading thinkers of Marxism stressed how important it was to govern in partnership with the peasantry. When communist states imposed collectivization by force, the results were disastrous.
A Ukrainian Socialist Explains Why the Russian Invasion Shouldn’t Have Been a Surprise
Vladimir Putin uses the language of “demilitarization” to pursue an aggressive imperial policy against Ukraine. In an interview for Jacobin, a Ukrainian socialist explains the falseness of the Kremlin’s pretexts — and why the war could drag on for years.
No, the European Union Shouldn’t Try to Become a New Superpower
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen speaks of the EU’s ambitions to project itself as a superpower on the global stage. But recent crises show that the last thing we need is the European Union expanding its mandate.
There’s No Such Thing as the “National Interest”
According to establishment pundits and politicians, countries have “national interests” they carry out in the international arena. But “national interests” is just another phrase for ruling-class interests. The old socialist argument is true: workers of all countries have more in common with each other than their respective countries’ ruling elites.
Germany’s Bigger Defense Budget Won’t Make Anyone Safer
German chancellor Olaf Scholz has just committed €100 billion to defense spending. The move is widely touted as a strong response to Russian aggression — but is more about showing Germany’s fealty to US global foreign policy objectives.
The Last Cold War Was Disastrous — We Shouldn’t Welcome Another
A new book uses poor history to urge the ruthless containment of America’s rivals — skirting Washington’s past failures and the millions of civilian dead.
Congress Is Debating Another Massive Corporate Giveaway Disguised as a “Bailout”
Bernie Sanders is trying to restrict a proposed $52 billion subsidy for already wildly profitable microchip companies.
We Need to Shrink Big Pharma Until It’s Small Enough to Drown in a Bathtub
The pharmaceutical industry develops lifesaving drugs and medical devices used by millions. It’s also one of the most stone-cold evil institutions on the planet.
Germany’s Electric Car Program Is About Defending Its Auto Giants’ Profits
Ahead of today’s German election, all the main parties have emphasized the need to green the auto industry. But the state’s strategic support for electric cars isn’t an attempt to save the planet — it’s about enhancing German capital’s supremacy over its foreign competition.
Twenty Years Ago, the Mainstream Press Created the War on Terror
Two decades ago, the mainstream media responded to the September 11 attacks by stacking their news coverage and pundit commentary with the country’s most belligerently pro-war voices. We are still paying for their appalling misjudgment.
Joe Biden’s Climate Policies Are a Step Back From “Death Wish.” But We Need More Than That.
So far the Biden administration's stated climate policies have shifted the US government from a stance of death-wish climate nihilism to one that resembles a typical center-right European government. But without a sharp move to the left on the economic aspects of climate transition, even that much progress won't materialize.