The Long Transition
Four decades since the passing of Spain's democratic Constitution, the "regime of '78" is sharply criticized by the Left and the Catalan independence movements. Yet former prime minister Felipe González still defends it.
Search Result(s) for: “mitterrand”
France’s Far Right Is Setting the Agenda Because the Mainstream Allows It To
Ahead of the 2022 election, French media are presenting an inevitable duel between incumbent Emmanuel Macron and the "populist" Marine Le Pen. Yet for decades we've seen how this liberal framing fuels far-right talking points — echoing Le Pen's false claim to stand for those "left behind" against the status quo.
Class Struggle Built the Welfare State
The welfare state wasn’t created by enlightened dialogue or “sensible” moderate politics. It was a concession won by workers against bosses through decades of struggle.
Between Vichy and the Republic
The National Front hasn't changed. It just learned how to articulate its longstanding racism and xenophobia with mainstream French republican discourse.
Emmanuel Macron Has Boosted France’s Corporate Welfare State
French capitalism has been underperforming for decades, but its companies still expect to receive generous state support without giving much in return. Emmanuel Macron has carried this policy of corporate welfare to new heights.
The Macron Phenomenon
Emmanuel Macron’s strong polling in the French election signals a political realignment destined to consolidate elite control.
The Mélenchon Economy
Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s senior economic advisor explains his proposals to grow the economy and carry out an ecological transition.
France’s Once-Mighty Communist Party Is Struggling to Find Its Voice
French Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel is running for the presidency — and even polling ahead of the long-powerful Socialists. But a campaign heavy on identity also shows that the old workers’ parties are struggling to speak to a changed working class.
What Happened to the French Left?
Many thought the Parti de gauche would reinvigorate the French left. Why has the effort failed?
Social Democracy Is Good. But Not Good Enough.
We need a socialism that goes beyond capitalism. And not just for moral reasons.
Anything but Pacific
Emmanuel Macron celebrated New Caledonia’s vote to remain part of France as an indication of the Republic’s strength. Yet France’s continued control is based on a bloody history of repression against the independence movement.
“Our Own Brand of Socialism”: An Interview with Gabriel García Márquez
Gabriel García Márquez on Fidel Castro, the Soviet Union, and creating “a government which would make the poor happy.”
Paris’s Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, Is Running for President — but Her Socialist Party Is Dying
France’s Socialist Party has announced Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo as its candidate to take back the presidency. Yet far from reconnecting with working-class voters, her candidacy illustrates how France’s established parties have lost their roots.
To Defeat Le Pen, France’s Left Needs to Offer Hope
Faced with France’s snap elections, the left-wing parties built an alliance in record time. But to defeat Marine Le Pen, sounding the alarm about the far right won’t suffice. The Left will need to offer a positive vision for working-class France.
Fredric Jameson and the Adventure of French Theory
After 1945, France produced an extraordinary wave of social theorists whose influence is still felt today. In his final work, Fredric Jameson discussed the excitement of watching this wave rise and fall and the conditions that made it possible.
Schengen Is a Border-Free Zone Surrounded by Barbed Wire
Removing border checks between many European states, the Schengen Area is often hailed as an internationalist triumph. Yet its creation went hand in hand with the tightening of Europe’s external borders — a contradiction that is hardening today.
Brussels, Dec. 12, 1975
NATO leaders from across the political spectrum found common cause opposing Eurocommunism.
Charlie Hebdo and the Gilets Jaunes
The reaction to the Paris terror attacks in 2015 identified Charlie Hebdo with freedom of speech. Yet the magazine's anti-working-class smears are today used to silence the gilets jaunes.
“The World Is Divided in Two”
The rise of the far right in post-industrial France has led many to declare the end of the old class politics. For CGT union leader Philippe Martinez, the battle isn’t over — organized labor just needs to adapt to new forms of employment.
The Day After Macri’s Downfall
Argentina's recent elections have set the country's right on the path to defeat. But that won't immediately put the working class back in the driver's seat — much greater mobilization is needed for that.