The John McCain of India
Atal Bihari Vajpayee, India’s “statesmanlike” far-right leader, died this month. The praise showered on him by Indian liberals shows how far to the right the country has moved.
Search Result(s) for: “China”
Road to Ruin
The risk of war with North Korea remains real. And Trump and Abe are pushing us further in that calamitous direction.
“To Halt Climate Change, We Need an Ecological Leninism”
Despite the obvious parallels with coronavirus shutdowns, states still show little determination to put in place the measures we’ll need to deal with the climate emergency. For Andreas Malm, we need to stop seeing climate change as a problem for the future — and use state power now to impose a drastic reordering of our economies.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The Neoliberal State in Pakistan Is a Machine for Plunder
Pakistani neoliberalism hasn’t rolled back state intervention in the economy. Building on a predatory tradition that dates back to British colonial rule, it has used state power to enforce the ruthless exploitation of Pakistan’s workers and natural resources.
The Biden Administration Fed the Press Dubious Intelligence About Russia
White House claims that Putin was considering using chemical weapons in Ukraine were based on weak evidence, US officials have disclosed. The revelation should remind us all about the dangers of uncritically reporting government statements.
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.
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.
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.
We Can Only Go Beyond Communism by Coming to Terms With Its History
Thirty years ago today, the Soviet Union collapsed. Twentieth-century communism should be understood in all its complexity, as revolution and regime, a spur to anti-colonialism and an alternative form of social democracy.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.