Pessimism of the Intellect, Optimism of the Whale
Why socialists should read Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick.
Search Result(s) for: “working class”
Revulsion Against Billionaire Wealth Isn’t About “Envy.” It’s About Democracy.
Rotterdam has been forced to walk back the dismantling of a historic bridge to make way for Jeff Bezos’s superyacht. But the incident is a reminder that billionaires’ obscene wealth isn’t just about hoarding resources — it’s also about undermining democracy.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon Has a Mandate to Rebuild the French Left
In Sunday’s election, France’s neoliberalized Socialist Party slumped to a pathetic 2 percent support. Yet the overall left-wing vote increased — all thanks to Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s France Insoumise, whose transformative program inspired millions.
Kathy Hochul’s New York State Budget Is a Travesty
New York governor Kathy Hochul has dished out a massive subsidy for the billionaire owner of the Buffalo Bills, burying the measure in a must-pass state budget. It’s a sign that while Andrew Cuomo may be gone, his brand of politics lives on in Albany.
Canada’s Left Shouldn’t Cede Populist Politics to the Right
The discontent that fomented the Freedom Convoy was caused by problems around wages, housing, and health care — problems for which the Left has long had solutions. The Canadian left needs to step up and take these issues back from reactionary populists.
How China’s Labor Migrants Write Poetry in the Workshop of the World
The labor of hundreds of millions of rural-to-urban migrants has spurred China’s incredible levels of growth. This social transformation has birthed a tradition of migrant worker poetry, documenting the hardship of the workers behind China’s economic miracle.
We Need a Fighting Abortion Rights Movement Now More Than Ever
The likely demise of Roe v. Wade is a crushing blow for abortion rights. And Democrats won’t save us — we need to fight back with a mass movement in the streets that boldly pushes for reproductive justice.
A Crushing Blow
The UAW's defeat at a Mississippi Nissan factory will set back organizing the South for a long time.
The Tories Gave Keir Starmer an Open Goal, but He Still Missed the Target
Last week’s election performance by the British Labour Party was deeply underwhelming. Despite enjoying every advantage, Keir Starmer has failed to convert a popular backlash against Boris Johnson’s government into support for his own plodding leadership.
No, Karl Marx Wasn’t a Hideous Racist
Centrist pundit Andrew Sullivan thinks Karl Marx was “one of the most repellent anti-Semites and racists of the 19th century.” That’s nonsense — Marx’s political project was all about expanding human freedom and fighting oppression in every form.
San Francisco’s Economic Elite Is Gunning for Chesa Boudin
Wealthy San Francisco residents are pouring money into the recall campaign against progressive district attorney Chesa Boudin, who’s being blamed for out-of-control crime. There’s just one problem: the city’s supposed crime wave is a paranoid fantasy.
The Right to Be Playful
This Labor Day, let’s celebrate our human right to be joyous and playful.
We Failed to Protect Abortion Rights. We Need a Labor-Based Strategy.
Despite majority support for abortion rights, we failed to build a majority coalition to defend reproductive freedom. We should honestly assess our failures — and then build a movement that ties together labor, feminists, and health care organizing.
The Rise of Zombie Firms Risks Another Disastrous Crisis
Zombie companies are those whose profits are so low they can’t even pay the interest on their debts. They’re becoming an increasingly large part of the economy — and they risk pitching us into another full-scale crisis.
It’s Always the Right Time to Call George W. Bush a War Criminal
If George W. Bush is not going to stand trial for war crimes, he should at the very least stop appearing in public to weigh in on unjustified wars, as he did this week when he accidentally referred to the “wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq.”
There Was a Lot of Good News in This Week’s Primaries
Despite setbacks, from Pennsylvania to Kentucky, socialist candidates eked out victories in this week’s primaries. Centrist challengers, backed by super PAC and corporate money, massively underperformed. Democratic socialists aren't going away anytime soon.
Eugene V. Debs: Socialist Internationalism Versus Capitalist Nationalism
This Memorial Day, we should rededicate ourselves to fighting the horrors of war. So here’s a 1916 Eugene Debs piece, never before republished, about why internationalism is at the heart of socialist politics.
In Ontario’s Election, None of the Promises to Labor Are Good Enough
Ontario’s political parties are all courting labor for the upcoming election. But nothing currently on offer will result in serious change for the Canadian labor movement.
Now Is the Time for Unions to Go on the Offensive
Despite years of employer attacks, unions still have vast resources at their disposal. This moment of worker upsurge is the time to use those assets to fund aggressive organizing.