The SPD Needs More Than Just New Leaders
After more than 20 years of dogmatic neoliberalism, Germany’s Social Democrats have elected their first left-leaning leadership in a generation. But it may be too late to win back workers.
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Emmanuel Macron Wants to End France’s Welfare State
France was paralyzed by strikes on Friday, as workers from train drivers to teachers revolted against Emmanuel Macron’s attack on pensions. While the liberal president fancies himself as a French “Thatcher,” his bid to tear up France’s welfare state now faces its most powerful opposition yet.
When Being a Red Meant Risking Your Life
This year marks a century since the First Red Scare, which decimated the ranks of the US left. One of the worst episodes was the Centralia incident — where a reactionary mob tortured and killed a group of IWW members to drive them out of the Washington town.
The Bernie Sanders Origin Story, Part 1
In the first part of an ongoing series covering Bernie Sanders’ time as mayor of Burlington, we look at Sanders’ years in the wilderness and the circumstances that made his rise possible.
The Scott Morrison Honeymoon Is Over
Right-wing Prime Minister Scott Morrison came to power in Australia tapping into a wellspring of resentment and touting his support for fossil fuels. But now with catastrophic bushfires sweeping across the country, his approval ratings are in free fall.
Brace Yourself Sanders Supporters, It’s Going to Get Ugly
Bernie’s surging in the polls so get ready — we’re all about to be deluged by manufactured controversies. This weekend, the Warren campaign, in concert with a media itching for controversy, tried to turn a nonstory into a scandal and attack Sanders with a narrative recycled from Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign.
Instead of Choking on Smoke, Sydney Workers Are Walking off the Job
Following cataclysmic bushfires, Sydney has spent the last fortnight choked by poisonous smoke. While Prime Minister Scott Morrison pretends all is normal, construction and dock workers have refused to put business as usual above their health, and are walking off the job.
“The Police Know Guerrilla Warfare”
The violent state of US policing cannot be understood apart from the country’s Cold War crusade. During those decades, cops at home and military personnel abroad exchanged techniques and tactics to mete out repression and thwart leftist insurgencies.
Australia’s Fires Give Us a Glimpse of What’s Coming
Even as Australia burns, the government is reaffirming its commitment to coal and waging a war on climate activists. But as the crisis deepens, climate barbarism is no longer an option.
Jess Phillips Is Not the Answer to What’s Wrong in British Politics
Britain's right-wing press has been routinely vicious to so many in the Labour Party in recent years. But they've always had a soft spot for MP Jess Phillips. Perhaps that's because they know her PR-driven politics poses them no threat.
Keeping Homeless Families Homeless, By Force
When our housing system’s primary function is to enrich capitalists rather than provide for humans’ basic needs, it’s no surprise that developers would rather deploy a small army complete with guns, a battering ram, and a tank to remove homeless families from an empty home, as they did earlier this week in Oakland, California.
What a Socialist Approach to Gun Violence Should Look Like
We’re thankfully beginning to see mass organizing and protest against the epidemic of gun violence in the United States. But we can’t let billionaires like Michael Bloomberg and solutions that further criminalize the poor and increase police power dominate the debate — we need a socialist approach to ending gun violence.
Viewing Taiwan From the Left
Taiwanese voters are going to the polls tomorrow for presidential elections as protests continue to rage in Hong Kong. But in order to understand Taiwan, we have to understand the power of China — and the looming shadow of US imperialism.
The Fight for Abortion Must Be Part of the Fight for Medicare for All
Anti-abortion advocates have gained ground in recent decades by separating abortion from health care overall. We have to see abortion rights as an integral part of the fight for Medicare for All.
A Captive Market
As if locking up mass numbers of people in cages weren’t depraved enough, jails and prisons around the country are now charging prisoners exorbitant fees to read, listen to music, and speak to their family and friends. It’s a gross violation and exploitation of prisoners’ basic rights to enjoy culture and connect with other humans.
Globalization Isn’t the Problem — Capitalism Is
The Right has hijacked the vision of a life beyond neoliberal globalization. It’s time for a new progressive internationalism, one that puts solidarity and justice over corporate profits.
The Third Way Is the Past. Socialism Is the Future.
For years, Third Way politicians claimed to be modernizing progressive politics by rejecting leftist policies. But their political project now stands in ruins — and it’s democratic socialism that is on the rise.
England Doesn’t Exist
There’s a void at the heart of English identity, with its reliance on empty clichés and old dreams of empire. But decentralizing power to the regions points to an alternative — replacing narrow nationalism with an inclusive community pride.
The Lessons We Need to Learn From Europe’s Struggle Against Fascism
The catastrophic descent of interwar Europe into fascist rule may not be repeatable in today’s world. But a different form of reactionary politics could still take shape and prove to be just as harmful.
If Iowa Was Bolivia, the US Would Have Already Intervened
We're still waiting for the full results of the Iowa caucus. In Bolivia, the United States backed a violent coup against Evo Morales for even less.