The Return of Industrial Policy
Industrial policy is back in vogue in recent years — but without the working-class power to discipline capital, it’s just public money flowing to private profit.
Search Result(s) for: “working class”
The Democrats’ “Weird” Glass House
Yes, Republicans are “weird,” but the in-vogue Democratic talking point gets us further away from an economic argument about why Donald Trump is bad for working-class families.
Just Give Us the Damn Checks
Opponents of the $2,000 survival checks claim they're poorly targeted. That's nonsense. They would help the working class and poor far more than the rich.
It Was Always About Inflation
Simply put, Donald Trump owes his reelection to inflation and to the fact that the Biden administration did little to address the problem in a way that helped working-class families.
Austerity Is a Choice
Despite what new Labour prime minister Keir Starmer says, there’s nothing inevitable about another round of austerity — it is a deliberate decision to avoid confronting the powerful and presenting a real alternative for working-class people.
When Unions Built Social Housing
Throughout the mid-20th century, immigrant associations and labor unions bought and built thousands of co-ops to house working-class New Yorkers. A left-led co-op revival might provide a way out of our present-day urban housing crisis.
Giuseppe Garibaldi Was a Proud Internationalist
On this day in 1882, Giuseppe Garibaldi died after a lifetime fighting for a united Italy. He combined his patriotism with a proud internationalism — and a thirst for freedom that inspired working-class struggles throughout the twentieth century.
Obama’s DNC Speech Was the Same Old Technocratic Liberalism
Obama’s speech last night at the DNC showcased his rhetorical talent. But it was also a reminder of his incrementalist brand of liberalism, which failed to meaningfully address the profound issues facing the working-class majority.
The New Popular Front Can Win in France
According to polls for France’s snap election, the far right’s main opponent isn’t Emmanuel Macron but the left-wing New Popular Front. It has to rally working-class voters and show that the social damage of Macron’s rule can be undone.
Budgeting Scolds Are Gaslighting Struggling Americans
The affluent often blame poverty on bad budgeting skills, claiming the poor just need to be taught financial literacy. But working-class people require living wages and a functioning safety net, not condescending lectures about money management.
The Election We Could Have Had
No law of history dictated that a right-wing billionaire would win over vast swaths of the working class in this year’s election. It simply didn’t have to be like this.
Namibia’s Workers Spearheaded Its Fight for Independence
After more than a century of German and South African rule, Namibia finally gained its independence on this day in 1990. Working-class struggles and organizations played a vital role in the country’s long march to freedom.
In Argentina, Javier Milei’s Shock Therapy Is Wreaking Havoc
Four months into his term, Argentina’s “anarcho-capitalist” president Javier Milei has drastically slashed public spending and sought to suppress wages. It’s a disaster for the country’s working class and its public institutions of research and learning.
Andrew Cuomo Was Bad at Being Governor
Disgraced New York governor Andrew Cuomo has finally left office. We look back at his emperor-has-no-clothes record, in which flashy infrastructure projects took the place of real improvements to the lives of working-class New Yorkers.
Workers Are Treading Water
US household incomes saw a small uptick in 2017. But for the working class, the larger picture remains largely bleak.
On the Minimum Wage, Joe Biden Chose Failure
The Biden administration’s preemptive surrender on the $15 minimum wage is nothing like its guns-blazing approach to getting union-buster Neera Tanden confirmed for a White House job. The contrast demonstrates Biden’s lack of sincerity when he claims to be a working-class fighter.
Inflation Is Slowing Down. But Working-Class Life in the US Is Still Hard to Afford.
The inflation rate is cooling, providing a respite for workers. Yet there’s a reason why many are still unhappy with the economy: from health care to housing to childcare, life in the US is more unaffordable than ever.
Javier Milei’s Shock Therapy Would Be a Disaster for Working-Class Argentinians
Argentina’s new president, Javier Milei, has issued a decree with over 350 reforms tearing up labor rights and privatizing industries. The “shock therapy” plan marks a dangerous expansion of the president’s powers — but it also faces fierce opposition.
In Chicago, a Socialist Teacher Takes on the Entrenched Political Machine
Ambria Taylor, a socialist teacher from a working-class background, is running for Chicago City Council. In a ward long known as a stronghold for conservative Democratic machine politics, she says she hopes to usher in a new era of participatory governance.
No, Countries in the Global South Shouldn’t be Scrapping Fuel Subsidies
International organizations like the IMF are pressing Global South countries to cut their fuel subsidies in the name of fighting climate change. But don't be fooled: these are neoliberal measures that do little to reduce emissions while hammering the livelihoods of poor and working-class people.