Labor’s Future in the Global Trade War
As trade tensions rise and industrial policies are reshaped, labor faces critical decisions in a world plagued by economic nationalism and climate change.
313 Search Result(s) for: “gig economy”
“Whip Inflation Now”
As economic crisis grew in the 1970s, the government launched a sprawling campaign to enlist everyday Americans in a fight against inflation. But the last four decades have soured the public on such calls for self-sacrifice — and for good reason.
Shackling the Masses With Drastic Capitalist Tactics
We should denounce ruthless and wild compradors like Wu-Tang superfan Martin Shkreli, but also understand the cold world in which they operate.
Donald Trump’s Coronavirus Relief Measures Are Totally Inadequate
The president made a big show of stepping in to help struggling Americans when Congress failed them. But his executive orders have failed, too. Trump claims to back the working class, but he has abandoned them at every turn.
The “Labor Question” Is About Life During and After Capitalism
Throughout American history, no matter the oscillations in politics, the economy, or class struggle, the “labor question” refuses to die.
Inequality Should Not Be the Only Rallying Cry for the Left
For the first century of its existence, the organized left mobilized around the “labor question”: who determines the what and how of production. For years, though, the Left has abandoned this question for a concern with inequality — at its own peril.
Disposable Goods
On overcoming the exploitative temp industry.
The Gatekeepers Aren’t Gone
Viral content seems democratic. But it's still mostly controlled by big media companies.
Under Capitalism, Changing Jobs Sucks
They say that under capitalism, the only thing worse than being exploited by a boss is not being exploited by a boss. But I recently realized that reeducating and retooling yourself to be exploited by a new boss in a new industry is terrible, too — not to mention risky and expensive.
Australia Is Doubling Down on Fossil Fuels
Australia’s response to the COVID-19 crisis should be turning its economy away from resource extraction. Instead, it's doubling down.
The Debate Over Service Work and Unemployment Benefits Shows Why Marxism Is Right
More than any Marxist text ever could, the COVID-19 emergency cash relief programs — and the furious reaction to them from employers — lay bare the raw truth about capitalism: bosses' profits depend directly on workers' remaining terrified of destitution.
Billionaire Doug Bergum’s Presidential Run Shows Campaigns Are Tourism for Rich People Now
North Dakota’s Doug Bergum is a billionaire governor running an impossibly bland, popularity-free campaign for the GOP presidential nomination. Why is he running, other than that he’s rich and he can? We have no idea.
Cloud is a Techno-Thriller for the Age of Online Hustle Culture
The internet has robbed the world of much of its mystery and replaced it with the jaded cynicism of online grifters. Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s film Cloud explores this bleak world dominated by people who just can’t log off.
Building Civilization at Shenzhen Speed
Once the poorer neighbor of Hong Kong, Shenzhen has been transformed into a showcase for the speed, power, and dynamism of Chinese development — and a study in extreme inequality.
The Ghost of the Mechanical Turk
Digital microwork in the Middle East exploits occupation, war, and neoliberalism to extract the cheapest labor possible.
Building From the Ruins
The Left needs a revived labor movement, and a revived labor movement needs the Left.
The WeWork Con
The $47 billion WeWork implosion is proof that the rich are the biggest suckers of all.
The Only Treatment for Coronavirus Is Solidarity
We live in an interwoven, interconnected world where an injury to one is truly an injury to all. We must confront the coronavirus with solidarity and fight for a society where the health of all is more important than profits for a few.
Joe Biden’s Campaign Is Making It Very Clear: They Will Push Austerity in the White House
Almost no one noticed it, but earlier this month, a top Joe Biden advisor indicated that the entire agenda Biden is campaigning on won't be pursued once he's in the White House. Instead, Biden's inner circle appears wedded to the ideology of austerity.
Facebook’s “Metaverse” Must Be Stopped
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse is no utopian vision — it's another opportunity for Big Tech to colonize our lives in the name of profit.