Disorganized Democracy
A coalition of industrial workers and small farmers underpinned democratic politics in the twentieth century. Can workers in a precarious service economy fill their shoes today?
484 Search Result(s) for: “working class”
The Popular Front Didn’t Work
The Communist Party’s 1930s popular front strategy weakened the labor movement and empowered the Democratic Party.
The Ruling Class Doesn’t Rule — But It’s Got Veto Power
Capitalists don’t need to directly govern the state, or even be particularly organized, in order to get what they want.
The Marxism of Leo Panitch
Leo Panitch emphasized three core themes throughout his career: the process of class formation, the key role of political parties in facilitating this process, and the need to transform the state instead of wielding it in its current form. In doing so, he gave the democratic-socialist movement an invaluable trove of resources to change the world with.
We Didn’t Start the Fire
Class conflict isn’t something we choose to engage in. It’s just how capitalism works.
The Working-Class Suffragettes Must Not Be Forgotten
The women’s suffrage movement is too often remembered as exclusively middle-class and focused solely on votes for women. But socialist and working-class suffragettes played essential roles in the fight for equality.
Art Class
In his new book, Ben Davis’s arguments too often take the form of smug, self-righteous dismissals that convey only disapproval.
Where Is Our Labor Party?
Over the years, efforts of US workers to build a party that represents their interests have come up short. Why?
Peterloo Is a Hard Movie to Like
Mike Leigh had plenty of material to make an exciting and historically accurate film about the Peterloo massacre. He made a boring one instead.
Slavery, War, and Revolution
Marx’s Civil War writings wrestle with many of the issues that plague today’s left.
What We Get Wrong About White Workers
Deindustrialization has helped create a right-wing turn in many Midwestern towns. Long traditions of labor militancy can explain why it hasn’t in others.
Reformism Yesterday and Social Democracy Today
We shouldn't try to resurrect the social-democratic politics of the past. What we need is a socialist movement that pairs radical demands with mass, militant action.
The State of American Labor
Deindustrialization and the "gig economy" can't explain the weakness of the American working class.
Taking Back Control
Old ways of thinking about mass democratic politics won't cut it in today's globalized, atomized society.
Can Democrats Reverse the Neoliberal Era’s Dealignment?
A new study clearly shows that Democratic candidates aren’t embracing progressive economic demands. Is it any wonder why more and more working-class people are tuning these politicians out?
The St. Louis Proclamation
Unlike their European counterparts, the Socialist Party of America stood firm against World War I, refusing to give in to the siren song of nationalism. Here, in honor of Memorial Day, we reprint in full their 1917 antiwar proclamation insisting that "the working class of the United States has no quarrel with the working class of any other country."
“Pro-Worker” Republicans Aren’t Serious
Ron DeSantis’s new economic plan promises to stand up to the ruling class and big corporations, echoing the “pro-worker” rhetoric bubbling up from some segments of the Right. But their mega-rich donors aren’t buying the act, and neither should you.
Let’s Get to Work
"Salting" built the early American labor movement -- and it can revive it today.
On Democrats and Class, the Writing Was on the Wall
Two writers, Thomas Frank and Joan Williams, provided sharp insight into the Democrats’ hemorrhaging of working-class voters eight years ago. The Democratic Party ignored their perspectives. We asked them to explain how we ended up here — again.
What Is Class-Struggle Unionism?
We really, really need unions. But not all unionism is created equal. We need unions that are willing to fight the bosses rather than cozy up to them. We need class-struggle unionism.