The Technocratic Socialism of Otto Neurath
The Austrian economist and philosopher Otto Neurath devised elaborate ideas for a democratically planned economy. They are a monument to the most optimistic strands of the interwar socialist movement.
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New York City’s Famed Cooperative Housing Is Under Threat
The Bronx’s Amalgamated Housing Cooperative opened in 1927 and has provided thousands of families with affordable housing since then. Now it’s facing an existential threat.
Diplomat Richard Haass’s Shallow Centrism Has No Answers to the Problems America Faces
In The Bill of Obligations, Council on Foreign Relations president and MSNBC stalwart Richard Haass offers solutions to America’s democratic crisis. The book, littered with vacuous bromides, is proof that liberals are all out of ideas.
How the Right Gets George Orwell Wrong
Free-market zealots like Friedrich Hayek and others on the Right love claiming George Orwell as their own. That requires ignoring Orwell’s entire body of work defending democratic socialism — and denouncing the right-wing worldview of figures like Hayek.
Chile’s Attempt at Democratic Socialism Combined State Action and Bottom-Up Initiative
Chile’s socialist experiment was made possible by a confrontational working-class political party and a militant labor movement. The experience shows the promise, and the dangers, of a movement based in both government initiatives and grassroots militancy.
How Financial Institutions Like Silicon Valley Bank Fund the Weapons Industry
After Silicon Valley Bank’s near collapse, commentators rightly focused on the unfairness of state intervention for an institution that had acted irresponsibly. But little attention was paid to the role that banks like SVB play in financing US militarism.
Big Business and the Far Right May Soon Rule Finland
The far right won big in Finland’s parliamentary elections over the weekend. They’re now likely to join a ruling coalition led by the country’s main party of big business.
Otto Bauer and the Austro-Marxists Wanted a Socialist Revolution in Democracy
Austrian socialist Otto Bauer, like others in the too often forgotten “Austro-Marxist” school, sought to build a mass workers’ movement that could win parliamentary democracy — and then go beyond it by establishing a socialist republic.
The Invasion of Iraq Wasn’t a “Mistake.” It Was a Crime.
Today is the 20th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. We should never forget and never forgive the architects of that evil war.
North Dakota Has the Country’s Oldest Public Bank. We Should Look to It as a Model.
With the ongoing financial crisis, it’s a perfect time to look to the Bank of North Dakota. It is the only state-owned bank in the continental US and was formed in 1919 by a left-wing farmer movement to free working people from the grip of private finance.
“French Africa” Is Dead
For decades, France has kept control over its old African colonies by backing pliant local strongmen. Recent coups in Niger and Gabon against governments accused of alignment to Paris show that France’s informal empire is breaking apart.
The Cataclysmic Iraq War in 6 Charts
The US invaded Iraq 20 years ago this spring. From killing hundreds of thousands of civilians to redistributing wealth to the rich and powerful, it was an unmitigated disaster. These charts show how.
How Saudi Arabia’s Rulers Became Best Friends With Israel
Both junior US allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia have nurtured ever warmer relations in recent years. But Saudi Arabia’s closeness to Israel is also a source of criticism at home, setting it at odds with broad public support for Palestine.
Helen Keller Was One of the Great American Socialists
Helen Keller forged her political ideas in the golden age of American socialism and was patronizingly dismissed by conservative commentators who had previously celebrated her. Keller’s passionate radicalism should be remembered and reclaimed by the Left today.
The Anti-Palestinian Censorship Machine Runs on Racism
If you’re a Palestinian in the US speaking out for Palestinian rights, you can expect to be censored and slandered. This isn’t just an affront to free speech — it’s often a manifestation of anti-Palestinian racism.
Can Cybersocialist Planning Become a Reality?
The digital revolution of recent decades allows for much more developed resource allocation than was possible in the 20th century. Cybersocialist planning, some argue, can provide for a rational allocation of resources, under real democratic control.
After the Ukraine Documents Leak, Mainstream Media Is Missing the Story
The recent leak of Ukraine war documents reveals much about how the US government has been misleading the public. But the corporate media is more concerned with catching and punishing the leaker, all in the name of defending democracy.
Conservative Pundits Are Defending Clarence Thomas and His Megadonor
Right-wing pundits are defending Justice Clarence Thomas and his billionaire benefactor Harlan Crow, claiming that a failure to disclose two decades of luxury trips is no cause for concern. They’ve also all neglected to mention their financial ties to Crow.
When Greta Garbo Played a Soviet Agent
Today marks the anniversary of Greta Garbo’s death. The 1939 movie Ninotchka gave her a breakout comedy role — but also reflected the grim mood in Hollywood as Europe headed to war.
Is QAnon Destroying American Democracy?
Conspiracy theories are common and dangerous, but they probably can’t explain why Americans don’t trust the government.