The US Labor Movement Had a Banner Year in 2023
From logistics to Hollywood to higher ed to auto, 2023 saw a promising upsurge in US labor militancy. Unions must seize this historic opening to reverse decades of decline.
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Where Do We Go After Last Night’s Defeat?
The bad news is that the Democratic Party isn’t going anywhere. The good news is that today’s commonsense political demands are, almost unthinkably, democratic socialist ones. Our work continues today.
Transit Workers Against Amazon?
New York’s transit workers have enormous leverage over Amazon. But to use it, they will have to break with Andrew Cuomo.
There Once Was a Socialist College in the Rural South
Commonwealth College was a radical experiment in socialist education nestled deep in the Arkansas mountains. It taught and trained over 1,500 worker-activists before becoming an early casualty of American anti-communism.
Strikes Still Get the Goods
There are four important things to know about strikes in the public sector: strikes must be central to public-sector union strategy, workers need to be willing to strike even if it means breaking labor law, building community support is crucial, and strikes can defeat the Right’s privatization offensive.
The Welfare State Can Survive the Great Aging
Workers spend their whole lives producing wealth for society, only to be told that being provided for in old age is impossible. It’s not a rollback ordinary people should accept.
Minneapolis Bus Driver: “It’s Imperative That Unions Fight for All Workers”
Unions must play a central role in the fight against police brutality. We spoke with a rank-and-file bus driver in Minneapolis who is organizing his coworkers to refuse to assist police in transporting protesters — because, he says, “an injury to one is an injury to all.”
Krystal Ball: Why Politicians Like John Fetterman Won
It turns out when you promise to do even the bare minimum for people, they tend to vote for you. The more Democrats act like John Fetterman and the less they act like Larry Summers, the more they'll win in the Rust Belt.
Javier Milei Wants to Ignite a Far-Right Cultural Revolution
Newly elected Argentine president Javier Milei outlined his radical libertarian vision at Davos. During his speech, he made it clear that any opposition to his free-market utopia would be crushed by authoritarian means.
The Strange Odyssey of Britain’s Revolutionary Communist Party
The contrarian website Spiked is now at the heart of an influential right-wing network in British politics and media. But the group behind Spiked started off as an avowedly Marxist organization before turning its back on left-wing politics in the 1990s.
Republicans and Industrial Policy After Trump
Some right-wing populists are making a bid to outflank the Democrats on industrial policy as part of their attempt to make the Republicans into a “workers’ party.” The best way to defeat them is to make the Green New Deal the centerpiece of progressive twenty-first-century industrial policy.
International Women’s Day Is a Socialist Holiday
In much of the world, International Women’s Day has become a bland and largely apolitical event. But it has its origins in working women’s struggles — including those that gave rise to a mass socialist women’s movement.
How to Build Pro-Worker Governance in Cleveland
Rust Belt cities like Cleveland face a much more hostile landscape for passing pro-worker policies than major cities like New York. But a range of policy options is available to legislators who want to take advantage of them.
Socialists Aim for Assembly Seat in Kathy Hochul’s Backyard
It’s not just New York City: socialists are hoping to build their legislative bloc across the state. That includes the 149th District, where Adam Bojak is hoping to win a state assembly seat in Kathy Hochul’s backyard.
How Amsterdam’s Early Social Housing Failed Workers
In 1901, the Amsterdam city government started to replace privately owned slums with cooperatively run housing. The project attracted many innovative designers, but its aesthetic function didn’t always suit the needs of the new homes’ inhabitants.
Scotland Moves Left
The Scottish National Party has been running to Labour's left ahead of the May 7 elections. How should we relate to it?
Marceau Pivert Was a Key Figure in the History of French Socialism
Socialist leader Marceau Pivert played a central role in the turbulent history of French politics during the 1930s. Pivert’s inside-outside strategy toward the established workers’ movement is an important case study in how to win mass support for socialism.
Medicare for All Is Even Better Than You Thought
Previous estimates suggested that Medicare for All would save $2 trillion. But it's even better: a new study finds that Bernie Sanders's bill would save $5.1 trillion — while providing universal, comprehensive coverage.
Understanding the Greek Communists
Syriza is not the only left-wing party in Greece. Where did the Communist Party come from and where is it going?
Telling the Tale of England’s North Country Blues
England’s North-South divide lies at the heart of Britain’s recent political disputes, from Brexit to the fate of the Labour Party. There’s a long and fascinating history behind that regional chasm, from the Norman conquest to the Industrial Revolution and the rise of Margaret Thatcher.