A 32-Hour Workweek Is Long Overdue
Bernie Sanders is calling for a reduction in the workweek to 32 hours, at full-time pay. He’s absolutely right. Gains in productivity should serve the working class.
149 Articles by: Ben Burgis
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Ben Burgis is a Jacobin columnist, an adjunct philosophy professor at Rutgers University, and the host of the YouTube show and podcast Give Them An Argument. He’s the author of several books, most recently Christopher Hitchens: What He Got Right, How He Went Wrong, and Why He Still Matters.
Rashida Tlaib Is Right: The Attempt to Extradite Julian Assange Is a Huge Threat to Press Freedom
Rashida Tlaib is leading a group in Congress calling on Joe Biden to halt extradition proceedings against WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange. The prosecution of Assange should worry anyone who believes in freedom of the press.
I’m on Strike at Rutgers to Fight the Uberification of Higher Education
I’m a lecturer at Rutgers University, and yesterday, I joined my fellow academic workers in striking for the first time in the university’s 250-year history. Our fight against precarious working conditions affects the entire working class.
Clarence Thomas Is Exactly What He Appears: a Corrupt, Plutocrat-Backed Ruling-Class Elite
A blockbuster new story reveals that Clarence Thomas has been traveling around the world on a superyacht and private jet owned by billionaire megadonor Harlan Crow. Yet somehow, right-wingers continue to pretend that Thomas is an enemy of “the elites.”
Peter Hitchens Is Wrong. The Nazis Weren’t “Left-Wing.”
Conservative commentator Peter Hitchens thinks the Nazis were leftists. His case doesn’t even begin to add up.
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.
Socialism Is All About Expanding Freedom
Libertarians and conservatives talk a lot about freedom, but the most important kind of freedom is freedom from domination — and if you take that seriously, you should oppose capitalism.
Will Joe Biden Debate Marianne Williamson?
Marianne Williamson is running against Joe Biden. It would benefit the entire country if he had to defend his record on issues both foreign and domestic.
GOP State Legislators Want to Bring Back Child Labor
A new raft of Republican state-level proposals to re-legalize child labor are disgusting for many reasons. They certainly make our society less equal. But they also make it less free.
Ron DeSantis Hates Democracy and Freedom
Florida governor Ron DeSantis is sometimes presented as a “normal” Republican who doesn’t share the antidemocratic impulses of Donald Trump. His crusade to erode the freedom of the press makes a mockery of that assessment.
Even When Times Are Tough, Keep Socialism as Your North Star
Achieving a fully socialist society is going to take a long time, and there’s no guarantee of victory. But we should never lose sight of the goal, because every step we take in that direction makes life better for working-class people and deepens democracy.
J. D. Vance Is Wrong. Donald Trump Was No Antiwar President.
J. D. Vance, the faux-populist senator from Ohio, says that Donald Trump “kept the peace” as president. He has a short memory.
Right-Wingers Like Steven Crowder Need Billionaire Funders Because Their Ideas Are So Bad
Right-wing demagogue Steven Crowder recently turned down a $50 million offer from Ben Shapiro’s billionaire-funded media organization, calling it a “slave contract.” If only these guys showed as much concern for the conditions of ordinary workers.
Ben Shapiro’s “Formula” for Political Legitimacy Is a Head-Scratching Mess
Conservative pundit Ben Shapiro thinks he’s distilled political legitimacy into a mathematical equation. He’s only succeeded in proving that he’s very confused.
Deport Bolsonaro
Jair Bolsonaro is currently in Florida after fleeing Brazil to escape justice for his many crimes. There’s no reason to offer him safe haven — the US should kick him out immediately.
Lula Was Just Inaugurated as Brazil’s President. His Return Is a Win for the Global Left.
Leftist leader Lula da Silva was inaugurated on Sunday as Brazil’s president. It’s a huge win for the global left — I only wish the late Michael Brooks, who tirelessly agitated for Lula’s release from prison, would have lived to see his return to power.
Right-Wing Blogger Curtis Yarvin Is Wrong. Democracy Is Good.
Reactionary pundit Curtis Yarvin (“Mencius Moldbug”) has attracted the support of Peter Thiel and other right-wing figures for his supposedly brilliant critique of democracy. But his arguments are paper-thin — everyone should have a say in shaping our society.
Effective Altruism Is No Substitute for a Better Society
The philosophy of effective altruism is catnip to well-meaning and intellectually inclined donors. But as a strategy for tackling what’s wrong with the world, it misses the mark.
Ben Shapiro Is Talking Nonsense About the Left Undermining Families
Ben Shapiro absurdly says that the Left supports gay marriage to undermine families and turn us into “atomized individuals.” The reality: leftists oppose social atomization, and we want all families to have the economic support they need.
I’m a Socialist. Joe Biden Is Not.
During a speech on Saturday, Joe Biden referred to right-wing protesters calling him a socialist as “idiots.” He’s right. Socialists are committed to ending inequality, and the president has always been on the other side of the barricades.