We Need More Independent, Working-Class Political Candidates
Bernie Sanders says more pro-worker candidates should run for office as independents rather than as Democrats. He’s right.
83 Article(s) by: Nick French
Nick French is an associate editor at Jacobin.
Jimmy Carter Worsened the American Malaise He Decried
In July 1979, Jimmy Carter described a spiritual “crisis of confidence” that could “destroy the social and the political fabric of America.” But the neoliberal policies of his administration helped make the US a more atomized, mean-spirited society.
No, Liberalism Hasn’t Buried Marxism
As liberal thought has evolved to address capitalism’s flaws, some argue it has caught up with Marxism, rendering it irrelevant. Vivek Chibber argues that liberalism may diagnose capitalism’s injustices, but Marxism gives us the tools to overcome them.
Bernie’s Flawed Vehicle
At his speech to the Democratic National Convention last night, Bernie Sanders played the usual hits — and also called for a cease-fire in Gaza. But his righteous populist anger felt out of place before a party still dominated by corporate interests.
Let’s Be Sober About the Limits of Bidenomics
Many on the Left have hailed Joe Biden’s economic policy as historically progressive. But overall, Bidenomics has meant lavishing subsidies on favored sectors of business while failing to really move the needle in the interests of working people.
UC Workers Are Poised to Strike for Palestine and for Free Speech
In the University of California system, the union representing 48,000 grad students and other academic workers is about to strike in protest of repression of campus protests. It’s a watershed for labor and for the Palestine solidarity movement.
Why Nietzsche Hated Socialism
Throughout his life, Friedrich Nietzsche maintained a profound contempt for socialism. According to him, its advocates — and all other defenders of egalitarianism — had a single aim: leveling differences and suppressing individual genius.
Why the UAW Should Stand in Solidarity With Palestine
UAW Region 9A is standing in solidarity with Palestine — including publicly supporting pro-Palestine campus protests. We spoke with Region 9A director Brandon Mancilla about the UAW’s antiwar position and why “unions have no business investing in genocide.”
The Obscene US Profiteering From Israeli War and Occupation
It’s not just the defense industry — plenty of US-based corporations do business with Israel and are complicit in its violation of Palestinian human rights in Gaza and beyond. Here are some of the worst offenders.
Bernie Sanders Is Calling for a 32-Hour Workweek
American workers spend way more time on the clock than their counterparts in other rich countries. A new bill from Bernie Sanders seeks to change that, by shrinking the workweek to 32 hours with no loss in pay.
The UAW Strike Could Portend a Broader Revival of Working-Class Power
The United Auto Workers’ strike last fall saw the union renew its militancy and win big victories on behalf of worker control. The historic walkout suggests the possibility of a broader revival of class struggle and the ideal of economic democracy.
Christmas Is a Reminder To Keep the Faith in the Face of Overwhelming Odds
The Christmas story reminds us that the hope of the world may come from the least likely places. Being a socialist means holding fast to this possibility.
A Pro-Palestine Socialist Is Hoping to Unseat an AIPAC-Backed Congresswoman in Houston
In retaliation for their criticism of Israel, the right-wing group AIPAC plans to spend big to unseat the Squad in 2024. But in Houston, a pro-Palestine and democratic socialist candidate for Congress is taking the fight to an AIPAC-endorsed incumbent.
Real Freedom in America Can Only Be Won Through Class Struggle
A long tradition in US thought has emphasized the importance of economic security for ensuring individual liberty. But to truly realize equal freedom for all, we need a socialist politics fighting for democratic control over the economy.
The Militancy of the UAW Strike Forced Joe Biden to Take a Side and Walk the Picket Line
Today Joe Biden became the first sitting US president to walk a picket line when he joined striking autoworkers. It says less about him than it does the electrifying effects of the strike — forcing politicians, and everyone else, to side with either workers or CEOs.
With the UAW Strike, Bernie Sanders’s Political Revolution Is Continuing on the Shop Floor
Bernie Sanders’s presidential campaigns galvanized a new generation to fight against inequality and corporate power. The spirit of that fight is now finding expression in the workplace — as seen with the massive strike the United Auto Workers just started today.
Bring Back the COVID Welfare State
By many metrics, the US economy is doing well — but most voters still disapprove of Biden’s handling of it. If they want to win elections, Democrats should run on reviving the temporary COVID welfare state they let expire.
The Left Can’t Abandon Political Independence
Socialists have demonstrated the tactical utility of running on the Democratic Party ballot line. But making our peace with the party would be a mistake — to accomplish our goals, independent political organization and identity is indispensable.
In Michigan, Progressives Are Finally Rolling Back Right-Wing Anti-Labor Laws
This year, Democrats used their control of the Michigan legislature to pass a suite of pro-worker reforms, including repealing right-to-work laws. We spoke with Michigan House member Joey Andrews about these wins and the current moment in labor.
John Rawls Was Wrong to Think We Could Have a Just Capitalism
The ideas of John Rawls, perhaps the greatest political philosopher of the 20th century, have much to teach the Left. But Rawls’s theory of justice failed to grapple adequately with the fundamental obstacles capitalism imposes to realizing a just society.