All articles from Jacobin
Passports for Sale
A growing number of states are willing to sell citizenship and the privileges it brings — if you can afford to pay. The lucrative trade in “golden passports” exposes the dark side of capitalist global
Peter Thiel’s Apocalyptic Worldview Is a Dangerous Fantasy
Peter Thiel recently generated headlines with his rambling diatribes about the Antichrist. Thiel’s lurid, apocalyptic view of world politics may be ludicrous or even deranged, but his wealth and power
Nativism vs. the Bottom Line
While the Trump administration’s draconian immigration policies may hurt businesses reliant on undocumented labor, the fractured capitalist class won’t stand up to the president. Illustration by Benny
Bring Back the Yugoslav Basketball Team
The breakup of Yugoslavia ended one of basketball’s greatest dynasties. A cross-border team could revive that legacy — and model internationalism in a divided world. (Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images)
Pandemic Programs Worked, So Business Elites Killed Them Off
To prevent economic collapse amid the Covid-19 pandemic, the government unleashed the power it always had. New programs caused hunger, evictions, and child poverty to plummet. Why not just continue th
The Trump Administration Is Deregulating Forever Chemicals
The Trump administration is taking steps to further deregulate dangerous “forever chemicals,” or PFAS, increasingly ubiquitous chemicals that don’t easily break down and are linked to a wide range of
Polluters Will Say Anything to Hide Their Emissions Records
Giant corporations like ExxonMobil are calling on the Supreme Court to block a California law that would require them to release their emissions and climate records. The argument? It would violate bus
The Rise of France Insoumise
France, like many other European countries, has seen a historic decline of the old workers’ parties. Yet the rise of France Insoumise has ensured the renewal of a dynamic left rooted in popular mobili
The Alternative Economic Model of Europe’s Nationalist Right
Right-wing nationalist governments in Hungary and Poland only made a selective break with neoliberal economics after the 2008 crash. Their goal was to strengthen domestic capital against foreign compe
MAGA’s Court Philosophers
Once mocked as unsophisticated, Donald Trump in his second term has put forward an ambitious vision to reshape America. Surrounding the president is a loose network of intellectuals who provide his po
The GOP’s Groyper Fringe Became Its Future
The rise of Nick Fuentes and the GOP’s radicalization reflects decades of intellectual groundwork and the material decline that pushed a generation toward conspiracy-laden populism. Nick Fuentes is si
What We Talk About When We Talk About Food
By some measures, the food influencer and wellness economy is worth over $7 trillion. In All Consuming, Ruby Tandoh traces the rise of this industry and asks how food became both a status symbol and a
How to Fix Public School Financing
Far too many US public schools suffer from a lack of adequate funding. Solving the problem will require ending public education’s dependence on local property taxes, a funding mechanism that heavily r
Europe’s Leaders Have No Strategy for Peace
Caught off guard by new proposals to halt the war in Ukraine, European leaders have rejected the idea of Kyiv giving up territory. What’s less clear is how they imagine making their red lines into a r
Medicare for All Disappeared. Its Popularity Didn't.
The demand for Medicare for All went from the center of the discourse to political exile in record time. But the policy's popularity never faded. A new poll finds strong majority support for the negle
COP30 Kicked the Climate Can Down the Road Once Again
The US didn’t send a delegation to the COP30 conference in Brazil, reflecting the Trump administration’s nihilistic attitude to the climate crisis. In its absence, the other big industrial powers once
Capitalism Subverts Democracy
In recent decades, the American economy has been characterized by rising inequality, shrinking free time, and the growing concentration of economic and political power, increasingly undermining the de
How Public Groceries Can Make Food Affordable Again
Errol Schweizer, a former national vice president of grocery at Whole Foods, argues in Jacobin that the private sector is responsible for ever-rising grocery prices and can’t be relied on to fix the p
French Car Workers Don’t Want to Make Military Drones
Leading French automaker Renault is reportedly converting some production sites to make military drones. It’s stirred discontent among car workers in France, who say they didn’t sign up for Europe’s r
Govan Mbeki Was a Brilliant Pioneer of African Marxism
Govan Mbeki spent more than two decades in prison for his role in the struggle against apartheid. As a leader of South Africa’s Communist movement, he was also an important theorist who creatively app
Trump and Mamdani Agree on the State, Not on Whom It Serves
The cordial meeting between Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani wasn’t as strange as it looked; both reject the myth of a self-regulating market. The difference is that Trump uses the state to shore up we
The Truth About the “Gen Z” March in Mexico
Mexico City’s “Gen Z” anti-government protest against President Claudia Sheinbaum bears all the hallmarks of an astroturf campaign. Contradictions surrounding the “Gen Z” march in Mexico demonstrates
Intimate Advertising, the Next Frontier in AI Manipulation
OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT will soon allow erotic features for adult users. The move points toward new and intimate forms of advertising in which Big Tech shapes human desire and manipulates it
Salt the Earth
Young people looking to fight climate change should consider jobs in strategic industries to organize new unions or revitalize old ones and advocate for green, pro-labor policies. The fight for a liva
End-Times for Christian Zionism
Evangelical Christian Zionism used to be one of the most coherent voting blocs in the US. But cracks are starting to appear in this coalition as its members grow disillusioned with Israel and enamored
In Denmark, Social Democracy Is Failing
Around Europe, old labor parties have alienated their base by forming grand coalitions with center-right forces. In Denmark, Mette Frederiksen’s Social Democrats have pursued this same strategy with t
You Can’t Just Wish Away Jeffrey Epstein’s Israel Ties
After Benjamin Netanyahu bizarrely tweeted a Jacobin story about Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak last week, Israeli politicos are denouncing us as antisemitic conspi
Anthem Is Cutting Access to Out-of-Network Doctors
Health insurance giant Anthem is introducing a new policy that will penalize hospitals for using physicians outside of its coverage network, forcing medical facilities to police physicians’ network st
How Big Tech Became Part of the State
Amazon, Meta, and OpenAI wield tremendous influence over our politics, but does this mean we are entering an era of technofeudalism? In a wide-ranging discussion, Evgeny Morozov and Cedric Durand ask
Zohran Mamdani Won on Substance, Not Just Style
Critics allege that Zohran Mamdani only won New York City’s mayoral election because of slick social media content and easily wooed voters. On the contrary, an analysis finds that his messaging contai
Big Pharma Lobbying Makes Medicine Far More Expensive
At the behest of the pharmaceutical lobby — and after millions in political donations — Republican lawmakers have defanged rules that would lower the prices of life-saving medicines, amounting to a mo
The Goal of Socialism Is Everything
Zohran Mamdani’s mayoralty will be a fight for what’s winnable right now. Our job is to let that fight expand, not narrow, our horizon — and to keep alive the goal of socialism in our time. Mayor-elec
Rashida Tlaib’s Plan to Combat Poverty
Last week, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib proposed three pieces of legislation under the umbrella of her “Economic Dignity for All Agenda.” These bills would create a comprehensive system of economic sec
The Return of Nuclear Proliferation
A recent article in the establishment security journal Foreign Affairs makes the case for nuclear proliferation among America’s allies. Not only are its arguments unsound, but they also understate the
In Belgium, Labor and the Government Face a Showdown
Organized labor has been more effective at defending the welfare state in Belgium than in most European countries. After recent actions resisting austerity plans, a three-day strike this week seeks to
Zohran Mamdani Knew How to Handle Donald Trump
Donald Trump loves to pick “winners” and “losers.” And right now, in the eyes of the American people, Trump can sense that he is a loser and Zohran Mamdani is a winner. The shrewd political instincts
Serbia’s Protests Have Destabilized Aleksandar Vučić’s Rule
A student-led protest movement has kept Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić under pressure for a full year. By refusing to bow in the face of intimidation, the protesters have exposed the corrupt autho
The Right Can’t Figure Out What to Do With Zohran Mamdani
Between President Trump heaping praise on Zohran Mamdani and the GOP-led Congress denouncing socialism, yesterday revealed a capitalist opposition throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. O
Jeffrey Epstein Wanted More War
New revelations show that Jeffrey Epstein’s interests extended far beyond money and sex with underage girls. Epstein used his influence to push aggressive solutions to geopolitical problems, particula
US Worker Pay Depends on Supporting Mexican Labor Organizing
Reforms instituted by the US–Mexico–Canada Agreement have been critical to enforcing labor rights and supporting independent unions in Mexico. Protecting and expanding these measures can help to impro
Lawmakers Are Rolling Back Food Safety Rules
In the deal to end the government shutdown, lawmakers added clauses that would temporarily bar states from regulating which foods manufacturers can label “healthy” and suspend new listeria regulations
Ukraine Faces an Unbearable Choice
Exhausted by over three years of Russian attacks, Ukrainians are increasingly ready to accept unfair political compromises and harsh territorial concessions to end the war. Yet it’s far from clear tha
<cite>The Running Man</cite> Trips Across the Starting Line
Edgar Wright’s dystopian satire, The Running Man, tries to play it safe and ends up pleasing no one. Still from The Running Man. (Paramount Pictures) Everything is wrong with Edgar Wright’s The Runnin
The Trouble With Fascism Analogies
In the interwar decades, many observers of rising fascism failed to understand what was new about this threat. Clinging to the word fascism to define today’s growing reactionary forces risks falling i
The Dutch Confronted China. It Didn’t Go Well.
Seizing control of Chinese semiconductor maker Nexperia was a bold move for the Dutch government. It did so under US pressure, only to instantly backtrack as soon as the Trump administration changed i
Private Equity’s New Venture: Youth Sports
Backed by Wall Street, the company Black Bear Sports Group is tightening its grip on youth sports. In a scheme only private equity could dream up, parents now can’t record their kids’ games — but they
The Only Thing Holding Architects Back Is Themselves
When architects and designers understand themselves as workers in need of unions, they can take advantage of political breakthroughs like Zohran Mamdani’s recent mayoral win to use their skills to adv
Can Canada’s NDP Step Back From the Brink of Electoral Ruin?
The leadership race in Canada’s New Democratic Party has exposed fractures between workers and professionals and between leader-driven branding and party democracy. Its survival as a serious left-wing
Donald Trump’s Golden Dome Is a Ridiculous Boondoggle
Donald Trump remains all in on the Golden Dome project, the latest effort to create a missile defense shield, despite evidence that it will do next to nothing to defend us from nuclear attack. But it
Franco’s Hometown Struggles With an Inglorious Past
Fifty years after Francisco Franco’s death, Spain is still reckoning with the legacy of dictatorship. Few places are more iconic of its struggle over identity than Franco’s hometown of Ferrol. Removin
Introducing the 2026 Socialist Calendar
For 2026, we just released a beautiful, limited-run calendar that marks the great turning points of the labor and socialist tradition. Support our work and get one today. We believe that part of the
Marxism Is Not Socialism on Steroids
In raising the alarm about New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, Senator Ted Cruz said Mamdani is not just a mere socialist. No, he’s something far more extreme: a Marxist. Cruz is very confused a
First Raze Gaza, Then Build a Playground for Global Capital
Profit-hungry developers, Gulf monarchs, Donald Trump, Tony Blair, and the Israeli far right are all united in their vision for Gaza: a tech-fueled special economic zone governed by billionaires, with
Next After Electing Zohran Mamdani: Taxing the Rich
For New York City socialists, electing Zohran Mamdani as mayor was the first step. The second, enacting his agenda, requires a successful state-level campaign pressuring Gov. Kathy Hochul to raise tax
Jeffrey Epstein Claimed to Have Meddled in Israel’s Elections
Newly released files show Jeffrey Epstein claiming to have been involved in Ehud Barak’s 2019 election challenge to Benjamin Netanyahu. It’s well past time to ask questions about the billionaire pedop
Starbucks Workers Strike Against Foot-Dragging in Bargaining
After years of scorched-earth union-busting and stonewalling tactics by their bosses, Starbucks workers are trying to get their union drive and contract negotiations unstuck through a nationwide strik
Zygmunt Bauman’s Century
Polish-British sociologist Zygmunt Bauman was born 100 years ago today. He is best known as the theorist of “liquid modernity,” in which social bonds decline in favor of an atomized individualism. Zyg
The Bill That Will Make Bank Failures More Likely
A GOP-led House bill would lower regulatory barriers, including minimum capital requirements, for new and some existing community banks. A loophole in the legislation could help banking giants circumv
South Korea Is Stepping Up the East Asian Arms Race
Donald Trump has approved a deal with South Korea to equip its navy with nuclear-powered submarines. Combined with Trump’s aggressive posture toward China, the move will further exacerbate tensions in
Food Assistance for All
Economic insecurity is rampant in the United States. A program of universal grocery subsidies could help working-class families deal with the cost of living — and be wildly popular. Whereas free cash
Abundance and the Left
Ezra Klein talks with Bhaskar Sunkara about Abundance, Zohran Mamdani’s victory, and why progressives need a state that works at the speed of their ambitions. Ezra Klein: “Creating a left that people
Massachusetts’s Millionaire Tax Didn’t Lead the Rich to Flee
Zohran Mamdani’s proposal for an additional 2% tax on incomes over $1 million has provoked gloomy prophecies of elite exodus. Yet a similar policy Massachusetts passed three years ago has not caused t
Israel’s Slaughter of Journalists Can’t Go Unpunished
In the midst of its criminal assault on Gaza, Israel killed hundreds of Palestinian journalists bearing witness to its brutality. It also remade its own press outlets into vehicles abetting genocide.
Chi Ossé: Why I Became a Socialist
After years of fighting austerity, real estate, and machine politics from inside city hall, I joined the Democratic Socialists of America because only a mass movement can make those fights winnable. N
Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein, and Israel
We know that Donald Trump was extremely close with an incredibly prolific child sex abuser, Jeffrey Epstein. But recent revelations raise another question: Was Trump’s association with Epstein used by
Teamsters for a Democratic Union at 50
At its recent 50th annual convention, members of Teamsters for a Democratic Union assessed what their organization has achieved in recent years and debated their approach to Donald Trump. Longtime Tea
<cite>Predator: Badlands</cite> Keeps the Hunt Alive
Predator: Badlands delivers a fresh spin on the nearly 40-year-old franchise by delving deeper into the alien society at the heart of the franchise. Judging by the impressive box office performance, i
The Left Is Stepping Out of the Neoliberal Dark Age
Vivek Chibber describes how four decades of neoliberalism have distorted the radical left, but also how the Left is finally starting to rebuild a truly socialist politics — and what it will take to ad
Mario Tronti and the Crisis of Italian Workerism
Italian workerism had a big influence on the postwar left. As one of its key thinkers, Mario Tronti had to make sense of a world where those struggles went into sharp decline. Italy’s operaismo tenden
In Utilities, a Culture of Graft Costs Consumers Billions
The cozy relationship between utilities regulators and the firms they are meant to regulate greatly benefits a few bureaucrats turned executives. It’s been a disaster for consumers, who see nothing fr
Minneapolis Educators Are Showing a Way Forward for Labor
The Minneapolis educators’ union won a historic contract just over a week ago. The victory was the product of years of rank-and-file reform efforts as well as workplace and community organizing that b
Amazon’s Layoffs Are Business as Usual, Not Omens of AI Doom
The recent round of Amazon corporate layoffs isn’t a sign of an imminent AI apocalypse. It's an expression of the company's brutal corporate culture, enabled by its use of the H-1B visa program. The A
Tupac Shakur Was Forged in a Revolutionary Political Culture
Tupac Shakur was a deeply political artist, shaped by the radical left-wing traditions of black America. A new biography finally does justice to this side of his life and work. Since his death in 1996
Liberalism Is Surrendering to the Hard-Right Challenge
As Donald Trump tramples over the norms of the postwar liberal order, centrist political leaders are only too keen to accommodate him. Global liberalism is collapsing, while the battle over what repla
Guillermo del Toro’s <cite>Frankenstein</cite> Is Dead Flesh Reanimated
Guillermo del Toro’s long-awaited Frankenstein adaptation for Netflix is a big, bloated mess. Much like Frankenstein’s Creature, it’s dead matter, crudely stitched and bolted together. Oscar Isaac in
Canada Is Too Economically Dependent on the US
Key Canadian industries like auto are currently on the brink of extinction under assault from Donald Trump. Escaping this impasse requires confronting Canada’s subordinate relationship to its juggerna