All articles from Jacobin
It’s Okay to Like Geese
Geese are the most talked-about new rock band in years. But thanks to a recent Wired article, they’re now facing a backlash — accused of being privileged, reactionary, and even a “psyop.” It’s everyth
Will More Warehouses Burn?
A California logistics worker allegedly burned down a 1.2-million-square-foot warehouse in anger over low pay. The billionaire class may have to learn the hard way: you can only pack so much pressure
Mexico Is Going All In for Universal Health Care
Mexico’s new national health system aims to provide universal care. At a moment when US taxpayer dollars are being harnessed to destroy health care infrastructure abroad, Mexico is attempting to make
Why the Rich Should Get Free Public Childcare Too
Critics see Zohran Mamdani’s inclusion of the wealthy in his new free public childcare initiative as a flaw. It’s actually an integral part of the policy’s design, rooted in the fact that universal pr
The Landless Workers’ Movement, 30 Years After a Massacre
Thirty years after the Eldorado do Carajás massacre, Brazil’s landless poor still find themselves under the heel of Latin America’s most powerful and impudent rural oligarchy. Members of the Landless
Hungary After Orbán
Viktor Orbán was full of contradictions: a critic of neoliberalism who gave handouts to corporations and a moralist who ended up mired in scandal. But even after his election defeat, it’s unclear how
Decarbonizing Housing Means Fighting Landlords
As long as housing remains a profit-driven investment for landlords, the pace and scope of decarbonization will be shaped by their financial calculations. That’s a problem. For residential buildings,
How Flint Sit-Down Strikers Built Their Confidence
We can’t revive labor without reviving workers’ confidence to take action on the job. In 1936 and into 1937, during a period of union weakness, Flint’s sit-down strikers in the auto industry figured o
Dwight Macdonald After the Death of Liberalism
The defining feature of American imperialism is its combination of an enormous capacity for death and destruction with an equally enormous sense of self-entitlement. Cold War journalist Dwight Macdona
Make Lower Manhattan Socialist Again
Democratic socialist Illapa Sairitupac is running to represent the New York State Assembly’s 65th District in Lower Manhattan, an area that was once a hotbed of left-wing politics. Jacobin spoke to hi
Japan Is Building a War Machine in the East China Sea
Japan’s conservative leader, Takaichi Sanae, won a supermajority of seats in this year’s general election. Takaichi and her allies are using this position of strength to advance a dangerous militarist
The Left Needs an Alternative Cosmopolitanism
While many critics view rising global chaos strictly in geopolitical terms, political philosopher Lea Ypi argues that it’s really ideological — the result of an increasingly coordinated global right.
India’s Working Poor Are Being Priced Out of Basic Meals
For many migrant workers in India, the inability to cook affordably disrupts the economics of city life. As fuel becomes increasingly expensive due to market volatility and supply shocks, families are
The CBC May Side With Trump on the Surveillance Bill
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are staying tight-lipped about whether they will supply the decisive votes needed to pass a Trump-backed bill reauthorizing a warrantless surveillance law exp
ICE Just Signed a $12 Million Deal to Track Migrants With AI
Immigration and Customs Enforcement has now inked a $12.2 million contract for an artificial intelligence tool that purportedly maps out immigrants’ daily routines, habits, and real-time locations and
The Imperial Presidency Is Bigger Than Donald Trump
The chaos and destruction Donald Trump has wrought has been facilitated by the decades-long expansion of the president’s executive power. Far from checking that power when they hold office, Democrats
What Mexico Can Teach New York About Public Groceries
Zohran Mamdani’s proposal for government-run grocery stores echoes a long-running system in Mexico — one that delivers affordability, but not without trade-offs. NYC’s grocery plan isn’t a “socialist
Women’s Work Is Devalued Under Capitalism
Women are overrepresented in low-paid work, care work, and unpaid labor. Their time, their bodies, and their emotional energy are resources for capital. Feminism cannot succeed without confronting the
“Who Cares?” Gave Us Trump
On a very bad liberal habit that just won’t quit. Kamala Harris’s political skill consists of being an elite liberal from the citadel of elite liberalism. (Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images) Recently, Je
Political Corruption Is Being Normalized
A little-known Supreme Court case that just vacated the corruption conviction of a local official raises a crucial question: Will the kind of influence peddling now ubiquitous in politics become unpro
Capitalism Is Coming for Your Literal Dreams
You Need This, a new documentary produced by Adam McKay, tracks the long march of consumer society from postwar suburbia to the sleeping mind. Still from You Need This. (Grasshopper Film / Hotel Motio
The Spirit of the Americas Against the Donroe Doctrine
New York City’s Avenue of the Americas reflects a New Deal gesture toward hemispheric cooperation. April 14, Día de las Américas, offers a chance to revive that spirit by affirming Pan-American solida
Anwar Shaikh Shows Us How Capitalism Works and How It Fails
Throughout his prolific career as a left-wing economist, Anwar Shaikh has kept asking the right questions about the dynamics of capitalism. Shaikh has given us a powerful framework for understanding t
Criminalizing “From the River to the Sea”
A new bill in France would criminalize slogans said to call for the destruction of Israel. In the name of combating antisemitism, establishment political forces want to muzzle criticism of Israel’s ap
Zohran Mamdani on Using Government to Fight for the Many
In a speech marking his first 100 days as New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani describes his administration’s accomplishments so far and champions “pothole politics,” a 21st-century version of Milwauke
Trump Accounts Offer Little to Families That Aren’t Rich
Instead of restoring or increasing funding to programs with a proven record of strengthening children’s long-term prospects, the Trump administration is creating investment accounts for kids that offe
Maple Leaf DOGE vs. the Canadian State
Instead of building a resilient economy to meet the challenges of the present economic “rupture,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberals are turbocharging austerity and gutting the capacity of
A Tribute to Iran’s Soulful and Revolutionary Cinema
With President Donald Trump recently threatening to destroy Iranian civilization itself, the country’s filmmakers carry on their long tradition of defiant, deeply human cinema forged under censorship,
Viktor Orbán’s Hungarian Model Has Collapsed
Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán combined talk of defending Hungary’s traditions with a promise of prosperity. When he stopped delivering workers good economic news, culture-war messaging wasn’t enough t
Serbia’s Israel Problem
When UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese visited Serbia in March, the government cast her as an interfering foreigner. Yet it was happy to back the Israeli embassy’s campaign to silence pro-Pales
Australian Rules Football Dreams of World Domination
The Australian Football League is a corporation that longs for global expansion. But in its greed and desperation, the league is undermining what makes the game great. Nat Fyfe thanks fans as he leave
For Roman Workers, Life Was Nasty, Brutish, and Short
Our images of the Roman Empire are dominated by the monuments and lifestyles of wealthy urban elites. An important new history shifts our attention to the 90% of Rome’s population whose brutally explo
Africa’s Health Care Only Works for the Wealthy
Years of IMF and World Bank reforms have created two-tiered health care systems across Africa. In Kenya, the private sector is out of reach for most, but public health care has been wrecked by budget
An Undemocratic Union Was Key to César Chávez’s Sexual Abuse
The horrifying revelations of César Chávez’s widespread sexual abuse of young women and girls were in part rooted in the culture of unquestioning loyalty and top-down dictation that Chávez established
Israel and the US Have Been Waging War on Iran’s Development
From universities to medical research centers, Israel and the US have been systematically attacking Iran’s technical infrastructure. While claiming their only issue is with Iran’s rulers, they have ta
Ben Lerner Hears Ghosts in the Wires
Critics read Ben Lerner’s new novel, Transcription, as a commentary on smartphones. But with gothic style and a Victorian temperament, it meditates on a much older technology — the spectral quality of
Capitalist Profits Depend on Stealing Our Future
Capitalists have succeeded in arranging the future as a calculable source of extraordinary wealth, enriching a few in the present by imposing debts on the vast majority — and undermining the environme
Zohran Mamdani’s Toughest Task in 100 Days: Taxing the Rich
Zohran Mamdani’s early wins are a testament to what a talented left-wing municipal executive can accomplish even in the face of major obstacles. But much of his ambitious agenda will remain blocked if
Resource Competition With China Lay Behind Trump’s Iran War
The US war on Iran may have seemed like an irrational move by a president who is as reckless and impulsive as he is destructive. But there was a geopolitical logic behind the attack, based on Washingt
Serbia’s Government Is Targeting the Public University
The recent death of a student at the University of Belgrade triggered a police raid and fresh government attacks on education. Professors appear as the vanguard of a broad social movement, but their p
It’s Tech Versus Teachers as Strike Looms Over LA Schools
Los Angeles public school teachers have declared a strike deadline of April 14. The conflict forces the question of whether schools are an EdTech business opportunity or a public responsibility. UTLA
Iran Is Stuck in Permanent Crisis
War, and now a fragile ceasefire, is not bringing collapse in Iran but reinforcing and reorganizing its existing structures of power and inequality. In Western political circles, a recurring view has
Zohran Mamdani’s 100 Days of 21st-Century Sewer Socialism
In his first one hundred days as mayor, Zohran Mamdani has realized that New Yorkers — and all Americans — need to see the government working for them. Zohran Mamdani greeting workers at the site of t
Dark Money Is Flowing Into Trump’s Legacy Projects
Funneling millions to the Trump administration through undisclosed donations, a slew of corporations and lobbyists are potentially violating disclosure laws to help bankroll the president’s ballroom a
SCOTUS Is Siding With Capitalists Over Trump
The Supreme Court’s willingness to protect the Fed — in contrast to every other independent regulatory commission — reflects the strength of its loyalty to neoliberal capitalism over the Trump adminis
Hungary’s Narrow Path Out of Orbánism
Elections on Sunday could finally remove Viktor Orbán from power. Opposition forces have rallied behind rival candidate Péter Magyar, less out of belief in his program than from desperation at the cou
Australia Has a Serious Landlord Problem
Landlords dominate Australia’s parliament and Reserve Bank. Their policies make the housing crisis worse. In Australia, a cost-of-living surge comes in the context of a worsening housing crisis. (Lisa
The “Moderate” Think Tank Pushing Dems to Loosen AI Rules
Ascendant DC think tank Searchlight Institute, pushing Democrats to the center, has ties to megadonor Simone Coxe, whose Nvidia-linked money could boost AI-backed efforts to defend data center build-o
The Fight Against Trumpism Can Reinvigorate Labor
The danger posed by Donald Trump’s authoritarianism means that unions can’t afford to remain in a defensive crouch. And history suggests that fighting to defend and revive democracy at moments of maxi
Bernie and AOC Pump the Brakes on Artificial Intelligence
A bill from Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez proposes a moratorium on new AI data centers until oversight mechanisms and legal safeguards are in place. Only federal legislation stands a cha
Medicare for All Is an Electoral Winner
Working-class voters already back Medicare for All. Framed like Social Security — as a benefit earned from work, not a handout — it can reach two-thirds support. The candidates who win on health care
Phil Ochs Wrote the Soundtrack to the New Left
The 1960s saw a stampede of lefty folk musicians, but none as politically engaged as Phil Ochs. A true activist-musician who thought of himself as a “singing journalist,” Ochs was as comfortable playi
On Iran, Trump and the American Empire Blinked
Donald Trump has shown the world that even the vast power of the globe’s foremost imperial hegemon has limits. His initial genocidal bluster against Iran was downstream of this reality, as was his sub
Alexander Kluge Fought and Won Against the Culture Industry
The death of the filmmaker and Marxist theorist Alexander Kluge marks the loss of a voice that insisted the horrors of the last century were not confined to the past. They live on in the continued exi
The Iran Ceasefire Is a Stunning Defeat for Militarism
The Iran war was such a fiasco that Donald Trump had no choice but to find a way out. Whether it sticks will partly depend on Democrats resisting the urge to irresponsibly goad him back into it. Irani
Amazon Will Be This Century’s Biggest Labor Battle
With its vast logistics empire deploying robotics, surveillance, and AI to block worker power at every turn, Amazon now sits atop the throne of American capitalism. Organizing it will define the futur
The Iraq War Presaged Donald Trump’s War on Iran
A small group of hawks convinced George W. Bush to launch a war in the Middle East, despite his campaign-trail rhetoric and against the advice of top US military and intelligence officials. The parall
Through Meta Glasses, Darkly
How do we solve a problem like the commodification of mass wearable surveillance? Social norms and market pressure are a start, but above all, we need a political response like regulation. Smart glass
Sven Beckert’s History of Capitalism Is Too Light on Theory
Sven Beckert’s Capitalism: A Global History ranges impressively over time and space, from medieval Yemen to modern-day Cambodia. But we need a clearer political economy of capitalism to make sense of
Congressional Democrats Are Out of Step With Their Base
Right-leaning caucuses now hold a majority among Democrats in the House of Representatives. The dominance of centrist economic policy in the congressional party puts it increasingly out of step with D
Workers at Cocktail Bar Attaboy Are Unionizing
Staff at famed New York cocktail bar Attaboy are forming an independent union in a notoriously hard-to-organize industry. In Lower Manhattan, bartenders and other staff at New York City’s cocktail bar
Trump's Goal Is to Suppress Votes, Not Prevent Election Fraud
Donald Trump says the SAVE Act is about stopping noncitizens from voting. But the real target is the millions of working-class citizens who don't have an updated passport or paper birth certificate si
Movements Need the Critical Thinking That AI Destroys
Struggles against oppression start with people critically reflecting on their experiences. What happens to such struggles when we outsource our thinking to AI and replace human interlocutors with syco
Is There a Way Out From Trump’s Iran Ultimatum?
Panicked, Donald Trump has threatened to destroy Iran’s energy infrastructure by 8 p.m. today unless concessions are made. But Iran’s position is stronger than the president is willing to admit. Irani
Ben Lerner’s <cite>Transcription</cite> Is a Brilliant Meditation on Tech
Transcription, Ben Lerner’s slim but layered new novel, is a penetrating meditation on fraudulence, fatherhood, and the fate of authentic experience in our digital age. Ben Lerner's Transcription begi
Trump’s $1.5 Trillion for War Comes From Americans’ Pockets
Donald Trump is proposing to increase the defense budget by nearly half to wage war on Iran. How does he want to pay for it? Cut nearly everything that might help average Americans, from food, housing
Americans (Still) Support a Federal Jobs Guarantee
In poll after poll, Americans across the political spectrum support a federal jobs guarantee. And yet it’s never mentioned in mainstream political discourse. New survey data makes the case even harder
A Socialist Teacher Is Running for Kentucky State House
Public school teacher and socialist Robert LeVertis Bell is running to represent Louisville’s 43rd District in the Kentucky state house. Jacobin spoke to him about his campaign and the prospect of bei
When Rank-and-File Unionists Took On the Mob
In the 1970s and ’80s, rank-and-file workers often took great risks to attack a culture of corruption in the labor movement — including Mafia-controlled union locals. As head the Gambino crime family,
Europe's Steel Industry Should Be Publicly Owned and Controlled
Europe’s steel firms are increasingly unprofitable, and rising energy prices are making things even worse. Public ownership is vital to ensure conversion to green production while maintaining jobs. Th
New York Is Closing In on Amazon’s Shady Delivery System
Amazon has long exploited subcontracting to avoid taking responsibility for its delivery drivers. A bill introduced by socialist New York City Councilor Tiffany Cabán would force the e-commerce giant
Israel Can’t Even Tolerate a West Bank Football Pitch
In the West Bank village of Umm al-Kheir, a football pitch is named after Awdah Hathaleen, a local man murdered last summer by an Israeli settler. Now Israel has issued an order to destroy the pitch,
Toronto’s Transit Crisis Is a Class Crisis
The rich are ride-hailing their way out of public transit, draining fare revenue from the system. It’s another instance of the accelerating economic segregation of the public sphere. Toronto household
OpenAI Is Bleeding Cash. Its Solution? Military Contracts.
In an age of algorithmically generated “kill lists,” anxieties about AI integration into military decision-making are justifiably mounting. OpenAI’s recent hiring of over a dozen former defense bureau