Jacobin

It’s Not That Complicated. Cancelling Student Debt Is Good. The argument that we shouldn’t cancel student debt because it’s unfair to those who have paid off their loans doesn’t hold up. Don’t overthink it: we should cancel all student debt and make public universities, community colleges, and vocation schools tuition-free.

The argument that we shouldn’t cancel student debt because it’s unfair to those who have paid off their loans doesn’t hold up.

Don’t overthink it: we should cancel all student debt and make public universities, community colleges, and vocation schools tuition-free.

Why Jordan Peterson Is Always Wrong Jordan Peterson is one of the most famous public intellectuals in the world. But his pronouncements in favor of capitalism and hierarchy collapse at the slightest bit of scrutiny.

Jordan Peterson is one of the most famous public intellectuals in the world. But his pronouncements in favor of capitalism and hierarchy collapse at the slightest bit of scrutiny.

Libertarians Can’t Save the Planet Libertarians once claimed they had the answer to the environmental crisis. But the reality of climate change has simply exposed the futility of their creed.

Libertarians once claimed they had the answer to the environmental crisis. But the reality of climate change has simply exposed the futility of their creed.

Abundance for the 99 Percent Abundance is the precondition of socialism, but socialism is also the precondition of abundance.

Abundance is the precondition of socialism, but socialism is also the precondition of abundance.

We Need a Strategy to Win Zohran’s Agenda. Call It Plan Z. Electing Zohran Mamdani is just the beginning. To actually win his agenda against billionaire opposition, we need to build popular power — permanent grassroots organizations that can mobilize tens of thousands to have his back when the fight gets real.

Electing Zohran Mamdani is just the beginning.

To actually win his agenda against billionaire opposition, we need to build popular power — permanent grassroots organizations that can mobilize tens of thousands to have his back when the fight gets real.

Get Capitalists’ Grubby Hands Off Our Hobbies Christian moralists long promoted hobbies as a way to occupy idle hands, bringing the work ethic into our free time. Today hobbies risk turning into side hustles — yet they also point to what work might look like if it wasn’t about making money.

Christian moralists long promoted hobbies as a way to occupy idle hands, bringing the work ethic into our free time.

Today hobbies risk turning into side hustles — yet they also point to what work might look like if it wasn’t about making money.

Immigrant Workers in Italy Strike for a 40-Hour Week Italy’s small textile firms have long been considered nearly impossible to organize. But a recent wave of successful simultaneous strikes is expanding possibilities for Italy’s hyperexploited immigrant workforce.

Italy’s small textile firms have long been considered nearly impossible to organize. But a recent wave of successful simultaneous strikes is expanding possibilities for Italy’s hyperexploited immigrant workforce.

Should We Invade Israel in the Name of Humanitarianism? For decades, liberal humanitarianism argued that the international community should take military action against states engaged in extreme human rights abuses. Well, there’s no way to argue that Israel isn’t exactly such a state.

For decades, liberal humanitarianism argued that the international community should take military action against states engaged in extreme human rights abuses.

Well, there’s no way to argue that Israel isn’t exactly such a state.

James Baldwin was born on this day in 1924. Baldwin was many things: a brilliant writer, a trenchant social critic, a dogged activist.

He was also an unapologetic radical.

Britain’s New Left-Wing Party May Be Devastating for Labour The new party announced by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana shows that Gaza has become a key fault line in British politics. Keir Starmer’s Labour Party can no longer rely on silencing the Left.

The new party announced by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana shows that Gaza has become a key fault line in British politics.

Keir Starmer’s Labour Party can no longer rely on silencing the Left.

For Bertolt Brecht, War Isn’t Humanity’s Eternal Fate With Europe in ruins in 1945, Bertolt Brecht wrote that war “has been discredited for some time to come.” That period seems to be meeting its end, as European states push a new era of rearmament.

With Europe in ruins in 1945, Bertolt Brecht wrote that war “has been discredited for some time to come.” That period seems to be meeting its end, as European states push a new era of rearmament.

The American Child Death Toll Is Mortifying Children in the US are 80 percent more likely to die than children in peer nations. Causes range from lax gun laws to privatized health care. What connects them all is a corrosive culture of individualism that makes child safety parents’ business alone.

Children in the US are 80 percent more likely to die than children in peer nations. Causes range from lax gun laws to privatized health care.

What connects them all is a corrosive culture of individualism that makes child safety parents’ business alone.

Socialists Love Public Parks Because They Belong to Everyone Socialists have a noble history fighting for more and better public parks — not just because everyone loves the park, but because public goods like parks are a challenge to the logic of capitalism.

Socialists have a noble history fighting for more and better public parks — not just because everyone loves the park, but because public goods like parks are a challenge to the logic of capitalism.

Berlin’s Striking TikTok Workers Stand Up to a Tech Giant In Berlin, TikTok wants to replace 160 employees with AI. If the company is successful, many others will follow suit — but workers are fighting back with a strike.

In Berlin, TikTok wants to replace 160 employees with AI. If the company is successful, many others will follow suit — but workers are fighting back with a strike.

Trust in the Demos Isn’t Naive — It’s Empirical Democratic deliberation asks us to meet as moral equals, exchange reasons for our beliefs, consider evidence, and remain open to changing our minds. Evidence from real-world examples shows that it can reduce polarization and deepen public judgment.

Democratic deliberation asks us to meet as moral equals, exchange reasons for our beliefs, consider evidence, and remain open to changing our minds. Evidence from real-world examples shows that it can reduce polarization and deepen public judgment.

Country Music Doesn’t Deserve Its Conservative Reputation Musician Nick Shoulders talks to Jacobin about a genre that has long broadcast the struggles and aspirations of working people.

Despite its reputation, country is a genre that has long broadcast the struggles and aspirations of working people.

Fantastic Four: First Steps Is Light, Bright, and Kinda Boring Will we ever get past the dominance of superhero movies in mainstream American cinema? Will they ever become any good?

Will we ever get past the dominance of superhero movies in mainstream American cinema? Will they ever become any good?

The Marxism of Mike Davis Historian Nelson Lichtenstein on the life, influences, and “sophisticated yet lucid brand of Marxism” of the late, great writer Mike Davis.

Historian Nelson Lichtenstein on the life, influences, and “sophisticated yet lucid brand of Marxism” of the late, great writer Mike Davis.

Trump’s SEC Chair Has Scored a Massive Tax Break Donald Trump’s SEC chair, Paul Atkins, just sold his financial services firm for more than $25 million and is set to receive a huge tax break on the proceeds. He has refused to disclose who is behind the payout or if they have business with the SEC.

Donald Trump’s SEC chair, Paul Atkins, just sold his financial services firm for more than $25 million and is set to receive a huge tax break on the proceeds. He has refused to disclose who is behind the payout or if they have business with the SEC.

Metal Was Born in Britain’s Urban Working Class Ozzy Osbourne’s working-class roots were central to the invention of heavy metal. But the world that birthed Black Sabbath is gone — and the conditions created by Britain’s postwar welfare state are long out of reach for today’s musicians.

Ozzy Osbourne’s working-class roots were central to the invention of heavy metal. But the world that birthed Black Sabbath is gone — and the conditions created by Britain’s postwar welfare state are long out of reach for today’s musicians.

Give Everybody the Month of August Off In the United States, paid time off is hard to come by. But many Europeans leave work for the whole month of August to revel in the joys of summer. Everyone deserves August off.

In the United States, paid time off is hard to come by. But many Europeans leave work for the whole month of August to revel in the joys of summer. Everyone deserves August off.

How Analytic Philosophers Have Made Sense of Capitalism Analytic philosophy, a branch of the discipline that emphasizes rigorous argumentation, is often dismissed as a set of abstract puzzle games. But analytic philosophers have reinterpreted Marxism to provide a radical critique of capitalist society.

Analytic philosophy, a branch of the discipline that emphasizes rigorous argumentation, is often dismissed as a set of abstract puzzle games.

But analytic philosophers have reinterpreted Marxism to provide a radical critique of capitalist society.

A Society Governed by Whiny Rich People Throwing Tantrums Every time we want to change society to benefit average people, we have to deal with ultrawealthy crybabies. We’re held hostage by those who already have it all. It doesn’t have to be like this.

Every time we want to change society to benefit average people, we have to deal with ultrawealthy crybabies. We’re held hostage by those who already have it all. It doesn’t have to be like this.

There Is No Time Left for Empty Words on Gaza After 21 months of slaughter, pro-Israel political leaders are finally speaking out about the horrors in Gaza. Great. But if it takes them as long to actually act, there will be no Gaza left.

After 21 months of slaughter, pro-Israel political leaders are finally speaking out about the horrors in Gaza. Great. But if it takes them as long to actually act, there will be no Gaza left.

DC Voted to Raise Wages. The Restaurant Lobby Said No. The tipped worker subminimum wage keeps service employees’ livelihoods subject to the whims of bosses and customers. Momentum to end that subminimum wage is growing in cities like Washington, DC, but industry groups are mobilizing to maintain the status quo.

The tipped worker subminimum wage keeps service employees’ livelihoods subject to the whims of bosses and customers.

Momentum to end that subminimum wage is growing in cities like Washington, DC, but industry groups are mobilizing to maintain the status quo.

Eddington Is a Tragic Masterpiece of the 2020s Ari Aster’s new film, Eddington, pulls no punches against the Right or the Left. Yet its message is anything but moderate.

Ari Aster’s new film, Eddington, pulls no punches against the Right or the Left. Yet its message is anything but moderate.

Corporate Money Has Ruined Youth Sports Sports are one of the few spaces in American society genuinely guided by ideas of fairness and meritocracy. But AAU basketball, with its pay-to-play leagues and corporate sponsorships, is ruining this experience for millions of young people.

Sports are one of the few spaces in American society genuinely guided by ideas of fairness and meritocracy.

But AAU basketball, with its pay-to-play leagues and corporate sponsorships, is ruining this experience for millions of young people.

The House Always Wins The gaming industry is turning every smartphone into a casino — and it’s destroying more lives than ever.

The gaming industry is turning every smartphone into a casino — and it’s destroying more lives than ever.

Dangerous Heat Waves Are a Workers’ Rights Issue In the UK, Labour is advancing the Employment Rights Bill, a rare positive intervention from this government. One of its greatest flaws is that it lacks provisions to ensure worker safety in very hot weather.

In the UK, Labour is advancing the Employment Rights Bill, a rare positive intervention from this government. One of its greatest flaws is that it lacks provisions to ensure worker safety in very hot weather.

The Forgotten Communal Spirit of the Borscht Belt Bungalows New York’s Catskill Mountains were once home to many famous Jewish vacation resorts. But lesser known were their bargain counterparts: the communal bungalow colonies that made summer leisure accessible to the urban Jewish working class.

New York’s Catskill Mountains were once home to many famous Jewish vacation resorts.

But lesser known were their bargain counterparts: the communal bungalow colonies that made summer leisure accessible to the urban Jewish working class.