Over the course of decades, social democracy abandoned workers. Then workers abandoned social democracy.
Trump Wants an Airline Lobbyist to Be Transportation Chief
Donald Trump’s pick to head the Department of Transportation, Sean Duffy, is a former airline industry lobbyist who has voted to make it harder to impose safety regulations on airlines. The industry is already celebrating his nomination.
Brazil’s Far-Right Nightmare Haunts the G20 Summit
Donald Trump’s reelection and the specter of Jair Bolsonaro’s return loom over the G20 summit in Brazil. But despite the country’s struggles, Lula da Silva’s leadership provides a playbook for battling the far right.
Understanding the Immigrant Swing Toward Trump
Liberal pundits have puzzled over increasing support for Trump by immigrants and people of color. To understand the trend, we should look to economic issues and the way institutions like unions and churches affect political socialization.
The Queensland Election Points to Challenges for the Left
Despite favorable polls, the Queensland Greens suffered a setback in the recent state election. The results point to structural barriers that left-wing minor parties will need to overcome in order to challenge two-party rule.
And until Democrats can find a way to win back some large chunk of working-class voters, Donald Trump’s successors will be favored in the next presidential election too.
Finland’s Government Is Robin Hood in Reverse
In Finland, a coalition of conservative and far-right parties is slashing social spending and squashing unions. It’s an authoritarian brand of neoliberalism that is undoing welfare while giving tax cuts to high earners.
Liberal Dominance of Cultural Institutions Hurt the Left
A new book, Polarized by Degrees, argues that college-educated voters have come to dominate the Democratic Party and cultural institutions while Americans without a college degree feel increasingly alienated by the party’s technocratic worldview.
Elon Musk’s DOGE Is Dumb. It Could Also Do Serious Damage.
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is equal parts asinine and dystopian. We can only hope that, by virtue of how insufferable all involved are, DOGE’s relationship with the Trump administration flames out spectacularly.
Anora: A Refreshingly Class-Conscious Indie Film
In keeping with the harsh realities of working-class life in America, filmmaker Sean Baker doesn’t deal in facile happy endings — not in his latest, Anora, nor in his other recent films. Living to fight another day is triumph enough.
China’s Minor Literature
British literary magazine Granta has focused its latest issue on China during a time of growing geopolitical tensions. It introduces a contemporary Chinese literature written in the minor key by writers driven by political ennui.
Crypto Won Big in the 2024 Election
After pouring unprecedented amounts of money into races across the ballot this election season, the cryptocurrency industry will now have the most political influence it has ever had.
On Democrats and Class, the Writing Was on the Wall
Two writers, Thomas Frank and Joan Williams, provided sharp insight into the Democrats’ hemorrhaging of working-class voters eight years ago. The Democratic Party ignored their perspectives. We asked them to explain how we ended up here — again.
We Can Do Better Than Bidenism
Bidenomics wasn’t ambitious enough, but the solution isn’t just more welfare.