FEDERICO FUENTES Memorial Mural by Magali Druscovich | Photo by Reuters Debate over who was the greatest ever footballer will rage on, but Diego Armando Maradona, who passed away on November 25 aged 60, will almost certainly go down as the most adored. Maradona will always be remembered, by hundreds … [Read more...] about Adios Diego Maradona: The football god who played on the side of the poor
History, Geography, Russia, and Vladimir Putin
LENNY FLANK The history of Russia clearly demonstrates the truth in the adage, “Governments come and go, but national interests remain the same.” At the end of the 8th century, a new scourge swept across Europe—raiders from Scandinavia, known to history as “Vikings”. Armed with a new type of sailing vessel called the “longship” which was fast, capable of long distances … [Read more...] about History, Geography, Russia, and Vladimir Putin
The Americanization of Eastern and Southern European Immigrants
ROXANNE DUNBAR-ORTIZ[Link to the image of this book’s cover: https://images.app.goo.gl/iUjAjYfsYVbuccYK7] Mahmood Mamdani locates the founding moment of the modern nation-state at 1492. “That year marked the beginning of the nation-state… born of two developments in Iberia. One was ethnic cleansing, whereby the Castilian monarchy sought to create a homogeneous national … [Read more...] about The Americanization of Eastern and Southern European Immigrants
The Spirit of the Laws: Constitutional Republics, Capitalism, and the Future of Socialism
STEPHEN ERIC BRONNER The liberal republic is today the fulcrum of progressive politics. Protecting liberal principles, the democratic character of the republic, and existing social rights from white nationalist reactionaries in the United States and anti-immigrant and racist parties in Europe has been the over-riding issue for Western radicals since the election of President … [Read more...] about The Spirit of the Laws: Constitutional Republics, Capitalism, and the Future of Socialism
Was It only “Fear Itself?”: FDR and Today
GARY OLSON Movement” politics is how the people flex their power, while electoral politics under the corporate duopoly is the domain of the moneyed classes.— Glen Ford, Black Agenda Report While it’s myth that after the stock market crash of 1929, brokers pitched themselves off of tall buildings in … [Read more...] about Was It only “Fear Itself?”: FDR and Today
Review: This Little-Known Black Wobbly Dockworker Led the Most Powerful, Democratic Union of His Day
ERIC DIRNBACH Growing up in Philadelphia, I learned about some of the rich local labor history: the 1827 founding of the first union to cross craft lines, the 1835 general strike, and the 1869 founding of the Knights of Labor. Some of it was personal—my father took part in the 50-day teachers strike of 1981. But it wasn’t until decades later that I … [Read more...] about Review: This Little-Known Black Wobbly Dockworker Led the Most Powerful, Democratic Union of His Day
Mutual Aid in 2020
ANDY PIASCIK Mutual aid has been around a long time. For many people who practice mutual aid, it is not known by that name. Rather, it is simply a common sense activity essential to the survival of human communities. When you see members of your village or tribe or city or even a faraway community suffering because of a lack of food or health care or shelter, you do what you … [Read more...] about Mutual Aid in 2020
The Capitol Assault is Symptomatic of Our Dysfunctional Politics
TED MORGAN Americans were shocked to witness the assault on the capitol building on January 6, the day Congress was scheduled to ratify the presidential election. Washington DC and the nation’s state capitals remained on high alert through the inauguration as rightwing groups promised more violent attacks. It’s easy to trace the proximate cause of this assault, a … [Read more...] about The Capitol Assault is Symptomatic of Our Dysfunctional Politics
“A woman’s going to send the bombs”
El Jones A woman’s going to send the dronesSo ready the covers of your VoguesThe food bank lines are now miles longBut a woman’s the one who sends the bombsLiberal feminism can’t be wrongWhen a woman’s the one who sends the bombs.Can’t get workers PPEBut you go girl Nancy PelosiAll hail the bipartisan war partiesNow Trump is gone we all agreeGeorge W. Bush has been … [Read more...] about “A woman’s going to send the bombs”
Against Hierarchy
ROBERT JENSEN It’s getting harder for people in the United States to turn away from the sexism, racism, and inequality that is woven into the fabric of society. From the women’s march of 2017, to the ongoing protests against white supremacy in policing and other institutions, to the wider attention being paid to extreme disparities in wealth — the demand for justice … [Read more...] about Against Hierarchy