Bhaskar Sunkara
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Articles by Bhaskar Sunkara
Being Against Capitalism Isn’t Enough
We live in a time when everything is political — except politics. We routinely treat everyday choices about culture, consumption, and personal identity as expressions of moral allegiance, parsing them for hidden meanings and assigning them to partisan camps. We infer entire worldviews from what people watch, buy, joke about, or post online. And yet, in this atmosphere of constant ideological conflict, the most fundamental political questions are almost never asked.
Getting Fired from Mother Jones Made Michael Moore
Before Paul Berman became a liberal hawk, he was a New Left veteran who edited a book called Quotations from the Anarchists. In 1986, his long-standing anxiety about the authoritarian left may have produced a casualty: Michael Moore’s magazine career. Moore had edited Mother Jones for five months when he tried to kill the second installment of Berman’s two-part commissioned dispatch on Nicaragua.
US Meddling in Brazil May Decide Latin America’s Future
US Meddling in Brazil May Decide Latin America’s Future Brazil’s presidential election is on a knife-edge. Right-winger Flávio Bolsonaro has powerful interests on his side but is also counting on the Trump administration’s help to push him over the line. Flávio Bolsonaro defends the gambling lobby, banking fraudsters, imperial Miami, organized crime, and social-security scammers. He is also running a moral values campaign that could make him Brazil’s next president.
The Stakes Are High in Brazil’s Upcoming Election
But Lula’s campaign was jolted back to life in July 2025, when President Donald Trump, following lobbying by Flávio’s brother, Eduardo, intervened on behalf of the embattled former president.
Against the Politics of Communal Fear Original
New York City’s new municipal strategy to combat antisemitism comes just days after the war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu used his platform at the United Nations to call Zohran Mamdani “the antisemitic mayor of New York” and claim that since his election “many Jews no longer feel safe” in the city. The initiative seeks to expand education, support victims of hate crimes, and fund security at Jewish institutions and other houses of worship throughout the five boroughs.
Can Democratic Socialism Save America?
Playback speed × Share post Share post at current time Share from 0:00 0:00 / Can Democratic Socialism Save America? Despite a barrage of criticism, fearmongering, & contempt by America’s establishment class, Democratic Socialism is growing in popularity. Can it help reduce income inequality and empower workers? DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM! These terrifying words must be condemned by any responsible adult seeking political office, a position in corporate America, or an anchor chair on a cable news show.
Economic Democracy Is at the Heart of Socialism
In 1872, British courts prosecuted more than seventeen thousand workers for a single offense: leaving their jobs. Under the Master and Servants Acts, wage laborers who quit before the end of an agreed term, or who merely refused to show up to work, could be sentenced to three months of hard labor. Employers who violated the same rule, by withholding wages or firing someone without notice, owed just a civil debt.
The Necessity of Revolution
Victorian Trades Hall is the oldest continuously operating trades hall in the world. And in 1856, even before it was constructed, the stonemasons and building workers of Melbourne put down their tools and marched for the eight-hour day: eight hours of labor, eight hours of recreation, and eight hours of rest. For a while, this city was the closest thing the nineteenth century had to a model of what an organized working class could wring out of capital.
We Can’t Blame the Supreme Court for Congress’s Problems
Review of Supremacy: How Rule by the Court Replaced Government by the People by Nikolas Bowie and Daphna Renan (W. W. Norton & Company, 2026) Almost everyone on the Left seems to have lost faith in the Supreme Court of the United States. This would have been improbable in 1954, after the Brown v. Board of Education decision, or in 1973, after Roe v. Wade, or even in 1992, after the court upheld the core holding of Roe in Planned Parenthood v. Casey.
Americans Are Turning to GoFundMe Just to Get By
At this point, you have to have been trapped in space for the last two years not to notice that the cost of living is onerously high. Or you could just be the Treasury secretary. In any case, there’s no shortage of metrics that show Americans are struggling: rising credit card delinquencies, a spike in foreclosure filings, surging demand for food banks, or the growing number of high-income Americans deciding to shop at budget stores like Dollar Tree.
Social Democracy Won the Century and Lost the Future Original
On Sunday, Sweden’s Social Democratic Party (SAP) emerged as the largest party in an election that will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Magdalena Andersson is poised to return as prime minister, with her four-party bloc holding a one-seat majority in a 349-seat Riksdag. The SAP won just 28 percent of the vote, its worst showing in more than 110 years. This is what victory looks like today for the most electorally successful left-of-center party in history.
How a Fight Over the Contras Bankrolled Roger & Me
Before Paul Berman became a liberal hawk, he was a New Left veteran who edited a book called Quotations from the Anarchists. In 1986, his long-standing anxiety about the authoritarian left may have produced a casualty: Michael Moore’s magazine career. Moore had edited Mother Jones for five months when he tried to kill the second installment of Berman’s two-part commissioned dispatch on Nicaragua.
Reformar el capitalismo no es suficiente
Fuentes: Jacobin Apostar por el retorno de algo parecido a una era de compromiso entre las clases es una ilusión y un error de diagnóstico. Cualquier proyecto político de izquierda comprometido con el socialismo y la democracia debe apostar por una estrategia de ruptura con el capitalismo. El lema de las ocho horas —ocho, ocho y ocho— sigue siendo relevante hoy en día. No era una simple demanda reformista; era una reivindicación revolucionaria sobre el propósito de la vida humana.
The Blueprint
This book will be shipped when it is published on 29 September 2026. You will be charged at the time of your order. This book will be available for download when it is published on 29 September 2026. You will be charged at the time of your order. Neither capitalism nor central planning, this is the future for socialism. Capitalism isn’t working. But is there a plausible alternative?
Rebuilding the Socialist Horizon
Eric Aarons lived through the great defeats of the twentieth-century socialist movement but refused to let those defeats have the last word. He joined the Communist Party of Australia as a young man. He believed, as millions did across the world, that he was on the right side of history.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Should Run for President
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Should Run for President Published July 22, 2026 In the summer of 2018, almost no one thought Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could beat Joe Crowley. Crowley was a 10-term incumbent, the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House, a man some thought would one day be speaker. A 28-year-old former bartender and democratic socialist was the longest of long shots to succeed him. But ever since she did, the political establishment has been trying to decide whether to take her seriously.
“Cuba Will Not Be Starved Into Submission” Original
Bhaskar Sunkara: Can you tell us a little about your own background, what your life in Cuba was like, and what first drew you toward diplomatic work? Ernesto Soberón Guzmán: I was born in San Antonio de los Baños, Cuba, and was educated entirely in my country. I originally trained as an industrial engineer before pursuing diplomatic studies. Like all Cubans, I grew up benefiting from universal access to education and healthcare. Those opportunities shaped my understanding of public service.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez should run for president
‘To win, and to transform the country, she will have to speak to people’s anger and draw workers of every background into her coalition.’ Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA In the summer of 2018, almost no one thought Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could beat Joe Crowley. Crowley was a 10-term incumbent, the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House, a man some thought would one day be speaker. A 28-year-old former bartender and democratic socialist was the longest of long shots to succeed him.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez should run for president
In the summer of 2018, almost no one thought Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez could beat Joe Crowley. Crowley was a 10-term incumbent, the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House, a man some thought would one day be speaker. A 28-year-old former bartender and democratic socialist was the longest of long shots to succeed him. But ever since she did, the political establishment has been trying to decide whether to take her seriously. For a while it decided not to .
Platner’s collapse doesn’t mean we should reject outsiders in politics
‘The lesson of Maine is not that we need fewer amateurs.’ Photograph: Robert F Bukaty/AP But progressives should pay attention to the discussion around Platner. His collapse is being turned into something larger, supposed proof that people from outside politics have no business being in it. “Say what you will, but the establishment vets candidates,” the Center for American Progress president, Neera Tanden, wrote as the allegations broke.
Platner's collapse doesn't mean we should reject outsiders in politics
Graham Platner is out of the Maine Senate race , burdened by controversies that include a troubling rape accusation , which he denies. His departure is no doubt a good thing that will make it easier for Democrats to win back the Senate. But progressives should pay attention to the discussion around Platner. His collapse is being turned into something larger, supposed proof that people from outside politics have no business being in it.
Jonathan Chait Doesn’t Understand the Socialists He’s Attacking
Jonathan Chait has an essay in the Atlantic warning that the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has become the very thing it was founded to oppose. There is nothing wrong with a liberal writer in a liberal publication taking aim at the socialist left. If anything, it is a good sign. The socialist movement in the United States is growing. Its ranks again include mayors and members of Congress, and I would be more confused if liberals were happy about this development.
Progressives are winning in American cities. Can they win rural voters too?
‘The math doesn’t work unless we contest rural America.’ Photograph: Jaysun Silver/Shutterstock I joined the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in April 2007 at the age of 17. DSA back then was a small group with an ageing membership and an almost negative amount of buzz. If you’d told me its candidates would someday sweep primaries across New York City, I would have been surprised to say the least. Last week, they did.
Brazilian Agribusiness Seeks Revenge
The centrality of agriculture to world capital cannot be underestimated. In the decade leading up to 2025, the value of the world’s agricultural exports rose by 34 percent to nearly $2.3 trillion, outstripping metal and mineral commodities and coming second only to fossil fuels. This massive material engine of production is only the tangible side of agribusiness, which increasingly commands enormous circuits of speculative financial capital.
Reforming Capitalism Is Not Enough
It’s a privilege to be speaking in this building. Thank you to the SEARCH Foundation and to our hosts for the opportunity. Unless I’ve been misinformed by a few of you in the crowd, Victorian Trades Hall is the oldest continuously operating trades hall in the world.
Podcast: Bhaskar Sunkara: Politics under Trump and the prospects for Socialism
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Tracking the Crisis: Week of May 24
A vital news roundup from The Nation and Democracy Collaborative. (Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images] Published in conjunction with The Democracy Collaborative, “Tracking the Crisis” is a weekly round-up from tracking the administrative, legislative, and other actions of the Trump Administration, as well as the many forms of legal and movement response from across a broad range of social, political, and economic actors.
Rebuilding the Socialist Horizon
Eric Aarons lived through the great defeats of the twentieth-century socialist movement but refused to let those defeats have the last word. He joined the Communist Party of Australia as a young man. He believed, as millions did across the world, that he was on the right side of history.
A Journal of Ideas
Non-competes” are clauses in employment contracts that forbid people from quitting their jobs and going to work for a competitor, or sometimes from working in their field at all, for a period of time. They are far more common than most people realize. Non-competes show up in contracts across nearly all walks of life, from retail and food-service workers to professionals, executives, and creatives.
Class Dealignment Hasn’t Gone Away
Recent polling suggests that working-class voters have soured on the Trump administration over the past year. The president's approval ratings have cratered, war and tariff-induced inflation is on the rise, and some commentators have begun to wonder whether the much-touted exodus of working-class voters from the Democratic toward the Republican Party might be reversing itself. It is tempting, after months of watching Trump flail from one disaster to another, to declare the crisis over.
We Need a Socialism After Capitalism
It just occurred to me that during an earlier round of culture warring in the United States — back when the great pundits of American public life had turned their attention to the grave threat posed by youth sports participation trophies — I took part in a radio interview where the subject came up. I had to admit, on air, that as far as I remembered I had never in my life received any award other than participation trophies.
A Journal of Ideas
Charleroi, a little town of about 4,000 in the heart of western Pennsylvania’s Monongahela Valley, lost not one but three major manufacturers last year. First to go was the Quality Pasta company, with 100 jobs lost. Next was the more than a century-old Corelle glass-making plant that employed 300. Finally, just in October, the Fourth Street Foods processing plant announced it would be closing and permanently laying off 250 workers.
Why do elite Democrats fear Hasan Piker?
‘The Democratic establishment’s problem isn’t Hasan Piker. It’s that they’ve run out of ideas.’ Photograph: AP Gas has topped $4 a gallon for the first time since 2022. The president’s approval rating just fell below 40%. The war in Iran is entering its sixth week, with thousands dead and no end in sight. The strait of Hormuz is blockaded, food prices are climbing and US households are staring down hundreds of dollars in added living expenses.
Why do elite Democrats fear Hasan Piker?
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For Democrats, fighting Trump isn't enough anymore
The Democratic party seems more united than it has been in years, thanks to one man: Donald Trump. Opposition to his presidency has papered over what would otherwise be serious disagreements about economic policy, civil liberties, foreign affairs, and the role of corporate money in politics.
For Democrats, fighting Trump isn’t enough anymore
‘The Democratic party’s anti-Trump consensus can’t be denied, but it is also thin.’ Photograph: David Dee Delgado/Reuters The Democratic party seems more united than it has been in years, thanks to one man: Donald Trump. Opposition to his presidency has papered over what would otherwise be serious disagreements about economic policy, civil liberties, foreign affairs, and the role of corporate money in politics.
A historic force to be reckoned with, a giant to be mourned. Our panel pays tribute to the Rev Jesse Jackson
Is it even possible to convey the vastness of a person’s life, both on a personal level and on a global public stage? Probably not. But what I can offer is a snapshot through my own lens: as a friend, a mentee and a collaborator on Operation Black Vote. Like many people, my first image of the Rev Jesse Jackson was that historic photograph taken in Memphis in 1968, pointing toward the direction of the gunman who had just assassinated his mentor, the civil rights icon Martin Luther King.
The Socialist Manifesto
An essential introduction to democratic socialism, and a galvanizing argument for its power to drive positive change in America and beyond. “Bhaskar Sunkara has delivered a razor-sharp guide to socialism’s history, transformative promise, and path to power.” —Naomi Klein, #1 bestselling author of Doppelganger Every day, more Americans are embracing democratic socialism, as shown by the stunning popularity of Zohran Mamdani, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Bernie Sanders.
It’s Dangerous To Overestimate the Left’s Strength
It’s Dangerous To Overestimate the Left’s Strength Published January 15, 2026 Even with a couple of months’ distance, Zohran Mamdani’s election still feels almost unreal, like a dispatch from an alternate universe. But it’s happening: America’s largest city is now led by a young socialist, a Jacobin subscriber, and a committed member of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
Zohran Needs to Create Popular Assemblies
Zohran Mamdani’s electoral triumph represented more than just an off-year upset. It confirmed that democratic socialist politics, when pursued with discipline, vision, and vigor, can resonate broadly even in a city known for entrenched power structures and the quiet vetoes of wealth. The campaign succeeded not because New Yorkers suddenly became ideologues, but because Zohran came across as credible, authentic, and serious about improving people’s lives.
It’s Dangerous to Overestimate the Left’s Strength
Even with a couple of months’ distance, Zohran Mamdani’s election still feels almost unreal, like a dispatch from an alternate universe. But it’s happening: America’s largest city is now led by a young socialist, a Jacobin subscriber, and a committed member of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). For many of us on the New York left, this is the high point of our political lives thus far, a vindication of patient, often grinding organizing.
Inside Venezuela’s Response To Donald Trump’s Attack
Above photo: Supporters of Nicolás Maduro and the late Hugo Chávez hold posters with their images after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard on January 3, 2026, in Caracas, Venezuela. Jesus Vargas / Getty Images. A former Venezuelan diplomat speaks to Jacobin about how the state, military, and popular forces are responding to US military aggression. And what comes next.
Zohran Needs To Create Popular Assemblies
Zohran Needs To Create Popular Assemblies Published January 1, 2026 Zohran Mamdani’s electoral triumph represented more than just an off-year upset. It confirmed that democratic socialist politics, when pursued with discipline, vision, and vigor, can resonate broadly even in a city known for entrenched power structures and the quiet vetoes of wealth.
Brad Lander on What It Takes to Win as a Progressive
Politics / Q&A / December 19, 2025 Brad Lander on What It Takes to Win as a Progressive The outgoing New York City comptroller discusses governing on the left, his run for Congress, and why housing and affordability should define the next Democratic fight. Ad Policy Brad Lander, the outgoing New York City comptroller, is running for Congress against Representative Dan Goldman in New York’s 10th District.
Zohran Mamdani on FDR, LaGuardia-and Trump
by John Nichols Zohran Mamdani speaks to members of the media on December 17, 2025.(Spencer Platt / Getty Images) Zohran Mamdani won’t become New York City’s mayor until January 1, but there is already immense pressure on him to achieve great things. Yet the 34-year-old democratic socialist, who will be the city’s youngest mayor since Hugh John Grant served in the late 19th century, shows few signs of being overwhelmed.
The Plans That Failed
When Nikita Khrushchev was born in 1894, shoes were a luxury for peasants. In his memoirs, the Soviet leader says he went barefoot from spring until late autumn. “Every villager dreamed of owning a pair of boots.” The best they could muster were lapti, easily frayed slippers woven from tree bark. It’s fitting that when many people think of Khrushchev today, a shoe comes to mind. By 1960, he’d long outgrown his lapti.
The Goal of Socialism Is Everything
The Goal of Socialism Is Everything Published November 26, 2025 On Saturday, November 22, Jacobin founding editor Bhaskar Sunkara delivered the keynote at New York City Democratic Socialists of America’s (DSA) biannual organizing conference at the First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn. Below is a transcript of his remarks on why the Left must win real gains today — but also keep fighting for a socialist society beyond them. I'm so excited to be here with you all.
The Goal of Socialism Is Everything
I’m so excited to be here with you all. It feels to me that this is the political moment so many of us have been waiting for and working to build for years. We’re a month away from one of our comrades becoming mayor. We’ve built a network of socialist elected officials, we have a real organization to call home, and there’s a growing base of support in this city for our immediate demand of taxing the rich to expand public goods.
Mamdani: Win of global socialism’s new face has lessons for India
When Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City this week, it marked a political first: the most prominent democratic socialist to hold executive office in the US — and one with deep Indian roots. Born in Kampala, Uganda, to academic Mahmood Mamdani and filmmaker Mira Nair, Zohran represents a global story. His father was among the Ugandan Asians expelled by Idi Amin in 1972, an experience he has written about at length.
‘A historic victory': our panel reacts to Zohran Mamdani's triumph
Osita Nwanevu: ‘a historic victory of the American left' Set aside for a moment the interminable back and forth over whether Zohran Mamdani represents the future of the Democratic party. This much is beyond dispute: Mamdani represents the immediate future of New York City, America's largest town and the financial capital of the world.
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