Jacobin (magazine)

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Jacobin is an American socialist magazine and de facto associated with the Democratic Socialists of America.^[1] Alongside The Nation, it is easily the furthest left publication in America that still has any relevant reach.

Political stance[edit]

Jacobin places itself in firmly in leftist politics and advocates democratic socialism.^[2] And they are not kidding on the socialism part,^[3][4] sometimes flirting with revolutionary politics.^[5][6] As a socialist outlet Jacobin is willing to criticise liberalism^[7] for its double-standards^[8] on personal liberty versus the prioritization of property.^[9][10] Unlike Bernie Sanders, Jacobin makes it clear that they are not referring to Nordic-style social democracy, though they do acknowledge that it is a good model within the context of a capitalist economy.^[11] Speaking of capitalism, they're pretty damn sure it'll end at some point, and it'll be replaced by either communism, socialism, or some flavor of right-wing dystopia.^[12]

Jacobin claims to have very strong opinions on democracy,^[13] being very disdainful toward any attempts to manipulate or subvert democratic institutions, either directly or through loopholes.^[14][15][16] However, some of its staff praise and whitewash dictators and authoritarian figures like Vladimir Lenin,^[17][18] Fidel Castro,^[19][20] and Hugo Chávez.^[21][22]

Jacobin has both praised and criticized the Brexit. An example is an article calling for Jeremy Corbyn to embrace Brexit,^[23] particularly a hard Brexit. Another article also advocated for the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union and opposed a second Brexit referendum.^[24] The crux of the argument in the latter article is that the EU weakens democracy, and that calls for second referendums are nothing more than an attempt to subvert democracy. The article points out that Ireland was the only country to put the Lisbon Treaty on a popular referendum, in which it was rejected (the other member-states had their legislatures rectify it). Later, Ireland had a second referendum in which it approved the treaty, and the second referendum had a higher voter turnout.^[25]

The good[edit]

• It is at least willing to critique the Democratic Party from the left, which is rare (and needed) in the US media.
• A deep analysis of the ruling class in the United States, including the often overlooked one-digit millionaires that control municipal politics by virtue of effectively owning the local economy.^[26]
• A deep analysis of the right-wing and reactionary politics behind the progressive facade of Silicon Valley, with a specific focus on Peter Thiel.^[27]

The awful and cringe[edit]

• Betraying workers after purchasing the British magazine the Tribune,^[28] where founder Bhaskar Sunkara promised employment if they took a settlement of only 70% of the back wages they were owed; instead those workers found themselves unemployed
• Publishing another sympathetic piece,^[29] this time about militia man Ammon Bundy; the interview was retracted when it was exposed as a hoax^[30]
• Publishing articles by Angela Nagle,^[31] a plagiarist,^[32] who slammed the open borders manufactroversy in the Trump-friendly American Affairs^[33] and went on Carlson's show to attack the DSA^[34]
• Publishing an article opposing the firing of racists and Nazis (because how dare they face consequences!)^[35]
• Interviewing Die Linke MP Sahra Wagenknecht,^[36] without making noise about her bigotry against immigrants and muslims^[37]
• Doxxing a whistleblower during Trump's first impeachment just as conservative "news" did^[38]
• Making an eulogy for Eduard Limonov, the founder of the National Bolshevisk Party,^[39] and glossing over the violence and bigotry of the NazBol gang^[40]
• Had some bad takes on Ukraine in the leadup to their war with Russia, blaming the conflict on NATO expansionism and even agreeing with Tucker Carlson's apologia for Russia^[41]

References[edit]