Jacobin Radio Confronting Capitalism: Abundance Needs Socialism
16 snips
Jan 7, 2026 In this engaging conversation, Matt Huber, a geography and environmental policy professor, dives into the nuances of abundance for the Left, sparked by recent Democratic discourse. Huber critiques the tension between supply-side focus and traditional redistribution approaches. He explores the structural obstacles to infrastructure projects and the role of public agencies versus NGOs. Emphasizing the need for a massive renewable energy build-out, he highlights nuclear energy's potential and critiques climate NIMBYism, offering a vision for a strong working-class coalition.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Supply-Side Shift In Democratic Politics
- Klein and Thompson shift Democratic debate from distributional tweaks to increasing supply of basic goods like housing, energy, and medicine.
- This supply focus could reforge a material constituency if implemented effectively by state actors.
Diagnosis Determines Politics
- Klein and Thompson offer two explanations: Olsonian interest-group capture and weak state capacity, but they fail to decisively choose between them.
- The correct diagnosis matters because Olsonian logic can be used to justify attacks on unions and civic groups.
Empower Democracy To Build Capacity
- Build state capacity by empowering ordinary citizens, unions, and voters rather than blaming democracy itself.
- Prioritize mechanisms that increase popular control so the state can overcome wealth-based legal blockages.
