Jacobin Radio Confronting Capitalism: Office Hours With Vivek
17 snips
Oct 22, 2025 
Vivek Chibber, a sociology professor at NYU and editor of Catalyst, takes on listener questions with engaging insights. He discusses how socialists can address discrimination within their organizing efforts. The conversation dives into the concept of monopoly capitalism and its implications on class dynamics. Vivek challenges the notion of homeownership as a class determinant, emphasizing income over property. He also explores the nuances of workplace organizing and critiques popular slogans around police and prison abolition.
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Workplace Power Beats Neighborhood Organizing
- Trade unions are uniquely powerful because workers can disrupt production and force employers to negotiate.
- Workplaces bring diverse workers together and build cross-racial solidarity crucial for class-wide organizing.
Confront Discrimination Inside Groups Carefully
- Snuff out racist and sexist behavior quickly inside organizations while educating well-intentioned members.
- Differentiate between ignorance and active malice and keep people engaged rather than purging for every misstep.
Educate Before Expelling Members
- When members err from ignorance, educate them respectfully rather than publicly shaming them.
- Reserve expulsion for high bars of active, sustained bigotry to avoid destroying organizing capacity.
