1Dime Radio Reality Check (Ft. Benjamin Studebaker)
12 snips
Sep 19, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, political theorist Benjamin Studebaker, known for his works on legitimacy in democracies, dives into the relevance of unions today. He explores the structural reasons behind the decline of unions and emphasizes that overcoming material realities is crucial for revitalization. They discuss the potential for international cooperation, the importance of healthcare and housing as organizing focal points, and the tension between nationalism and internationalism in political movements. Studebaker urges listeners to rethink politics as a process of binding decision-making that can inspire collective action.
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How Panic Transforms Everyday Spaces
- Benjamin Studebaker recounts public overreactions to singular violent events and their long societal effects.
- He compares post-9/11 securitization of airports to how societies 'inshittify' after panic-driven policy choices.
Why Unions Lost Real Power
- Union decline stems from legal regulation, capital mobility, and sectoral shifts rather than just worker consciousness.
- These forces made strikes less effective and turned unions into administrative bodies rather than transformational power centers.
Capital Mobility Destroys Local Leverage
- Capital mobility plus technological modularity undermines national-level labor leverage.
- States that strengthen unions risk losing investment as firms relocate or automate away jobs.
