Jacobin Radio Confronting Capitalism: Why the Democrats Can’t Fight for Anything
13 snips
Jul 30, 2025 Phillip Rocco, an Associate Professor of Political Science and author, dives into the failings of the Democratic Party in confronting the right. He discusses how the abandonment of organized labor has driven the party into dysfunction and ineffectiveness. Rocco critiques the shift from grassroots mobilization to litigation, highlighting the fragmentation within the party. He also emphasizes the need for renewal, connecting grassroots left-wing campaigns to building a compelling political vision that can truly resonate with and engage voters.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Democrats' Shift Weakens Mobilization
- The Democratic Party's shift from organized labor bases to policy clientele groups has weakened its social mobilization.
- These groups focus more on lobbying than grassroots organizing, reducing the party's ability to fight effectively.
Labor's Unique Power vs Clientele Groups
- Organized labor has structural power connected to economic activity, which policy clientele groups lack.
- Policy clientele groups rely on associational power, mostly through lobbying and money, not member activism.
Lack of Labor Weakens Democratic Agenda
- Democrats rely on distributed politics and interest groups to negotiate pieces of legislation.
- Without labor's cohesive power, the party struggles to push through transformative policy packages as Republicans do.