1Dime Radio A New Old Left? (Ft. Vivek Chibber)
8 snips
Nov 28, 2025 
Join Vivek Chibber, a sociology professor and notable writer, as he tackles the state of the modern left. He discusses the left's challenges, including its intellectual weaknesses and loss of working-class ties, while advocating for a labor-led political base. Chibber critiques post-colonial theory's influence and emphasizes the need for renewed solidarity among educated youth and workers. He also highlights the role of small business owners in coalition-building and the misleading nature of voting patterns in reflecting class interests.
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Democratic And Traditional Socialism Overlap
- Vivek Chibber argues democratic socialism and traditional socialism share the core: markets shouldn't govern our lives.
- He says democratic socialists often function as social democrats but many would accept fuller socialism if presented.
Left Weakened By Loss Of Working-Class Base
- Chibber diagnoses the left as weak organizationally, intellectually, and politically after defeats in the 1970s–80s.
- He links this to the left losing connection to its historic working-class constituency and moving into marginal institutions.
Live Among The Workers You Organize
- Organize by living and working among the workers you want to mobilize rather than touring neighborhoods.
- Build political organizations staffed and rooted in working-class communities to recruit and sustain movements.
