Confronting Capitalism with Vivek Chibber

Among the many government agencies facing cuts from President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, USAID has garnered wide support in the media. But for whatever humanitarian good it’s done in the world, the agency has played a role in US imperialism. In this episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber examines the true history of USAID and breaks down the false dichotomy between soft and hard US power.

Within weeks of assuming the presidency, Donald Trump has instituted tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China. Trump has touted protectionism as a way of supporting American workers. In this episode of Confronting Capitalism, Catalyst editor Vivek Chibber and Jacobin contributor Melissa Naschek discuss how nineteenth and twentieth-century protectionist trade policies helped build domestic manufacturing bases around the world, but why Trump's twenty-first century tariffs are very different. While decades of global free trade have contributed to deindustrialization, workers are not likely to benefit from Trump’s tariffs.

Vivek Chibber, a sociology professor at NYU and editor of Catalyst, dives into the contentious topic of wokeness. He unpacks its political and economic roots, challenging the notion that it's purely a leftist phenomenon. Chibber critiques the rise of identity politics, the authoritarian undertones of modern anti-racism, and how these shifts risk alienating the working class. He argues for a necessary leftist critique of wokeness to prevent disillusionment and the growing right's manipulation of cultural debates.

Dive into the revitalization of materialism in socialist thought. Explore how understanding workers' material interests can reshape political strategy. Learn why rationality shouldn't be confused with narrow theories and how experiential knowledge influences political choices. Discover the commonalities in trade union demands across cultures and the necessity of immersive organizing to empower the working class. This insightful discussion emphasizes how a materialist perspective can guide effective collective action.

In the wake of Kamala Harris's defeat, the Left's association with identity politics has been a major focus of public debate. But what identity politics is or who primarily benefits from it remains contested. In this episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber discusses the Democrats’ long-standing attachment to identity politics, why this form of politics can't fight oppression, and the real history behind struggles for justice.

Bernie Sanders resurrected socialist politics in the United States after many decades of defeat. But what socialism will entail or how we get there remains unclear. In this episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber discusses the difference between social democracy and socialism, how progressives won policies in the past, and where the Left should go after the Bernie moment.

The Democratic Party has long clung to the notion of “demographic destiny,” the view that minorities will vote blue no matter who. But now it is clear that workers of all races are abandoning the Democratic Party, either by moving to the right or dropping out of politics altogether. In this episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber and Melissa Naschek discuss how Donald Trump’s recent victory is different from eight years ago, why the Democrats gave up their working class base, and how the Left can respond to dealignment. Read the article mentioned in this episode: https://jacobin.com/2024/11/obama-democrats-2024-election-race

In the inaugural episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber is joined by Jacobin's editorial director, Bhaskar Sunkara, to discuss why Trump won the election, how socialists should think about strategic alliances with liberals, and what it means to be an anti-capitalist. Read the articles mentioned in this episode: https://jacobin.com/2024/09/liberalism-marxism-cohen-rawls-workers https://jacobin.com/2024/11/obama-democrats-2024-election-race