Unions have more public support than just about anything else in the US, and yet, their membership has cratered. This poses an immense challenge to left-wing politicians, who won't be able to enact lasting change without a robust labor movement beside them. On this latest episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber addresses the age-old question of whether unions are inherently political, the importance (and limits) of internal democracy within unions, and why socialists have always been at the heart of the labor movement. The latest issue of Catalyst is out and you can subscribe for just $20 using the code CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM: https://catalyst-journal.com/subscribe/?code=CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM Have a question for us? Write to us by email: [email protected]

Advanced capitalist countries have recently rediscovered the role of industrial policy to build out key economic sectors like semiconductors and AI. But what happens if business is the one calling all the shots? On this latest episode of Confronting Capitalism, we’re sharing Vivek Chibber’s keynote address from the 2026 IFAR Consortium Conference, hosted by the Indonesian International Islamic University. He discusses how developing countries used industrial policy in the past, why the US and Europe are now turning to greater state intervention, and how one could build a new social-democratic alliance between the state and labor. The latest issue of Catalyst is out and you can subscribe for just $20 using the code CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM: https://catalyst-journal.com/subscribe/?code=CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM Have a question for us? Write to us by email: [email protected]

Libertarian thinkers like Milton Friedman like to say that capitalism not only gave birth to democracy but also is the ideal economic system to complement democracy. But while capitalism may have created the conditions for democracy, it’s actually the main obstacle to securing full democratic rights. On this latest episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber and Melissa Naschek examine the worker struggles central to the rise of democracy, and why, in a system built around profit, the ruling class opposes it. The latest issue of Catalyst is out and you can subscribe for just $20 using the code CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM: https://catalyst-journal.com/subscribe/?code=CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM Have a question for us? Write to us by email: [email protected]

We try to cover a lot of topics on this show, and that inevitably leads to many more follow-up questions. Luckily for you, on this latest episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber answers YOUR questions! In particular, Vivek explains property under market socialism, assesses the effectiveness of salting in working-class jobs, and disentangles class locations and occupations. The latest issue of Catalyst is out and you can subscribe for just $20 using the code CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM: https://catalyst-journal.com/subscribe/?code=CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM Have a question for us? Write to us by email: [email protected]

On July 14, 1789, the storming of the Bastille in Paris marked the transition of the French Revolution from an elite negotiation into a truly mass event. But what kicked off this insurgency and what does it have to do with left politics? On the latest episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber and Melissa Naschek discuss the radical origins of Bastille Day, examine the class politics of the French revolutionaries, and challenge the old Marxist notion of a bourgeois revolution. The latest issue of Catalyst is out and you can subscribe for just $20 using the code CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM: https://catalyst-journal.com/subscribe/?code=CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM Have a question for us? Write to us by email: [email protected]

Donald Trump has made the issue of immigration a key battleground in US politics. But with public opinion swinging against the brutal ICE raids and deportations over the past year, how should the Left respond? On the latest episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber and Melissa Naschek are joined by Catalyst board member Suzy Lee. Suzy has written extensively on the political economy and politics of American immigration and migration more broadly. Together, they look at how Trump capitalized on the post-COVID surge in immigration and offer an alternative vision around immigrant rights and border politics. Read Suzy Lee’s recent essay here: https://catalyst-journal.com/2026/04/the-logic-of-mass-deportation The latest issue of Catalyst is out, and you can subscribe for just $20 using the code CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM: https://catalyst-journal.com/subscribe/?code=CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM Have a question for us? Write to us by email: [email protected]

In the midst of Graham Platner’s high-profile senate race in Maine, several media commentators jumped on whether he would fit within his own definition of the working class. Do we know how to pick out workers from other classes? And what bearing does this have for socialist politics? On the latest episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber and Melissa Naschek offer a full definition of who’s in the working class, how to understand the modern US class structure, and why workers are central to left political strategy. The latest issue of Catalyst is out, and you can subscribe for just $20 using the code CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM: https://catalyst-journal.com/subscribe/?code=CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM Have a question for us? Write to us by email: [email protected]

Socialists have long predicted capitalism’s overthrow and replacement by a better system. But do we have any reason to believe capitalism must come to an end? On the latest episode of Confronting Capitalism, Melissa Naschek and Vivek Chibber discuss the role of economic and ecological crises in capitalism’s possible demise. Just as it is a mistake to think that capitalism will last forever, it’s also unrealistic to think that it is destined to collapse. The latest issue of Catalyst is out, and you can subscribe for just $20 using the code CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM: https://catalyst-journal.com/subscribe/?code=CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM Have a question for us? Write to us by email: [email protected]

Over time, the Soviet Union developed a system of centralized planning that became synonymous with socialism. How did the system work? What did it get right? And why did it ultimately become so associated with shortages and stagnation? On the latest episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber and Melissa Naschek discuss the ambitions and challenges of economic planners, and why the defects may be hardwired into the structure of central planning. The latest issue of Catalyst is out and you can subscribe for just $20 using the code CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM: https://catalyst-journal.com/subscribe/?code=CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM Read show transcripts here: confrontingcapitalism.substack.com Have a question for us? Write to us by email: [email protected]

Throughout the 20th century, socialism came to be associated with both central planning and shortages. But could democratic ownership of the economy work alongside market competition? On the latest episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber examines different models of socialism that might be viable in the 21st century. The latest issue of Catalyst is out and you can subscribe for just $20 using the code CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM: https://catalyst-journal.com/subscribe/?code=CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM Also, don’t miss Jacobin’s May Day sale! Use the code MAYDAY2026R at checkout to get a yearlong digital subscription for $1, or $10 for the print edition: https://jacobin.com/subscribe/?code=MAYDAY2026R Have a question for us? Write to us by email: [email protected]