Jon Snow isn’t exactly a cop — the fantasy realm of Game of Thrones doesn’t map perfectly onto our own social and political institutions. He is, however, involved in a system that does some pretty terrible things — while claiming that “he’s not like the other ones” and that the machine can be driven to…

Since the introduction of the newest incarnation of the Green New Deal, conservatives have been hard at work battling the non-existent boogyman supposedly trying to ban hamburgers. Now, of course, such claims are completely absurd and have no basis in the actual reality of the Deal itself, but that hasn’t stopped the idea from spreading…

As the Haymarket Martyrs went to their deaths they were resolute, in no small part because they knew future generations of anarchists would remember them. This sentiment extended from August Spies, “The day will come when our silence will be more powerful than the voices you are throttling today,” to Louis Lingg, “I die happy…

Universal Basic Income (UBI) is quickly becoming a hot topic this presidential cycle due to the likes of Andrew Yang and his supporters. Since he began his campaign, many other candidates have been interrogated about their support for the idea and more and more are responding positively, even if half-heartedly. Sadly some, such as Bernie…

In both the US and UK, the political commentariat are gripped by two related phenomena: Brexit and Trump. It is now generally accepted that the rise of Trump and the vote for Brexit were driven largely by two factors. The first was anger at the unequal nature of modern capitalism, the second was fear of…

A new generation is growing up in a world where the deep-seated problems of society are at their most severe and most prevalent. Thousands are thrown in jail for victimless “crimes” by a police state which has been emboldened by an aging and desperate aristocracy who seem hell-bent on protecting the social order. Even more…

Endless pages could be written criticising Bernie Sanders’ platform and voting record, but despite his affinity for trying to pass off milquetoast social democracy as democratic socialism he has suggested some useful solutions on occasion. One such occasion was when he introduced the Stop Bad Employers by Zeroing Out Subsidies Act or the Stop BEZOS…

The allegations in the Operation Varsity Blues college admissions scandal outline a seemingly unlimited trove of dishonesty that wealthy parents have been using to get their children into top universities. Bribery, special accommodations under false pretenses, and even entirely made up athletic or classroom achievements, are some of the ways parents have tried to get…

With all the current hype surrounding the Green New Deal and the urgency to combat climate change, one must wonder where libertarians fit into the debate. Many more broadly on the left have embraced the Green New Deal, seeing it as proof that the Green Party and Progressive movements have successfully influenced the conversation. Even…

It shouldn’t have to be repeated so often, but Bernie Sanders is not anti-capitalist, a socialist, nor even much of a solid leftist. Sure, he’s much further to the left than your average Democrat. Social democrats are in general slightly more to the left than traditional Democrats. However just because he’s more to the left…

I used to hear people talk about Islam or Muslim-majority states and sense that something was not right. It wasn’t that everything people were saying was necessarily wrong, but it was about how they said it. Namely, it was that the tropes they used, such as “barbaric” and “savage,” could understandably be seen as distasteful….

The United States government recently shut down for the longest stretch in history: the government spent one-month in deadlock between its Democratic-majority Congress and Republican President Donald Trump over a budget resolution. President Trump proposed a deal temporarily reinstating protections for people who immigrated to the United States without documentation while minors in exchange for…

Come, Satan, come, slandered by priests and kings! Let me embrace you, let me clutch you to my breast! – Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1858) God — in nearly all monotheistic incarnations — represents the ultimate authoritarian. The creation must adhere to the creator’s rules for fear of eternal judgement. Anarchist thought has long reflected this, and…

In the past few decades Albert O. Hirschman’s seminal text, Exit, Voice and Loyalty has risen to prominence in certain circles. Libertarians, liberals, and reactionaries have all found value in the ideas of Hirschman, especially as they relate to the promises of the IT revolution. Unfortunately the left has failed to really grapple with this…

David Brooks, a columnist for the New York Times, recently wrote a series of op-eds where he critiques liberalism and its emphasis on individualism. He argues that America has been moving in a bad cultural direction and that it’s primarily due to the loss of a shared cohesive moral order. As Brooks states, “People like…

When Jair Bolsonaro became president-elect of Brazil, the reaction from many was as expected: shock, horror, and questions over just how Bolsonaro — a man who openly praised Brazil’s past dictatorship — came to power.  Less expected was the ringing endorsement of Bolsonaro from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). Praising Bolsonaro’s ability to give progressives,…

There are few things more intrinsic to what we do as humans than communication. Activism, politics, and philosophy rest heavily on our ability to effectively engage in meaningful discourse. Jürgen Habermas even claims in Moral Consciousness and Communicative Action that communication is foundational to morality and freedom. All that philosophy jargon aside, the way we…

So we’ve survived another election cycle and the inevitable surge of libertarian socialists like Chomsky lecturing anarchists about our abstention from voting. I want to be clear: it is certainly true that the results of elections can matter. Unless you’re gonna roll the very long odds on a type of accelerationism, a bumbling centrist would…

Introduction Once championed by anarchists, leftists, and liberals; in recent times, free speech has become a right-wing talking point. Where the free-speech movement of the 60s opposed government sanctions on protest and dissent, the political right largely focuses on the following issues; right-wing speakers being denied platforms, social media censorship, the use of accusations such…

Very soon, the citizens of Los Angeles, California will vote on Charter Amendment B. This amendment, if passed, will allow for the creation of a public bank for the city. Although I am not a resident of LA or even California, I’d like to give my tentative support for this amendment and outline why I…