November 19, 2021

Worth checking out is David Schwartzman’s presentation, “A critique of Degrowth in the context of a Global GND: an Ecosocialist perspective,” and those of other contributors in the Marxism, Ecology, Politics session of the Historical Materialism 2021 Conference. To request an abstract and a PDF of his presentation, email dschwartzman@gmail.com. Three other presentations include: “climate justice, migration and the state: what should we say about environmental refugees?”; “The ecological costs of imperialism and war”; and “The Canadian Extractive State Apparatus in the Pandemic Present.”

Circulated by our comrade Sam N: A working paper released during COP 26 that promotes “the need to focus efforts on reclaiming these companies [corporate power companies serving cities] to public ownership.”

Grumpy about bad housing policy? This NYT video explainer makes a good case that the bluest of states have the worst records when it comes to equitable housing policy.

The neolib Dems and the big-money business sector on whom they feed definitely rallied behind Byron Brown (who is a DNC stalwart) to defeat India Walton, with Brown’s well-financed write-in campaign coupled with the abject refusal of the NY State party structure to support the woman of color who beat Brown in the primary for Buffalo mayor. Not fair, agrees Fredrik DeBoer. But, he adds, “Americans have lived in a capitalist system for generations; that will not be an easy obstacle for socialists to overcome.” A self-described socialist, he argues in the NYT that thinking that our ideas and policies are more popular than they actually are is dangerous. 

Defund news from Austin DSA: “Prop A, the Republican-backed effort to mandate higher police funding at the expense of city services, was soundly defeated by Austin voters last week. We should use this victory as a springboard to create a more organized working-class movement in our city.” 

China. Everyone is paying more attention, including to shifts in political culture in the People’s Republic. Here’s a recent guide from Portside. See also our comrade Ryan M’s report on a recent conference on China by US leftists.

In the Boston Review, Justin H. Vassallo uses a thorough review of Terence Renaud’s New Lefts: The Making of a Radical Tradition to chronicle the history of the New Left, connecting the struggles of “neoleftists” to present-day political battles. One possible interpretation of Renaud’s book, Vassallo writes: “ … any leftism without a concrete policy agenda — and the tactical focus needed to win the formal power to implement it — is ultimately a betrayal of its overriding aim: to create a more just world.”