Confronting Capitalism with Vivek Chibber

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Confronting Capitalism with Vivek Chibber cuts through the chaos to provide a conceptual and historical framework for understanding how capitalism functions across the globe. Conversations span political economy, history, and strategy. Every other week, Vivek provides essential insights for effective socialist politics today. Produced by Catalyst and published by Jacobin.

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Episodes

Can the Republican Party Survive Trump?

The Republican Party has become a hegemonic force in US politics today. But how much of their dominance is predicated on Donald Trump’s personal rule? On this episode of Confronting Capitalism , Vivek Chibber discusses the historic evolution of the Republicans with Paul Heideman, author of “Trump’s Takeover of the Republican Party,” an essay in the upcoming issue of Catalyst . Vivek and Paul focus on the business coalitions behind Trump, how he was able to muster elite support, and how the level...

Mar 26, 2025•30 min

Can Trump Bring Back Manufacturing?

Donald Trump has made restoring American industry a priority across his administrations. But rather than continue Biden’s efforts to bolster domestic manufacturing through subsidies, Trump has instituted a series of tariffs intended to reshore former pillar industries and improve US trade balance. In this episode of Confronting Capitalism , Catalyst editor Vivek Chibber and Jacobin contributor Melissa Naschek explore the promises and limits of a state-led industrial growth strategy. While indust...

Mar 12, 2025•46 min

Don’t Cry for USAID

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.

Feb 26, 2025•38 min

Who Benefits From Trump’s Tariffs?

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 de...

Feb 12, 2025•43 min

The End of Wokeness?

There is no cultural phenomenon more hated today than what is called wokeness. While it is wrongly associated with the Left, the Right is very successfully taking advantage of it. In this episode of Confronting Capitalism , Vivek Chibber traces the political and economic origins of it, and argues that the Left should be at the forefront of criticizing it.

Jan 29, 2025•43 min

A Return to Materialism

Foregrounding workers’ material interests used to be commonplace among socialists. But as the Left faced decades of defeat, a materialist approach to politics fell out of favor. In this episode of Confronting Capitalism , Vivek Chibber defends materialism from its critics and discusses how a materialist perspective understands rationality, the challenges around collective organizing, and cultural differences. Read the article mentioned in this episode: https://catalyst-journal.com/2024/12/the-fl...

Jan 15, 2025•37 min

Why Elites Love Identity Politics

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.

Jan 01, 2025•46 min

Socialism in the 21st Century

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.

Dec 18, 2024•42 min

Workers Without a Party

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 th...

Dec 11, 2024•40 min

Why Liberalism Lost Again

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...

Dec 04, 2024•41 min

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