How the elites exploit inflation
Plus: the curse of "lifestyle leftism"
Hi everyone. I haven’t written anything in a while since I’ve been busy completing our upcoming book (with Toby Green) The Covid Consensus: The Global Assault on Democracy and the Poor - A Critique from the Left (it’s gonna be awesome - stay tuned!).
However, I’ve got two new pieces out. One is an article for UnHerd on how elites, just like in the 1970s, are exploiting an inflationary surge of their own making to engineer a recession and drive up unemployment in order to pre-empt a potential rise in labour bargaining power.
The second one is a review of Sahra Wagenknecht’s book on the neoliberal left in Compact - in which she makes her case for “left conservatism”: a left that returns to its original mission of improving the lives of the working and middle classes, but which also recognises people’s need for “recognition, belonging, and community”.
Best,
Thomas
Just read the Wagenknecht piece. It's so refreshing to see a Leftist argue in favor of the nation-state. So much of the contemporary Left is so disdainful of any form of nationalism, like it's a form of the plague. In my well-considered opinion, as someone who lives in the heart of the EU, is that our only hope is to regain national sovereignty and economic self-determination. Brava, Sahra!
Labor is already flexing their muscles, the rail workers were going to strike but agreed not to however the contract is still a tough sell to the members and the Teamsters at UPS have already started talking about a strike next July when their master agreement expires......