LOOKING BACKWARD TO SEE OUR FUTURE.

AuthorBoddiger, David
PositionEDITOR'S NOTE

With the midterm elections now almost upon us, it's nearly impossible to ponder the deep fissures appearing in our democratic system without a sense of foreboding. Great effort--and large sums of money--have been spent on making us feel this way. The powerful want us to see ourselves as powerless (even when we express our discontent at the ballot box), which is the essence of the "Big Lie."

But there are stronger forces bubbling to the surface that can, and will, transform our fears, anxiety, and dread into indignation, courage, and conviction. While those who express faux piety and manipulate political strings seek to deny us our fundamental rights as they descend further into their own cruelty and madness, many others have been busy rolling up their sleeves, often quietly and without fanfare, and getting to work. When wealthy autocrats and authoritarians attempt to criminalize things like access to reproductive health care, or being a doctor, you better believe the people will show up to fight.

There is so much at stake in these midterm elections--for our country, our neighbors, our families, and ourselves--that this is the focus of the current issue of The Progressive. But as we looked to the future to uncover some sort of meaning from today's events--one that could lead us to that most cherished of emotions, hope--something curious happened: Remarkably, but perhaps not surprisingly in retrospect, much of our analysis pointed to clues from the past.

In documenting the recent labor victories achieved by workers across the United States and the United Kingdom, author and columnist Sarah Jaffe finds undeniable links to the struggles of the past that led to the formation of today's most prominent unions.

Searching for ways to make good on our promises as a global community to fight poverty and hunger, promote liberty, and protect our planet and its people, Jack Moore dives into the Swedish Labor Movement's Archives and Library to learn more about the progressive politics of the late Swedish Prime Minister and prominent Social Democrat Olof Palme.

In a discussion of linguistics and liberty, historian Jay Hatheway and writer David Masciotra offer impassioned arguments about whether the word "fascism" is the appropriate nomenclature for the modern-day malevolence of the United States of MAGA. Alfred Meyer, who worked with communities affected by the Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear catastrophes, disarms the argument that civilian nuclear power...

To continue reading

Request your trial

VLEX uses login cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience. If you click on 'Accept' or continue browsing this site we consider that you accept our cookie policy. ACCEPT