Secured totalitarianism In his “Critical Dictionary,” Rudolph Bauer deciphers the language of a new fascism. Language and writing express thoughts and feelings. Sentences formed from words can flatter or hurt. When it comes to the use and meaning of terms, communication becomes a sharp blade. This applies to the private …
Super-fascism In her latest book, Lisa Marie Binder presents a description of the new normal. Since 2020, many people have felt that the world around them has changed. The “new normal” is fundamentally different from what we knew until 2019. Many have vaguely labeled this new normality “fascism,” while others …
New president, same old game Donald Trump’s election, welcomed by many, will not be able to eliminate the fundamental flaws in the US power system. Trump or Harris — this alternative was hyped up as a fateful election in which two fundamentally different political styles would battle it out for …
The lies of others Western countries are very capable of recognizing war propaganda—but only when it comes from the “enemy” camp. Sir Arthur Ponsonby established the guiding principles of war propaganda in 1928, looking back on the catastrophe of World War I. His analysis was self–critical and aimed at British …
The unfinished democracy In theory, power in representative democracies comes from the people — in practice, it often amounts to elite rule with little or no input from citizens. It’s time to consider alternatives. Part 1 of 2. In a democracy, “we” are supposedly the sovereign power. So why doesn’t …
Capitalism is not what you think it is Grace Blakeley, June 2025 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2025/06/29/18877697.php The freedom of the free market has never been particularly great… Instead of living in the freedom promised by free markets, we live in a global world consisting of a few large corporations, financial institutions, states, and …
Letters to the editor on “I never want to hear the words ‘international law’ again” [These letters posted on June 27, 2025 are translated from the German on the Internet, https://www.nachdenkseiten.de/?p=135189.] Jens Berger points out in this commentary the “double standards in their most bizarre form” in dealing with international …
https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2025/06/29/18877684.php Under international law, states are fundamentally obliged to treat each other peacefully. The legal basis for this can be found in the Charter of the United Nations (UN). UN members may not simply attack other UN members militarily. There is only one exception to this prohibition of force: the …
A different history of humanity David Graeber’s last work offers an interesting look at human history, which seems to have unfolded in a completely different way than is generally believed. The history of humanity usually follows a linear narrative. From small hordes of hunters and gatherers, human societies have inevitably …
“It’s about interests, not morality!” He is the only one who can protect Israel, says Benjamin Netanyahu. But isn’t he protecting himself above all else? The prime minister is on trial for corruption and abuse of office, and the domestic intelligence service is investigating him for breach of confidentiality. Netanyahu …