The Jacobin Show with David Griscom

It is the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Matt and David talk about why the celebration feels muted. Then we are joined by Harvey J. Kaye to talk about Thomas Paine, the radical history of the American Revolution, and how we can reclaim our history. Read Harvey’s article, “We Can Still Realize FDR’s Vision”: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/fdr-economic-bill-rights-social-de...

Astra Taylor joins the Jacobin Show to talk about the need to fight for our democracy, the reasons why her favorite definition of democracy is “rule by the poor,” and how we can claw power back from the elites. Then Alex Bronzini-Vender joins us to talk about the end of the Hamilton era, and what that popular musical said about the ruling ideology of the United States. Jacobin’s 1776 issue is live...

David talks with Rio Grande Valley organizer and policy researcher Etienne Rosas about what’s actually being built in Brownsville, Elon Musk’s SpaceX IPO, and the death of José Luis Bautista. In a world where we are likely to mint a trillionaire, the fight for working people is even more urgent. You can get four print issues of Jacobin for just $10, or yearlong digital access for $5, by using the...

This week David and Matt take a deep dive into Bernie Sanders’s proposal to have a fifty percent stake in the nation’s AI companies. You can get four print issues of Jacobin for just $10, or yearlong digital access for $5, by using the code JACOBINSHOW25: https://jacobin.com/subscribe/?code=JACOBINSHOW25 This is the audio version of a video from June 5, 2026. Catch the Jacobin Show on YouTube ever...

Abby Martin of the Empire Files joins the Jacobin Show to talk about two global threats. One, the US war machine and its thirst for fossil fuels and pollution. Then Abby breaks down the many reasons the Trump administration is so threatened by Cuba. More information about Earth’s Greatest Enemy : https://earthsgreatestenemy.com/ And Cuba After Castro : https://www.cubaaftercastro.com/ You can get...

Matt and David respond to Trump’s latest threats against Cuba. Then, Jacobin columnist Ben Burgis joins to break down what market socialism actually means, debate the merits of aligning with right-wingers like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Tucker Carlson, why that is often used to attack AOC, and respond to Jeff Bezos’s claim that he shouldn’t be taxed. You can get four print issues of Jacobin for ju...

In this week's Jacobin Show , David and Matt look at Zohran’s tenure as mayor as an example of commonsense socialism. Then we are joined by A.J.A. Woods, author of the new book The Cultural Marxism Conspiracy . We speak about the intellectual history of the claim that cultural Marxists secretly run our society. You can get four print issues of Jacobin for just $10, or yearlong digital access for $...

Branko Marcetic joins the Jacobin Show to discuss how Jeffrey Epstein encouraged Peter Thiel to get more active in politics. Read his piece in Jacobin : https://jacobin.com/2026/04/epstein-thiel-tech-finance-trump You can get four print issues of Jacobin for just $10, or yearlong digital access for $5 by using the code JACOBINSHOW25: https://jacobin.com/subscribe/?code=JACOBINSHOW25 This is the au...

The Jacobin Show is celebrating International Workers’ Day with a special live stream. David and Matt will be live taking questions from the live audience! Plus we will be joined by special guests, Jacobin editor Micah Uetricht and senior editor Meagan Day, representatives from the Philly Whole Foods Union, Elise Joshi of More Perfect Union, YouTuber Michael O'Neil Burns, and more! You can get fou...

In this week's Jacobin Show , David and Matt take a look at Argentina, where Javier Milei's libertarian project has turned into an economic nightmare. Then we are joined by Neal Meyer to talk about the right-wing trend among Democratic politicians. Lastly, we are joined by Oliver Larkin, a democratic socialist and DSA candidate running for Congress in South Florida against Jared Moskowitz. Read Ne...

In the US and the UK, left movements came close to power. Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn both galvanized an entire generation on the Left, but what lessons can we take from those movements today? And what is the future of the Left? Grace Blakeley, writer, Marxist, and long-time supporter of Corbyn, joins the Jacobin Show to talk about her support of the Green Party in the UK and the leadership o...

Welcome to this week's Jacobin Show with David Griscom . We are first joined by Tiare Gatti Mora, a contributor at Compact , collaborator with Diem25, and contributor to Jacobin , to talk about “girlboss” feminism and why socialist feminism is a stronger alternative. Then Andrew Cockburn, Washington Editor of Harper's , joins to talk about the rot at the heart of American society and his new book...

Lula has successfully transformed Brazil, but the question lingers: what forces can continue this work? Political succession has been a long-term issue on the Left. What is the future of the Left in Brazil, and what lessons can movements around the world learn from Lula and the political transition of AMLO to Claudia Sheinbaum in Mexico? David speaks to Andre Pagliarini, professor at Louisiana Sta...

The convoy to Cuba was a success, but the island is still in crisis. We are joined by Current Affairs associate editor Alex Skopic to talk about Cuba. Joining David, Alex also debunks the propaganda machine that has been in full swing, attacking the convoy and figures like Hasan Piker. Plus, Matt & David on Graham Platner and a worrying crackdown on free speech in Texas. You can get four print...

Welcome to this week's Jacobin Show . David and Matt break down the recent elections in Illinois and the crisis of money in politics. Then we are joined by writer and activist Alex Birnel to talk about his recent piece in The Texas Observer that answers the question, can Mamdani style politics win everywhere? Plus, we take a look at Greg Casar's recent statement on the crisis of the Democratic Par...

On this week’s Jacobin Show , David is joined by Iddo Elam, an Israeli refusenik who served prison time instead of serving in the IDF. He joins Jacobin to talk about resistance within Israel to the war on Iran. Then we look toward Mexico, where President Claudia Sheinbaum has brought in a massive debt relief program. Jose Luis Granados Ceja and Jacobin contributor Kurt Hackbarth, both of the Sober...

The United States is at war with Iran. But why? This week, Jacobin staff writer Branko Marcetic joins David Griscom to break down the many conflicting reasons and justifications we’ve been getting for the war. Then, David and Matt take a look at the frantic, desperate explanations for the war coming from MAGA influencers like Steven Crowder, Tim Pool, and Dave Rubin. Plus: What does James Talarico...

Afshin Matin-Asgari discusses the military build-up directed at Iran and his new book, Axis of Empire: A History of Iran–US Relations . You can get four print issues of Jacobin for just $10, or yearlong digital access for $5 by using the code JACOBINSHOW25: https://jacobin.com/subscribe/?code=JACOBINSHOW25 This is the audio version of a live broadcast from February 27, 2026. Catch the Jacobin Show...

Special show this week featuring Cornel West! You can get four print issues of Jacobin for just $10, or yearlong digital access for $5 by using the code JACOBINSHOW25: https://jacobin.com/subscribe/?code=JACOBINSHOW25 This is the audio version of a live broadcast from February 20, 2026. Catch the  Jacobin Show on YouTube every Friday at 10 AM ET: https://www.youtube.com/@JacobinMag

David and Matt take a look at how billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg try to subvert democracy and the planet. Then we are joined by Sasha Abramsky, Authoritarian Watch correspondent at The Nation Magazine, to talk about his new book American Carnage: How Trump, Musk, and DOGE Butchered the US Government. Rather than being a short blip in a chaotic administration, Elon Musk’s DOGE has reshaped the U...

On this episode of the Jacobin Show David breaks down the growing momentum of organized labor, including the UAW’s breakthrough efforts in the South, and what it signals for the future of worker power in historically anti-union regions. We discuss why this moment matters, what made it possible, and what comes next for the broader labor movement. Minneapolis City Council member Robin Wonsley joins...

At Davos, Canadian PM Mark Carney gave a speech criticizing the “rules-based international order.” It isn’t the kind of speech one would expect from a leader like Carney, and the speech has received much adulation. But what is Carney really advocating here? We are joined by Jacobin columnist Luke Savage to break down what this pivot means and what it doesn’t. We also open with a lesson from the gr...

This week, we look at the chaos engulfing the nation with the irreplaceable Hasan Piker. Grab David's new book The Myth of Red Texas up now for pre-order with 15% off: https://orbooks.com/catalog/the-myth-of-red-texas/ You can get four print issues of Jacobin for just $10, or yearlong digital access for $5, by using the code JACOBINSHOW25: https://jacobin.com/subscribe/?code=JACOBINSHOW25 This is...