Accessibility links
socialism socialism
Stories About

socialism

American Socialist (2020)
Library of Congress

Throughline

American Socialist (2020)

It's been over a century since a self-described socialist was a viable candidate for president of the United States. And that first socialist candidate, Eugene V. Debs, didn't just capture significant votes, he created a new and enduring populist politics deep in the American grain. This week, the story of Eugene V. Debs and the creation of American socialism.

American Socialist (2020)

Listen · 1:01:17
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1120244344/1200556385" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
American Socialist (2020)

A mugshot of Eugene V. Debs with his prisoner number in 1920. He was imprisoned in the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary for speaking out against the draft during World War I. The New York Public Library hide caption

toggle caption
The New York Public Library

Throughline

American Socialist (2020)

American workers are reaching a breaking point. We're seeing a wave of resignations and labor strikes, and a supply chain that's cracking under the pressure. At the turn of the 20th century, one man faced a similar world and dreamt of something more – Eugene V. Debs.

American Socialist (2020)

Listen · 1:04:23
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1066806317/1200556580" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
Capitalism: What Is It?

Capitalism is an economic system, but what do we really mean when we talk about capitalism? And how does it affect our lives? Alfred Gescheidt/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Alfred Gescheidt/Getty Images

Analysis

Throughline

Capitalism: What Is It?

What do we mean when we talk about capitalism? Our economic system might seem inevitable, but it's a construction project hundreds of years in the making and no part of it is natural or left to chance. This week, we kick off our series on the past, present and future of capitalism with Kristen Ghodsee, Vivek Chibber, and Bryan Caplan, who debate how an economic system became an all-encompassing force that rules our lives and our minds.

Capitalism: What Is It?

Listen · 56:53
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1008906741/1200556785" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Socialists Win In Spanish Election; Far-Right Party Gains Seats For First Time

Pedro Sánchez, Spain's prime minister and Socialist Party leader, gestures to supporters outside the party headquarters following the general election in Madrid on Sunday. Bernat Armangue/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Bernat Armangue/AP

Europe

Socialists Win In Spanish Election; Far-Right Party Gains Seats For First Time

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's party took 123 seats Sunday, short of the 176 needed to form a government. It's uncertain what a coalition government will look like.

Bolivian Miners Reportedly Kidnap, Kill High-Level Official Amid Strike

Smoke wafts over the highway linking the Bolivian capital of La Paz with the Chilean border during an ongoing clash between striking miners, who are blockading the road, and police. Aizar Raldes/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Aizar Raldes/AFP/Getty Images

The Americas

Bolivian Miners Reportedly Kidnap, Kill High-Level Official Amid Strike

The miners, who want to be able to work with private corporations, have blockaded a highway in the country. Rodolfo Illanes was negotiating with them, but an official says he was beaten to death.

Browse archive or search npr.org