Confronting Capitalism: Socialists in the Capitalist State

The Left looks poised to pick up some big electoral wins in the midterm elections. But with virtually all of the Left’s victories since the first Sanders presidential primary coming through elections, are socialists and progressives at risk of devolving into electoralism?

On this latest episode of Confronting Capitalism, Vivek Chibber and Melissa Naschek examine the structural and institutional pressures facing left-wing politicians and how we can build greater power outside the state.

Read Vivek’s obituary for Anwar Shaikh here: jacobin.com/2026/10/shaikh-obituary-marxism-po…

The latest issue of Catalyst is out and you can subscribe for just $20 using the code CONFRONTINGCAPITALISM: catalyst-journal.com/subscribe/?code=CONFRONTI…

Have a question for us? Write to us by email: confronting.capitalism@jacobin.com

Confronting Capitalism with Vivek Chibber is produced by Catalyst: A Journal of Theory and Strategy, and published by Jacobin. Music by Zonkey.