Jacobin

About Jacobin

Jacobin is an American socialist magazine based in New York City, founded in 2010 by Bhaskar Sunkara. Published as a quarterly print edition alongside a daily online platform at jacobin.com, it has grown from a small project launched by a 21-year-old into one of the most widely read publications of the contemporary American left. As of 2023, the magazine reported a paid print circulation of 75,000 and more than three million monthly online visitors, figures that make it the most successful socialist periodical in the United States in a generation. Jacobin offers socialist perspectives on politics, economics, and culture, combining intellectual argument with an accessible style designed to reach readers beyond traditional activist circles.

Founding and Early History

Bhaskar Sunkara founded Jacobin in September 2010, launching it first as an online publication before moving into print later that year. Sunkara, then a university student, wanted to create a publication that combined resolutely socialist politics with the accessibility and polish of established liberal magazines such as The Nation and The New Republic. The magazine's name derives from C. L. R. James's classic history The Black Jacobins, about the Haitian Revolution, which Sunkara cited as the inspiration for a title evoking radical democratic tradition. The early issues were produced on a shoestring, with Sunkara handling much of the editorial and business work himself. Art director Remeike Forbes, who joined early and later served as publisher, gave the magazine a distinctive, stylish design that set it apart from the drab aesthetics of much left-wing publishing. The magazine's popularity grew rapidly, particularly after the Occupy Wall Street movement of 2011 brought a new audience to socialist ideas, and Jacobin was profiled by The New York Times as a case study in the revival of print media.

Editorial Philosophy and Political Stance

Jacobin describes itself as a socialist publication, and its politics sit firmly on the left of the American political spectrum. The magazine advocates for democratic socialism: universal health care, free public education, strong labor unions, public ownership of key industries, and an expanded welfare state. Its editors distinguish their vision from both Soviet-style authoritarianism and mere welfare-state liberalism, arguing for a democratic, worker-centered transformation of the economy. The magazine has been associated with the democratic socialist tendency within the broader left, and many of its writers and editors have ties to the Democratic Socialists of America, though the magazine maintains editorial independence. As a nonprofit, Jacobin does not endorse political candidates, but its pages have provided sustained intellectual support for the campaigns of Bernie Sanders and for left-wing electoral efforts in the United States and abroad.

Growth During the Sanders Era

The Bernie Sanders presidential campaigns of 2016 and 2020 marked a turning point for Jacobin. The Sanders campaigns politicized millions of young Americans, and Jacobin positioned itself as the intellectual engine of that movement, providing historical context, policy analysis, and a vision of what democratic socialism could look like in practice. The magazine's subscriber base and web traffic surged, and it became a fixture of mainstream political discussion, with its writers appearing regularly on cable news and in other national outlets. In May 2020, after Sanders suspended his second presidential campaign, his former adviser and speechwriter David Sirota joined Jacobin as editor-at-large, a move that underscored the magazine's role as a hub for the Sanders-aligned left. The magazine also published The ABCs of Socialism, a pamphlet that became a widely distributed primer on socialist ideas.

Notable Writers and Contributors

Jacobin's pages have featured a wide range of left-wing intellectuals, journalists, and politicians. Regular contributors have included scholars and writers such as Slavoj Žižek, the Slovenian philosopher; Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister; and the historian Peter Frase. The magazine has published interviews and essays by political figures including Jeremy Corbyn, the former leader of the British Labour Party, and Zohran Mamdani. Sunkara himself has been a prominent public intellectual, writing for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other outlets, and publishing The Socialist Manifesto: The Case for Radical Politics in an Era of Extreme Inequality with Basic Books in 2019. The magazine's editorial staff has included a new generation of socialist journalists who have gone on to work at major publications.

Print and Digital Publishing

Jacobin publishes a quarterly print edition known for its book-like design, with each issue organized around a theme and featuring long essays, interviews, and cultural criticism. The print edition has a paid circulation of 75,000, an extraordinary figure for a socialist publication in the United States. The website, jacobin.com, publishes daily articles and reaches more than three million visitors per month, making it one of the most widely read left-wing outlets online. A print and digital subscription costs under thirty dollars, reflecting the magazine's commitment to accessibility. The magazine also produces podcasts, including its flagship interview program, and maintains an active presence on social media, where its shareable graphics and explainers have introduced socialist ideas to new audiences.

International Expansion

Under Sunkara's leadership, Jacobin has expanded beyond the United States. In May 2018, the magazine's Europe editor Ronan Burtenshaw announced the acquisition of Tribune, the historic British left-wing magazine associated with the Labour movement, bringing it under the Jacobin umbrella. The magazine has also launched or partnered with editions in other languages, including an Italian edition, and it covers international politics extensively, with a particular focus on European left movements, Latin American politics, and labor struggles around the world. This international orientation reflects the magazine's roots in the cosmopolitan socialist tradition and its ambition to be a global publication of the left rather than a purely American one.

Business Model and Organization

Jacobin operates as a nonprofit organization, funded primarily through subscriptions, donations, and merchandise rather than advertising. This model has given it a degree of independence from commercial pressures, though the magazine has faced the same financial challenges as other independent media outlets. Sunkara has served as both founder and publisher, building the magazine into a sustainable enterprise through a combination of editorial vision and entrepreneurial skill. The magazine employs a staff of editors, writers, and designers in New York, supplemented by a network of contributing editors and freelancers around the world. Its growth from a one-person project to a major media outlet is often cited as evidence that there is a substantial audience for serious socialist journalism in the United States.

Criticism and Controversy

Jacobin has attracted criticism from various quarters. Some on the further left have accused it of being too moderate, arguing that its democratic socialism amounts to social democracy and that it has been insufficiently critical of American imperialism. Others have criticized specific editorial positions, including its coverage of international conflicts and its stance toward left-wing governments in Latin America. The magazine has also faced scrutiny over its workplace culture, with former employees raising concerns about labor practices, a notable issue for a socialist publication. Conservative critics, meanwhile, have attacked the magazine as a vehicle for radical ideas. Sunkara and his editors have generally responded to criticism by defending the magazine's project of making socialism accessible and relevant to contemporary American politics.

Influence and Legacy

Whatever the controversies, Jacobin's influence on American political culture is difficult to dispute. It played a central role in the revival of socialist politics in the United States during the 2010s, providing intellectual infrastructure for the Sanders campaigns and the growth of the Democratic Socialists of America. Its writers helped popularize demands such as Medicare for All, tuition-free college, and a Green New Deal, embedding them in a broader vision of democratic socialist transformation. The magazine demonstrated that a left-wing publication could achieve commercial viability and cultural influence in the twenty-first century, inspiring a wave of new socialist media projects. As the American left continues to evolve, Jacobin remains one of its most prominent and widely read voices.