Population decline is not just about human extinction. Before it ends, human civilization will grow increasingly unpleasant — and communal ideals associated with left-wing politics will become increasingly difficult to sustain.

This new article in Sociology Lens (the former Journal of Historical Sociology) contains a summary of the main argument of my dissertation. It addresses how the German economy transitioned to capitalism, and emphasizes the contribution of agriculture. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

In my review of Spears and Geruso's book "After the Spike" for Jacobin, I attempt to confront what I consider the core of their argument, which is why declining global population would be undesirable, and I find their arguments unpersuasive. jacobin.com/2025/07/demo...

Were eighteenth century Prussian peasants oppressed by their noble landlords? My article in Central European History argues, against the past half century of scholarship, that they were due to a biased judicial system, frequent beatings, and much else: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

My latest article in Jacobin addresses the phenomenon of the "pronatalist" mileau. The pronatalists face a choice: they either can pursue their stated objectives by adopting a political program of welfare state expansion, or remain a self-defeating movement. jacobin.com/2025/04/nata...

My review of Lyndal Roper's new book on the German Peasants' War (on its 500 year anniversary), Summer of Fire and Blood jacobin.com/2025/03/germ...

My latest for Jacobin: the New York Times and McKinsey say that aging populations will inevitably lead to lower living standards for ordinary people. But it's an attempt to scare people into accepting attacks on their own economic interests. jacobin.com/2025/02/mcki...

My latest for Jacobin: Elon Musk and other capitalists often bemoan falling American birth rates. Do we have good reasons for sharing their concerns? Find out below. jacobin.com/2025/01/fall...

One could also say Mangione took the logic of self-help to its most extreme conclusion, eschewing systemic change in favor of a DIY murder complete with a 3D-printed gun.

Hello, new followers. Please enjoy my recent writing on European peasants, etc.: jacobin.com/2024/10/euro...

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