The conventional narrative of the political Left portrays it as the unyielding champion of the working class, fighting for better wages, rights, and social welfare.

However, what is often not taught is how the Left, particularly in its modern form, has also betrayed workers through a series of elite deals, policy choices, and ideological shifts that prioritized different constituencies and goals.

This betrayal is not a simple matter of corruption but a complex story of political evolution, global economic forces, and the changing definition of what it means to be "left-wing."

The Shift from the "Labor Left" to the "Professional Left" 

Traditionally, the Left was synonymous with the labor movement. Its power was built on the organized strength of unions, and its policies were centered on industrial workers and their economic well-being. This was the era of social democracy in Europe and the New Deal coalition in the United States. However, in the late 20th century, a significant ideological shift occurred.

• The Rise of the "Professional Left": As blue-collar jobs in manufacturing and heavy industry declined in the Global North, the Left's political base began to change. It increasingly came to be dominated by highly educated professionals, academics, and those in the non-profit sector. This new base, often referred to as the "professional left," focused on issues that were more relevant to their concerns, such as identity politics, environmentalism, and a certain brand of cosmopolitanism.

• The Decline of Economic Focus: This shift led to a de-emphasis on core economic issues that affect the working class. While still advocating for social safety nets, the Left's political messaging often became more focused on cultural and social justice issues. This created a disconnect between the political priorities of the new liberal elite and the economic anxieties of the working class, who felt their concerns about job security and wage stagnation were being ignored.

Endorsing Neoliberal Globalization 

One of the most significant betrayals of the working class by the modern Left was its embrace of neoliberal globalization. While neoliberalism is a right-wing economic philosophy, many left-leaning political parties in the U.S. and Europe endorsed policies that facilitated it, often in a bid to appear "centrist" and "pragmatic."

• Free Trade Agreements: Parties like the U.S. Democratic Party, under President Bill Clinton, championed free trade agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The promise was that these agreements would create a new era of prosperity. In practice, however, they led to the offshoring of millions of manufacturing jobs from the U.S. and Europe to countries with lower wages and weaker labor protections. This had a devastating effect on working-class communities, which were hollowed out by plant closures and economic decline.

• Austerity Policies: Following the 2008 financial crisis, many left-leaning governments in Europe, like the Labour Party in the UK and the Social Democrats in Germany, implemented austerity policies. These policies, which involved cuts to public services and social welfare programs, were justified as necessary to reduce national debt. However, they disproportionately affected the working class, while the bankers and financiers who caused the crisis largely went unpunished.

This endorsement of policies that harmed their traditional base created a profound sense of abandonment among many workers, who felt that their own political champions had sold them out to global corporate interests.

The "Managed Decline" of the Working Class 

In many ways, the modern Left has presided over a "managed decline" of the working class. Instead of fighting to preserve industrial jobs or to create new ones with decent wages and benefits, the Left's response has often been to focus on social safety nets and retraining programs.

• The "Retraining" Myth: The promise of "retraining" workers for a new "knowledge economy" has often failed to deliver. These programs are frequently underfunded and do not lead to jobs with wages that can sustain a family. This has created a cycle of dependency and economic precarity, leaving many workers feeling as if their skills and way of life are no longer valued.

• The Loss of Political Power: The decline of unions, a direct result of both neoliberal policies and the Left's own neglect of its industrial base, has stripped the working class of its political power. Without the collective bargaining strength of a strong union, individual workers are at the mercy of their employers.

This betrayal is not about a single event but a long, slow process of political and ideological drift. The modern Left, while still a force for social progress, has often abandoned the core economic struggles of the working class in favor of a different set of priorities, leaving a vacuum that has been filled by populist movements on both the Left and the Right.